PFL Dubai results – Sergei Bilostenniy captures heavyweight title with win over Vadim Nemkov
DUBAI, UAE (November 14, 2026) – Professional Fighters League made its return to Dubai for a fourth time as PFL Dubai, staged in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, thrilled fans at the Coca-Cola Arena from start to finish.
The PFL Dubai main event saw #3 Sergei Bilostenniy (16-4) capture the PFL Heavyweight World Championship with a hard-fought unanimous decision over C-Vadim Nemkov (20-3).
The former training partners had to put their friendship aside and clashed in this all-Russian main event where everything was at stake. Bilostenniy survived an early submission scare before using his striking to pick apart and out-point a bloodied Nemkov over the course of the following five rounds.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Vadim Nemkov and Team Fedor. The plan today was to fight and just have fun,” said an elated Bilostenniy. “I used to have a dream where I would call my parents and tell them, ‘Hey, I am a world champion’, and now I am going to call my parents. Dreams do come true, keep dreaming, work hard.”
In the co-main event, Belgian superstar #4-Patrick Habirora (10-0) continued his meteoric rise through the division with an emphatic first-round victory over #5-Omar El Dafrawy (16-7). ‘The Belgian Bomber’ is known for his KO power, however, Habirora showcased his grappling with a standing guillotine choke rendering El Dafrawy unconscious and registering his first ever career win by submission and El Dafrawy’s first ever loss by submission. This is now five straight first-round finishes for Habirora.
Following the fight, he declared his intentions to challenge for the PFL World Welterweight Championship.
“I am 25 years old, I’ve been putting every guy I’ve been facing to sleep,” stated Habirora. “Nakisa! Hey, boss. Next is the belt. Let’s go!”
Number 1-ranked PFL Heavyweight #1-Oleg Popov (24-2) ended Pouya Rahmani’s (6-1) undefeated run with a dominant and one-sided win. The 2025 PFL World Heavyweight Tournament Champion now firmly establishes his position in the rankings and as a potential contender for the world title.
Japan’s Joji Goto (22-9-1) made an impressive start to his PFL career with a shutout unanimous decision victory over former Bellator Bantamweight Champion #4-Sergio Pettis (25-9) and took to the mic afterwards to declare himself as a potential challenger for the PFL World Bantamweight Title.
The UK’s Lewis McGrillen (14-2) proved too much for Nawras Abzakh (15-7, 1 NC) in the opening bout of the main card. The 26-year-old promised ‘McGrillen 2.0’ coming into this contest and delivered, forcing Abzakh to retire in between rounds after suffering five minutes of relentlessness and a flying knee.
In the feature fight of the PFL Dubai early card, 2024 and 2025 PFL Europe lightweight tournament finalist Connor Hughes (13-3) won the grudge match with the debuting Shem Rock (12-4-1) with a huge faceplant knockout in the second round.
Full PFL Dubai Main Card Results:
PFL Heavyweight (265 lbs) World Title Main Event: #3-Sergei Bilostenniy (16-4) def. C-Vadim Nemkov (20-3) via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47).
Welterweight (170 lbs) Co-Main Event: #4-Patrick Habirora (10-0) def. #5-Omar El Dafrawy (16-7) via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 3:11 of round 1.
Heavyweight (265 lbs.) Bout: #1-Oleg Popov (24-2) def. Pouya Rahmani (6-1) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27).
Bantamweight (135 lbs.) Bout: Joji Goto (22-9-1) def. #4-Sergio Pettis (25-9) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Bantamweight (135 lbs) Bout: Lewis McGrillen (14-2) def. Nawras Abzakh (15-7, 1 NC) via TKO (retirement) at 5:00 of round 1.
Full PFL Dubai Early Card Results:
Lightweight (155 lbs) Bout: Connor Hughes (13-3) def. Shem Rock (12-4-1) via KO (punch) at 1:04 of round 2.
Welterweight (170 lbs) Bout: Saygid Izagakhmaev (23-4) def. David Martinez (17-7) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:27 of round 3.
Lightweight (155 lbs) Bout: Akhmed Magomedov (12-2, 1 NC) def. Alexei Pergande (8-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).
Featherweight (145 lbs): #7-Adam Borics (21-4) def. #10-Khasan Magomedsharipov (11-0) via submission (triangle choke) at 4:17 of round 1.
Heavyweight (265 lbs) Bout: #2-Denis Goltsov (38-9) def. #5-Maxwell Djantou Nana (9-3) via TKO at 3:41 of round 1.
Welterweight (170 lbs) Bout: #7-Ernesto Rodriguez (12-2) def. Rhys McKee (15-8-1) via TKO (referee stoppage) at 2:28 of round 1.
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) Bout: Khabib Nabiev (13-0) def. Styve Ngono (8-2) via TKO (strikes) at 0:46 of round 3.
Women’s Strawweight (115 lbs) Bout: Aleksandra Savicheva (9-2) def. Jacinta Austin (9-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
