Nemkov to defend PFL heavyweight title against Bilostenniy in Dubai

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) on Monday announced the PFL Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov (20-2) will look to defend his title at PFL Dubai on Saturday November 14 against Sergei Bilostenniy (15-4) in Coca-Cola Arena.

The event marks the first card in Dubai since the merger with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), continuing the promise of delivering world class MMA and boxing shows worldwide.

The highly anticipated return to the emirates is a part of a cooperation agreement between the Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and PFL, further underlining the city’s reputation as a host destination for world-class sporting events, and a hub for MMA.

The pound-for-pound fighter in PFL, Nemkov is the protege of MMA heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko, and he carries that legacy with him every time the cage door closes. A four-time Combat Sambo champion and undefeated for the past decade, the former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion moved up to heavyweight in 2024 and claimed PFL gold last December. Athletic, dangerous, stoic, the Russian has half of his wins via KO/TKO and six by submission, with all three heavyweight bouts ending via chokes, he intends to remind the world why he’s regarded as one of the best fighters in PFL.

Opposite him stands no.3 ranked heavyweight Bilostenniy, 4-1 since joining PFL, whose highlight reel of a spinning head kick KO and a heel hook shows his devastating versatility in the cage. Bilostenniy also fights under the TeamFedor banner, training out of the Moscow gym affiliation, and has previously shared training camps with Nemkov. With finishes over Karl Williams, Tyrell Fortune and former PFL Champion Renan Ferreira, he is looking to show his main event counterpart in Dubai that he is equipped to challenge him everywhere, take the PFL Heavyweight Championship gold, and officially declare himself as the best fighter under the Emelianenko banner at Coca-Cola Arena on November 14.

“Dubai has become a special city for PFL and the site of some unforgettable moments in our history. This November, we’re raising the stakes again with the PFL Heavyweight World Championship on the line," said MVP CEO John Martin. "Both fighters have roots in Team Fedor and represent the next generation of Russia’s storied heavyweight tradition and now they’ll meet to determine who sits atop one of the most prestigious divisions in combat sports. This is exactly the kind of world-class championship matchup we want to bring to fans in Dubai, and I can’t wait to see it unfold at Coca-Cola Arena on November 14.”

“Elite MMA will make a return to this region and for sure, this will have a definite impact. First and foremost will be a boost to regional sports tourism wherein the event is bound to draw countless fight fans, athletes, coaches and media from across the globe,” noted Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.

“The Dubai Sports Council has always been associated with this high-profile event in the past as we believe in the tremendous promise it holds, not just for Dubai and the UAE, but for the entire region at large. The PFL’s return to Dubai will serve as a major platform for regional talent specifically from the PFL Mena roster to transition onto the global combat sports stage.”