At the PFL event in Dubai, Pouya Rahmani continued to solidify his undefeated professional MMA record by submitting Karl Williams. Rahmani’s recent victory and grappling background have fueled his belief that the PFL heavyweight division holds greater depth and skill compared to the UFC’s current roster.
Rahmani, who also defeated Hamdy Abdelwahab via submission at ADXC 5 in August 2024—a fighter recently released from the UFC—shared his perspective on the differences between the two promotions and what that means for heavyweight fighters.
Rahmani’s Experience Facing UFC Grapplers
Reflecting on his grappling encounters with UFC athletes, Pouya Rahmani remarked,
“To be honest, I fight with Hamdy. I finish him by submission in 2 minutes. So and also now Hamdy is out of UFC. Another person, now he’s in UFC, Denzel Freeman. I did grappling with him also. I beat him in ADXC. So, I beat ADXC champion also in grappling. Yeah, but to be honest, I’m not very close and I don’t think about all of these things, you know.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
Rahmani emphasized his focus on his own career rather than on the status of others, adding,
“I’m very focused on my career, my training, and I don’t get into these things, to see, oh, what happened or why this guy is out? Because I’m so busy with what I do, you know. Now, I just come from training. I’m so tired, you know, and you can’t see my face. Yeah, but as I told you from beginning, as I see from my eyes, from my experience, this UFC fighter, you see them, they are not that level of grappling at all.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
He further specified that while a few UFC fighters stand out for their grappling abilities, most heavyweights do not meet his standards.
“They just knows little bit, you know, no one of them on that level of grappling. Yeah, if you talk about, for example, Khamzat Chimaev, yes. On his division, he destroy everyone because he’s very good grappler. If you talk about Islam Makhachev, yes. But other people on the other division and especially heavyweight no one is there, brother, good grappler.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
Rahmani also shared that several top UFC fighters have declined to face him in grappling matches, indicating a perceived gap in skill.
“So a lot of them also the event I used to fight grappling, they invite them. They ask them for fight with me because they are looking for opponent for me, no one of them accept, you know. The top five of UFC, some of them they are grappler and no one of them accept to fight with me. I don’t want to mention their name but yeah they are not that level of grappling. What people see and what I see is much different because I am on this game and what I feel I can do to them is much different, you know.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
Viewpoints on UFC’s Current Heavyweight Landscape
The prevailing opinion among MMA fans is that the UFC’s heavyweight division has weakened in recent years, an observation Rahmani supports through his own experience and performance against UFC roster members.
He was asked to assess the current depth of UFC’s heavyweights versus the PFL, to which he responded,
“In my opinion, also heavyweight division in PFL is much better than UFC right now.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
Rahmani expanded on this assertion, underlining the scarcity of trustworthy elite fighters beyond the top two UFC heavyweights.
“100%. Because in PFL, you can mention some name you know. But in UFC who you wants to mention? If you put top two on one side. After top two, who you can mention as a elite fighter who you can trust the guy who can win you know? There is no one just top champion, rank number one, rank number two, and then after that no one.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
He contrasted this with the PFL heavyweight roster, noting its variety of skilled competitors in striking, grappling, and wrestling.
“But in PFL you have a lot of different name you can mention. You can say oh this guy is good, that guy is good, you know. That guy is good striker. That guy is good grappler, that guy is good wrestler, you know. So there is a lot of good fighter in right now in PFL in heavyweight. And I’m happy to be here to beat these guys, you know. When you beat good guys is more delicious than when you beat some s**t guys, you know.”
?Pouya Rahmani, PFL Fighter
Significance of PFL’s Heavyweight Division Superiority
Rahmani’s remarks highlight growing tensions and comparisons between the PFL and UFC, particularly regarding the heavyweight class. His undefeated record and recent submission victories illustrate the effectiveness of PFL fighters, who appear to possess diversified skills and depth not currently matched in the UFC.
The decline in UFC heavyweight quality could influence fans’ and fighters’ decisions about which promotion to support or join, potentially shifting talent toward the PFL. Rahmani’s confident statements underscore an ongoing challenge to the UFC’s dominance in mixed martial arts, emphasizing the rise of alternative organizations with competitive divisions.
With heavyweight divisions often drawing considerable attention, PFL’s ability to showcase such talent enhances its reputation and market share in the MMA industry. How UFC responds to this challenge and grows its heavyweight roster will be critical in maintaining its status as the sport’s premier organization.
