HEAVYWEIGHT TRILOGY FIGHT FEATURING VADIM NEMKOV VS. COREY ANDERSON WILL SERVE AS CO-MAIN EVENT OF ROAD TO DUBAI CHAMPIONS SERIES ON JAN. 25
Main card of the Road to Dubai Champions Series is finalized with five must-see bouts – including two ‘Dagestan vs. Ireland’ matchups
Coca-Cola Arena will host main event pitting undefeated Bellator Lightweight World Champion, Usman Nurmagomedov versus rising Irish contender Paul Hughes
Tickets for the historic event are on-sale now
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – December 13, 2024: The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, has announced the co-main event of Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25 at Coca-Cola Arena, will be a Heavyweight trilogy bout between the last two men to hold the Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship, Vadim Nemkov (18-2, 1 NC) and Corey Anderson (18-6,1 NC).
Three additional main card bouts are also official, with the news that one of the top young British prospects in the sport, undefeated Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) will take on Ireland’s Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1) at Featherweight. Unbeaten Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0), the younger brother of Zabit Magomedsharipov, will fight Irish standout Nathan Kelly (11-2), who is in the midst of an 11-fight winning streak, at Featherweight. Rounding out the newly announced main card bouts is a Bantamweight tilt featuring Russia’s undefeated Renat Khavalov (8-0) going toe-to-toe with Brazil’s Cleiver Fernandes (9-1), a former Shooto Brazil Bantamweight Champion that is currently on an eight-fight winning streak.
The fights join a historic event headlined by “Dagestan vs. Ireland’ the undefeated Bellator Lightweight World Champion, Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) looking to defend his title against Ireland’s Paul “Big News” Hughes (13-1) who is coming off the biggest victory of his MMA career at PFL “Battle of the Giants” after defeating AJ McKee. With today’s additions, now two Dagestan vs. Ireland fights are official, and a full undercard bout listing will be announced shortly.
Road to Dubai Champions Series is the inaugural “Road to Dubai” event following the signing of a groundbreaking multi-year partnership between the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Sports Council (DSC), and the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
The first-of-its-kind partnership will see MMA world champions and the sport’s biggest stars from the PFL compete in title fights as Dubai becomes a marquee destination for the best of MMA. All other Champions Series events will now be co-branded as “Road to Dubai”, as each show culminates to the finale set in the new fight capital. As part of the PFL’s commitment to developing the sport of MMA in Dubai, rising Emirati star fighters will now have a pathway to become future PFL Champions.
In a highly anticipated trilogy bout between two of the most recognizable names in the sport, reigning Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Corey Anderson will make the move up to the Heavyweight division to take on a familiar foe in Vadim Nemkov.
Anderson saw a resurgence in his career when he signed with Bellator in 2020 as he dominated the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix, stringing together three-straight TKO victories. The Illinois’ native first met the Russian powerhouse during the finals of the Grand Prix in 2022, where $1 million dollars were on the line. Anderson was seemingly en route to a world championship, but the bout was deemed a no contest due to an accidental clash of heads in the third round. Later that same year, Anderson and Nemkov collided once again with Nemkov displaying a striking masterclass, defending his title in the process. Since then, Anderson inserted himself back into the win column after a closely contested battle with former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davis and at Bellator Champion Series Belfast, Anderson struck gold as he defeated the surging Karl Moore for the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight title.
A protégé of MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko, Nemkov has proven to be amongst the upper echelon of the Light Heavyweight division, being at the helm for three years. Boasting victories over the likes of former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, and MMA superstar Yoel Romero, Nemkov has since decided to take his talents to the Heavyweight division. His debut in the weight class earlier this year during the stacked Champions vs. Champions card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nemkov squared off against Brazil’s Bruno Cappeloza, emerging victorious after he secured a second-round submission. On January 25, Nemkov will welcome Anderson to the Heavyweight division in the debut Road to Dubai Champions Series.
Completed Road to Dubai Champions Series Main Card:
Lightweight World Title Bout: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Vadim Nemkov (18-2, 1 NC) vs. Corey Anderson (18-6,1 NC)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Clever Fernandes (9-1)
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