Marouane Bellagouit has already achieved combat sports success through kickboxing, winning a number of championships in that discipline, including a National Championship in his home country of Morocco. Since transitioning over to MMA in 2022, Bellagouit has gone 4-0 as a pro, including first-round finishes in his first three fights. Bellagouit last fought in January, defeating Vince Bembe by decision.
Mido Mohamed also has an accomplished background, winning multiple college and national Greco-Roman wrestling championships in his native Egypt. Bellagouit has fought in MMA eight times since his 2017 debut, entering tonight’s fight with a 6-1-1 record and three finishes to his name. Mohamed most recently fought in February, earning a first-round submission of Benedict Venus.
Which of these two accomplished athletes will move on in PFL MENA’s featherweight tournament?
Round 1
Low kick from Mohamed. Bellagouit misses a low kick. High kick from Mohamed is blocked. Low kick lands for Bellagouit. Low kick by Bellagouit. Left hook from Mohamed misses. High kick from Mohamed. Front kick by Bellagouit. Low kick from Bellagouit does not land much. A lot of feints and single shot attempts have been dealt out from both men so far. Bellagouit misses a low kick and right hand. Low kick lands for Bellagouit.
Mohamed lands a low kick and a right hand. Bellagouit misses a low kick and front kick. Right hand misses for Bellagouit. Low kick by Bellagouit. Bellagouit lands a low kick. Mohamed with a strong right hand and a strong low kick. Bellagouit misses with the right hand. Mohamed goes in and gets a single-leg takedown! Bellagouit, however, grabs a hold of his arm. Mohamed pushes forward and he gets on top in the guard. Mohamed looks for an Achilles lock, but Bellagouit escapes it and returns to his feet! Mohamed counters a right hand with a body lock before the bell.
Round 2
Bellagouit tries to come forward, but Mohamed lands an overhand right. Front kick by Mohamed. Bellagouit misses a spinning attack. Low kick from Bellagouit. Body kick by Bellagouit. Low kick by Bellagouit, but Mohamed lands a right hand as a counter. Low kick from Bellagouit. Low kick from Bellagouit again. One-two from Bellagouit. Front kick from Bellagouit. Low kick again. Mohamed misses his own leg kick. High kick from Bellagouit partially lands.
High kick from Mohamed misses. Low kick from Mohamed. Right hand by Bellagouit. Body kick by Mohamed, who is now on the back foot as Bellagouit lands a right hand. Mohamed goes for a takedown, but it’s shrugged off by Bellagouit. Mohamed tries again, and this time he gets the takedown. Three-punch combination on the ground from Mohamed. Bellagouit trying to land but struggling on the ground. The referee calls for action, and Mohamed stands up. Mohamed goes for another takedown and presses Bellagouit’s back to the fence. Knee to the stomach by Bellagouit.
Things are heating up in Round 2 between Maraoune Bellagouit and Mido Mohamed #PFLMENA | LIVE NOW on MBC Action pic.twitter.com/U40avQUXz8
— PFL MENA (@PFLMENA) May 10, 2024
Round 3
Round kick by Bellagouit. He goes for another big kick but slips. Low kick from Mohamed. Right hand by Mohamed. Bellagouit presses forward, but Mohamed avoids the combination. Front kick is blocked by Bellagouit. Low kick by Mohamed. Right hand by Mohamed. Low kick from Bellagouit. Front kick from Mohamed doesn’t land much. Bellagouit works a combination with Mohamed against the fence.
Another strong combination to force Mohamed on the back foot. Mohamed goes for a takedown attempt at the same time as Bellagouit throws a kick, and he pays for it! Mohamed is in pain on the ground as Bellagouit flurries with ground-and-pound. Bellagouit lets Mohamed get back to his feet. After a pause for a loose mouth guard, Bellagouit gets right back to work. Mohamed gets to his feet but is still on the back foot. Bellagouit drops Mohamed again with a right hand, and he’s slow to get back to his feet. Another right hand to drop Mohamed, and this one is over!
FIGHT IS OVER IN ROUND 3! Maraoune Bellagouit lands a powerful hook to make a statement in Riyadh!#PFLMENA | LIVE NOW on MBC Action pic.twitter.com/95yTTKIMc6
— PFL MENA (@PFLMENA) May 10, 2024
Mohamed is arguing he dropped to his back himself, but the referee has seen enough. Marouane Bellagouit stays undefeated and moves on to the playoffs!
OFFICIAL RESULT
Marouane “The Snatcher” Bellagouit defeats Mido Mohamed by 3rd round TKO (4:12), advancing to the PFL MENA Playoffs in the Featherweight Division