Ruel Panales' PFL Debut Ends in Unanimous Decision Defeat | PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai

Panales vs Al Hussaini

Ruel Panales entered his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut with high hopes, but his opponent, Hadi Omar Al Hussaini, dominated the bout, securing a unanimous decision victory. The judges scored the fight 30-27, 29-28, and 30-27, all in favor of Al Hussaini. This event, held on January 25, 2025, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, marked Panales as the first Filipino to compete in the world-renowned PFL MMA promotion. With this loss, Panales' professional MMA record stands at 5 wins and 3 defeats.

Event Highlights

The event was headlined by a thrilling bout between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes for the Bellator Lightweight Championship. Nurmagomedov retained his title via a closely contested majority decision, with judges scoring the fight 47-47, 48-46, and 48-46 in his favor.

In the co-main event, former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Vadim Nemkov showcased his grappling prowess by submitting Tim Johnson with a rear-naked choke in the first round, at 3:08.

Cageside Press

Full Event Results

Here are the complete results from the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event:

Main Card

Usman Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Paul Hughes: Nurmagomedov won by majority decision (47-47, 48-46, 48-46) to retain the Bellator MMA Lightweight Championship.
Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson: Nemkov secured a victory via submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 1, at 3:08.
Akhmed Magomedov vs. Nathan Kelly: Magomedov won by submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 2, at 4:22.
Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Kenny Mokhonoana: Ibragimov earned a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Renat Khavalov vs. Cleiver Fernandes: Khavalov won by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

Preliminary Card

Ahmed Samy vs. Tarek Suleiman: Samy achieved a TKO victory in Round 1, at 5:00.
Mirafzal Akhtamov vs. Mike Thompson: Akhtamov won by technical submission (arm-triangle choke) in Round 2, at 2:50.
Hadi Omar Al Hussaini vs. Ruel Panales: Al Hussaini secured a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).
John Mitchell vs. Souhil Tairi: Mitchell won by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Haider Khan vs. Mostafa Nada: Khan achieved a TKO victory due to injury in Round 1, at 3:18.
Talal Alqallaf vs. Saeed Alhosani: Alqallaf won by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27) in an amateur bout.

This event showcased a series of compelling matchups, highlighting both emerging talents and established fighters within the PFL organization.