Alhyasat to face Bendaoud in featherweight quarterfinal at 2025 PFL MENA

JEDDAH: The 2025 PFL MENA season kicks off on May 9 with Jordan’s Abdelrahman Alhyasat facing Taha Bendaoud of Morocco in the quarterfinals of the featherweight tournament at Onyx Arena in Jeddah.

Last season, Alhyasat was a revelation at 145 pounds, picking up impressive wins over Ahmed Tarek and eventual champion Abdullah Al-Qahtani to reach the final round, before being forced to withdraw due to injury.

Now back to full health, the 35-year-old is planning to get back to the top of the mountain and claim the title that many fans believe should have been his in the first place.

“This tournament is a pivotal moment in my professional career. It’s not just another fight — it’s a step toward something much bigger,” Alhyasat said.

“Thanks to God, I’m more than ready for this league. I’ve worked hard to reach this level, and I believe my skill set is above everyone else in the division.”

After last season’s dominant win over Al-Qahtani, Alhyasat is coming into the new season with a lot of confidence on his side.

“I’m entering the cage with full confidence and a clear goal: to achieve another milestone for Jordan,” he said.

For this season, Alhyasat spent time training in Thailand and said that there he sharpened every aspect of his game, working with coaches from every discipline.

“Right now, I’m in Phuket, training with some of the best coaches in the world. I’ve surrounded myself with specialists in boxing, wrestling, and grappling to make sure no detail is left behind,” Alhyasat said.

“This camp has been the most intense and focused of my career — it’s about refining every part of my game so I can perform at my best when it matters most.”

But Alhyasat will have his work cut out for him when he takes on a highly