Jarrah Al-Silawi, former welterweight champion of Brave CF in the Middle East, has signed an exclusive contract with the Professional Fighters League.
Al-Silawi informed ESPN of his move on Thursday. The Jordanian welterweight will not compete in the 2021 season, obviously, as that is set to wrap up on Oct. 27. However, he will compete on the same card as the finals in a featured non-season bout. PFL is still in the process of booking his first opponent.
“PFL seems genuinely interested in Middle Eastern fighters and the market, and I really appreciate that,” Al-Silawi told ESPN. “With PFL, there is the chance to compete four times in a calendar year with dates already known in advance. It was too good to turn down. I fought once in 2021 and once in 2020, so I am looking forward to getting busier.”
Al-Silawi (16-3) will join a welterweight roster that includes the likes of Ray Cooper III, Rory MacDonald, Gleison Tibau and Magomed Magomedkerimov in 2021.
Al-Silawi won the Brave CF title in 2019. He compiled an overall record of 9-1 fighting under the Brave CF banner from 2016 to 2021. He holds 11 career finishes.
“I’m thrilled to be representing Jordan on such a big stage,” Al-Silawi said. “We are a small country, but we’ve been in the MMA game for a long time. Many won’t know this, but even guys like Conor McGregor fought in Jordan in the early 2010s. MMA is pretty well developed here, and I can’t wait to show it.”