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."
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Naga
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NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Results
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Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
