JEDDAH: PFL MENA will begin its second season at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah on May 9 with a trio of fighters from the Kingdom looking to leave their mark in front of the home crowd.

When Malik Basahel, Abdulaziz bin Moammar and Ahmed Makki make their respective entrances into the world-famous PFL SmartCage, it will symbolize a different chapter in each of their careers.

For Basahel, PFL MENA 1 in Jeddah will mark the beginning of his professional mixed martial arts career. The 23-year-old will be competing in his first pro fight when he takes on Mountasser Boutouta in a Flyweight Showcase bout.

“I’m preparing for my first professional fight after 25 amateur bouts, where I won 21 times,” said Basahel, who has put together an impressive 21-3-1 amateur slate, which includes five wins by KO/TKO and eight wins by submission. While this will not be Basahel’s first trip to the PFL SmartCage, it will be arguably his most important, as he makes the jump to the professional ranks in front of a Saudi crowd.

“This motivates me to perform at my best and make a strong entry into the professional scene,” Basahel said.

While this will be Basahel’s first pro outing, his vast amateur experience has been a huge learning experience, as he details what he needs to do to score his first career win.

“Every fighter has a different style, but the most important thing is inner focus and the ability to react instantly to the opponent’s moves,” he said.

For his training regimen, Basahel says that he sticks to a strict routine and highlights the importance of the right attitude.

“Discipline and consistency are keys to success. You need a structured training schedule — not three days on and two days off.

“Stick to a strict training program for months if you want to succeed in combat sports.”

For Abdulaziz bin Moammar, the amateur journey continues, but this time he will be competing on the biggest stage he has ever been on. With a 10-3 record as an amateur, the Saudi native will start the PFL MENA 1 card against Fares Hamdani in an amateur Catchweight contest.

“This tournament in Jeddah will be special, as the city has hosted many major events before,” Moammar said. “Jeddah is the birthplace of MMA in Saudi Arabia, and its crowd is knowledgeable and passionate.”

While still competing as an amateur, Moammar is already making sure that his tools are well-sharpened as he continues down a path that will eventually lead to a promising professional career.

“I’m always working to become more complete — better on the ground and in striking — through experience and sparring with champions,” he said.

Whenever he steps inside the cage, Moammar says that he does not just go out there for himself.

“Victory is always my goal because I represent not just myself, but my family, supporters and country. That’s a big responsibility,” he said.

While PFL MENA 1 may be a starting point for some and a continuation of the journey for others, the card will mark the end of the line for Makki, one of Saudi Arabian MMA’s true pioneers.

Makki turned pro in 2014 and compiled a 1-3-1 professional record, with appearances under the Desert Force, Phoenix FC and Brave CF promotions.

Competing for the first time since 2018, Makki returns for his final bout on the biggest stage of his career.

“I’m one of the first fighters to start this sport in Saudi Arabia and I witnessed how combat sports evolved in The Kingdom,” Makki said.

“I chose to have my final professional fight in my hometown of Jeddah, in front of my people and the Saudi audience.”

While Makki’s fighting resume may not be as lengthy as the other fighters that have come after him, he is glad that he can include a PFL appearance in his list of accomplishments before calling it a day.

“I’m happy to end my journey in a championship event hosted by my own city,” he said. “Participating in the PFL in Jeddah is a great addition to my career after competing and succeeding in both international and local events.”

For international regional tournaments, one of the PFL’s main goals is to be able to shine the spotlight on up-and-coming local talent, giving them a pathway to international glory and success. For Makki, he relishes the opportunity to be one of those passing the torch to the next generation of MMA stars from Saudi Arabia.

“It’s time to pass the torch to the new generation,” he said. “There are many Saudi talents capable of shining on the global stage.”

LONDON: Novak Djokovic’s shock withdrawal from next week’s Italian Open should be a huge worry for the 24-times Grand Slam champion’s fans as he heads to the French Open without winning a match on clay this season, former Roland Garros winner Jim Courier said.

Djokovic, who turns 38 three days before the year’s second Grand Slam begins on May 25, has been woefully out of form and was comprehensively beaten in his opening matches at Masters tournaments in Monte Carlo and Madrid this month.

The Serb was expected to jumpstart his clay campaign in Rome before returning to Paris, where he won Olympic gold last year, but on Tuesday he said he was skipping the Masters 1000 event, without providing a reason.

“That’s troubling. It’s worrying for me as a Novak fan,” Courier, who won back-to-back Roland Garros titles in 1991 and 1992, said on the Tennis Channel.

The American added that Rome would have been the perfect venue for Djokovic to find his rhythm as it had similar conditions to Paris without the challenge of playing at altitude in Madrid.

“If you’re going to play one between Madrid and Rome (then) Rome would be the one you would want to play to get ready for Roland Garros,” he said.

Djokovic, who is chasing a 100th tour-level title and first since his ATP Finals triumph in 2023, said after his loss in Madrid that he was trying to come to terms with a “new reality” in tennis where he is just “trying to win a match or two.”

“I don’t know what to make of it, but I don’t like the way it feels in the gut,” Courier added.

“It’s a very strange thing to announce a pullout now, well in advance of it, and we’ll see what it all means when we get to Roland Garros.”