Pouya Rahmani says he plans to use his upcoming bout against Slim Trabelsi as a first step to what he hopes will be a shot at the PFL heavyweight championship.
The Dubai-based Iranian makes his promotional debut on October 3 when he faces the Tunisian on the undercard of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai – The Rematch at Coca-Cola Arena.
Francis Ngannou holds the gold Rahmani desires. And while he has a few rungs to move up the ladder to make that showdown a reality, Rahmani is in determined mood.
“PFL have some of the best fighters in the world, and they’re all fighting for titles,” Rahmani said.
“My immediate goal is to win the PFL heavyweight title and this contest is the first step. Obviously, I have bigger goals. I intend to put this one away as quickly as possible and we’ll see what’s next that they bring to the table.”
A world champion in wrestling and grappling, mixed martial arts is 33-year-old Rahmani's latest foray into combat sports.
He heads into October's meeting, headlined by lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov's rematch against Paul Hughes, with detailed knowledge of his opponent and how to beat him.
In May, Rahmani overwhelmed Trabelsi to take a unanimous decision in a strictly grappling contest at Karate Combat 54.
October's meeting will be different, though, with both fighters pitting their MMA skills and undefeated records against one another.
Rahmani remains undefeated in four MMA pro bouts, while his 32-year-old opponent arrives with a perfect 8-0 record.
“Actually, it was the promotion [Karate Combat 54] that made this arrangement, in meeting this opponent, and my manager told me to accept this fight,” Rahmani told The National after his grappling win against Trabelsi five months ago.
“I wasn’t in great shape ahead of that fight as I had just recovered from a bicep surgery but I still came out on top. And this time I’m in good shape and better prepared."
Since that meeting with Trabelsi, Rahmani has added a gold medal to his collection by defeating Haisam Rida at the Abu Dhabi Grappling World Championships (under 125kgs) last month.
“Now I’m ready to defeat this guy again,” Rahmani said of Trabelsi. “PFL is the second biggest MMA promotion in the world ... I see every opponent in this promotion to be tough."
Trabelsi is an Olympic wrestler and has had four knockouts in his eight MMA appearances. He comes into the bout on the back of two wins in Bellator and a split decision over Englishman Abraham Bably in the PFL Mena Finals last November.
“I am not going to underestimate him from the outset of this fight," Rahmani said. "I am going to be fully focused. I am just thinking about finishing him.”
Standing at 188cm and weighing in at 120kgs, Rahmani claims he is the best grappler in the MMA world.
“People will soon see what I bring to the SmartCage,” he said. “I can do some things in grappling that no one else can do. It’s not only taking down opponents but how to have control over them.
“When I take someone down, it’s usually over. No one can move under me because I have perfected that art over the years."
Born in Iran, Rahmani has called Dubai home for the past four years. The Coca-Cola Arena is a mere stone's throw away from where he resides. He says with a cheeky smile that he wants to put on a show for his fans "at least for a few seconds”.
"I’m so excited. Dubai is my home. I’m competing at a venue only 10 minutes away from where I live.
“I have been waiting for a long time for this moment and the moment has come now for me to challenge for a world heavyweight title. This is only the beginning."
