Mohammad Alaqraa has shown his expertise in grappling, winning the 2021 National IBJJF tournament. The American Kickboxing Academy product is 6-0 thus far, including two finishes to his credit. Alaqraa scored a third-round TKO of Youcef Oubbas in July.
Amir Fazli has had several accomplishments in his combat career, including a World Wushu Championship at 80kg in 2013 and a regional middleweight MMA title. Five of Fazli’s six victories have come via a finish, with four coming in the first round and four coming via knockout. Fazli lost to Badreddine Diani, but he re-enters the tournament after Diani was forced to withdraw.
Who will earn the first of two spots in the PFL MENA welterweight championship?
Round 1
Lots of feints from both men to start. Alaqraa with a jab. Jab from Fazli. High kick from Alaqraa. Alaqraa with a level change and he gets the takedown, but Fazil quickly reverses and gets back to his feet. Alaqraa with a jab. Fazli goes for a judo trip, but Alaqraa counters and pushes him to the fence. Alaqraa trying for his own trip. Fazli grabs the fence, but Alaqraa still manages to get him down. Alaqraa in half guard, trying to push into mount. Fazli now has the full guard up. Alaqraa trying to work here, but Fazli’s guard keeping him down.
The referee calling for more action. Alaqraa with some ground and pound, freed quite a bit from the guard. Fazli trying to sweep Alaqraa. Hooks from Fazli. Alaqraa controlling in half guard. Another warning for more action. A final warning, but Alaqraa manages to work his way into mount. Alaqraa rains down hammerfists. Some ground-and-pound from Alaqraa. Alaqraa is landing to the head! Fazli looking to counterstrike from the ground. Fazli gets Alaqraa off mount, and he escapes. Fazli kicking to the legs of the grounded Alaqraa. Alaqraa explodes up and gets Fazli back to the ground. Back to half guard.
Round 2
The two circling. Alaqraa with a long left hook. High kick from Alaqraa. Low kick from Fazli. Round kick from Fazli. Left hand from Alaqraa misses. Knee on the inside by Alaqraa. Alaqraa goes for a trip, but Fazli keeping his balance. Alaqraa, however, gets the same kind of takedown as he did in the first. Alaqraa now in side control. Fazli trying to use his legs on the fence to create distance and leverage. Alaqraa works his way into full mount. A few right hands from Alaqraa to the face. Alaqraa continuing to deliver several shots to the face.
Fazli trying to keep Alaqraa down and throwing strikes from the ground. Alaqraa now in arm-triangle position, and he may be looking to lock that submission up. He doesn’t have it, but Alaqraa still pressuring and controlling from the top. Fazli gets his guard back up in full. Alaqraa landing with the left multiple times. The referee calling for more action. Fazli gets his guard back up, as Alaqraa looks to work over the body. The referee warns he’ll stand the two of them up. Alaqraa looks to work, but Fazli tries to keep his arms down. The referee stands the two up with 30 seconds left. Left hand from Fazli. Round kick to the body by Fazli. Both men connect with the right hand.
Round 3
Left hook from Fazli connects. The two circling a lot to start here. Alaqraa with a left hand. Left jab from Fazli. Alaqraa continuing to push forward. Alaqraa pressures, putting Fazli against the fence. Alaqraa gets Fazli to his knees, but Fazli gets right back up. Alaqraa, however, gets Fazli back down again. Alaqraa landing several times with the left hand. Alaqraa is in side control but is looking to step over and get into full mount. Alaqraa gets his leg over, and he’s on top. Alaqraa brings the ground-and-pound! Alaqraa landing flush to the face of Fazli!
Alaqraa looks for an arm-triangle again, but Fazli denies it. Alaqraa continuing to work with the ground-and-pound. The two can be heard talking to one another. The referee reminds the two to keep active. Alaqraa landing hammerfists to the head. Alaqraa continuing to punish Fazli, who is also being warned to keep his toes out of the fence. Alaqraa fails at another arm-triangle attempt. Alaqraa continues to pressure, as Fazli is struggling to perform a hip escape. Alaqraa continuing to land as Fazli just tries to protect his face. Left hands to the body by Alaqraa. A few right hands more to finish things off. Dominant performance from Mohammad Alaqraa!
OFFICIAL RESULT
Mohammad Alaqraa defeats Amir Fazli by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) in a PFL MENA Welterweight Semifinal to advance to the 2024 PFL MENA Championship. He will face the winner of the Welterweight Semifinal between Jarrah Al-Selawe and Omar El Dafrawy, taking place later on today's fight card.
