Amid rising sentiment over the decline within the UFC’s heavyweight ranks, the current PFL Dubai winner claimed his promotion will additional enrich the division’s roster. The fighter in query was Pouya Rahmani, who prolonged his excellent skilled MMA report with a submission victory over Carl Williams.
Rahmani, additionally a prolific grappler, gained a grappling contest in opposition to Hamdi Abdelwahab at ADXC 5 in August 2024, though the latter was not too long ago dropped from the UFC. When requested what he thought of Abdelwahab being now not a contracted fighter within the UFC, Rahmani mentioned: Bowks Speaking Bouts),
“Truthfully, I am combating Hamdi. I end him with a submission in below two minutes. So Hamdi left the UFC. The opposite man who’s within the UFC now’s Denzel Freeman. I grappled with him too. I beat him in ADXC. And I additionally beat the ADXC champion in grappling. Yeah, however to be trustworthy, I am not that shut and I do not take into consideration all this stuff.”
“I am very centered on my profession and coaching and, oh, I am not concerned in issues like that to see what occurred and why this participant is out, as a result of I am busy with my very own issues. I am not concerned in something like that proper now, simply to see what occurred and why this participant is out. I simply acquired again and I am so drained I am unable to even see your face. Yeah, however like I mentioned from the start, in my eyes and in my expertise, these UFC fighters, you realize, they are not at that stage of combating in any respect. ”
“They only know a bit of bit, you realize, there is not any one who grapples at that stage. Sure, for instance with Khamzat Chimaev, sure. In his division, he destroys everybody as a result of he is an excellent grappler. As for Islam Makhachev, that is true. However nobody else in different divisions, particularly within the heavyweight division, is an effective grappler, brother.”
“So loads of them additionally invite me to occasions the place I competed in grappling. I hate to say it earlier than, however yeah, they are not at that stage of grappling. What individuals see and what I see are very totally different as a result of I am on this recreation and what I really feel I can do for it.” They’re very totally different, you realize. ”
Pouya Rahmani: “The PFL heavyweight division is significantly better than the UFC for the time being”
Addressing the rising sentiment amongst MMA followers that the PFL’s heavyweight division is totally corresponding to the UFC’s weight class when it comes to depth, Rahmani mentioned (by way of Bowks Speaking Bouts),
“In my view, the PFL heavyweight division can also be significantly better than the UFC at this level.”
Additional explaining this view that PFL heavyweight is a step above Final Preventing Championship, Rahmani quipped: Bowks Speaking Bouts),
“100%, as a result of within the PFL, you may title names that you realize. However within the UFC, who would you need to title? Should you put the highest two on one aspect. Subsequent to the highest two, who are you able to title as a dependable, elite fighter who can win? You’ll be able to’t simply have a high champion, a No. 1 ranked fighter, a No. 2 ranked fighter, after which nobody else.”
“However within the PFL, there’s loads of names you may point out. You’ll be able to say, oh, this man is sweet, that man is sweet. That man is an effective striker. That man is an effective grappler, that man is an effective wrestler, you realize. So there’s loads of good guys within the heavyweight division within the PFL proper now. And I am glad to be right here to beat them, you realize, once you beat an excellent man, it tastes higher than beating a motherfucker.”
