RIYADH: When Jarrah “The Jordanian Lion” Al-Selawe first burst onto the Professional Fighters League, he was already one of the Middle East’s best homegrown talents, and was seen as a trailblazer, opening doors for other fighters from the region to reach a global platform like the PFL.
On Friday, a worldwide audience will get to see him in top-class MMA action at PFL MENA 3 in Riyadh, but getting here has not been a straightforward ride for the welterweight fighter.
A two-division champion in the Brave Combat Federation, Al-Selawe was already a star on the regional circuit and planning to become a household name on the world stage. Early on, it looked as if he was well on his way, impressing in the PFL Challengers Series to earn a spot on the league’s global roster.
With an opportunity at a million-dollar purse during the 2022 PFL regular season, the Jordanian star defeated UFC veteran Gleison Tibau in his league debut and put himself in prime position to make the playoffs. He lost to Magomed Umalatov in his next outing, denying him a spot in the postseason that year, but he looked a likely contender in years to come.
The following season, a PFL playoffs berth continued to elude him as Al-Selawe suffered losses in both his regular season assignments and it looked as if his days in the SmartCage were done.
After a quick stint back in Brave CF where he scored a bounce-back win, the man who was once seen as the blueprint for Middle Eastern stars to succeed in the PFL is now back ine the PFL’s SmartCage and just two wins away from capturing PFL gold.
At PFL MENA 3 on Sept. 20, Al-Selawe makes his postseason debut when he faces Omar El Dafrawy in the welterweight semifinal co-main event at Boulevard Riyadh City, with the winner punching his ticket into the inaugural PFL MENA Championships.
With his experience in the PFL’s million-dollar global tournament, Al-Selawe believes that he has the edge over his Egyptian opponent.
“I’ve faced more skilled fighters in the past, and I’ve beaten them,” the 32-year-old said. “I have a lot of respect for Omar, and I am not underestimating his abilities, but I have complete confidence in myself and I believe that my experience makes victory more within my reach.”
The significance of the moment is not lost on Al-Selawe — a championship win could be his ticket back to the PFL’s million-dollar regular season, the way it helped, for example, Dakota Ditcheva, who was crowned PFL Europe Champion last season, and is now on track for a PFL World Championship.
“Winning the PFL MENA Championship is what every fighter strives for, because it means so much for us to become champions,” he said.
Speaking of the PFL’s global tournament, Al-Selawe looks back at his difficult experiences there as ways to improve his game and become an even better version of himself.
“I’ve worked hard during my training sessions to address the mistakes that I made during my previous fights,” he said. “Since then, I’ve developed my skills and focused on every small detail in preparation for this upcoming fight.”
“I’m looking to be at the highest level that I can be, and with good preparation, I will be able to claim victory. El-Dafrawy won’t be able to defeat me,” he said.
PFL MENA 3 will feature semifinal bouts in the bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions.
