Emirati fighters Al Hussaini and Al Housani added to Road to Dubai Champions Series undercard

Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Harris headline inaugural fight card in the emirate

Emirati mixed martial artist Hadi Omar Al Hussaini takes on Ruel Panales of the Philippines at Coca-Cola Arena on January 25. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Emiratis Hadi Omar Al Hussaini and Youssef Al Housani have been added to the undercard of inaugural PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25.

Al Hussaini suffered a defeat to Egypt's Ziad Ayman Mokhtar at PFL Mena 2 in Riyadh in July and returns to take on RSF flyweight champion Ruel Panales of the Philippines at Coca-Cola Arena. Al Housani, making his PFL debut, takes on the unbeaten Egyptian Assem Ghanem in the featherweight division.

The fight card is the inaugural “Road to Dubai” event following the signing of a multi-year partnership between the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Sports Counil (DSC), and PFL.

The top of the card sees unbeaten Bellator lightweight world champion Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) defend his title against Ireland's Paul Hughes (13-1).

Hughes is coming off the biggest victory of his career after taking a split decision over American AJ McKee at "Battle of the Giants" in Riyadh in October.

The main card also includes the clash between Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) and Nathan Kelly (11-2), and Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) versus Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1), both at featherweight, and Renat Khavalov (8-0) and Cleiver Fernandes (9-1) at bantamweight.

Dubai-based Uzbek fighter Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) takes on England’s knockout specialist Mike Thompson (7-2).

In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Mostafa Nada (9-3) riding a five-fight win streak, will face the British-Pakistani PFL debutant Haider Khan (8-1), who has won his last four bouts.

This 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 are now co-branded as Road to Dubai, as each show culminates to the finale to be held in the emirates.

The PFL is the only organisation in MMA with a sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, play-offs, and championship each year.

Road to Dubai Champions Series main card:

Lightweight world title: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) v Paul Hughes (13-1)

Featherweight: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) v Nathan Kelly (11-2)

Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)

Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov (8-0) v Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)

Preliminary card:

Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) v Ahmed Samy (11-4)

Flyweight: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1) v Ruel Panales (5-2)

Middleweight: Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) v Jarrah Al Silawe (20-7)

Lightweight: John Mitchell (9-2) v Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)

Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani (4-1) v Assem Ghanem (4-0)

Middleweight: Mostafa Nada (9-3) v Haider Khan (8-1)

Lightweight: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) v Mike Thompson (7-2)