PFL tournament winner Popov faces unbeaten first-round finisher Rahmani in Dubai

Oleg Popov will put his PFL heavyweight tournament title on the line against the unbeaten Pouya Rahmani at PFL Dubai on November 14 at Coca-Cola Arena in the United Arab Emirates.

Popov (23-2) claimed the PFL 2025 world tournament heavyweight bracket and arrives on a four-fight winning streak, his only PFL defeat coming in 2024. The Russian heavyweight has established himself as one of the promotion’s most consistent big men, and this matchup represents a significant step up in terms of finishing threat.

Rahmani (5-0) presents a stark contrast in style and experience. The undefeated heavyweight has ended every professional contest inside the first round, making him one of the most dangerous early finishers in the division. A second-round submission victory over Karl Williams in February was subsequently overturned to a no contest, leaving his official record unblemished.

The bout adds considerable depth to a card already headlined by a heavyweight title clash between Vadim Nemkov and Sergey Bilostenniy, giving PFL Dubai a top-to-bottom heavyweight focus that will test the division’s depth across multiple fights on the same night.

For Popov, the challenge is clear: survive the early storm of a fighter who has never been taken to the second round as a professional. For Rahmani, a win over a decorated tournament champion would represent by far the biggest result of his young career and a credible claim to title contention.