MMA Knockout

(Exclusive) Gadzhi Rabadanov Talks 2025 Plan after Winning PFL Lightweight Tournament

The 2024 PFL Lightweight Champion is currently on a ten-fight win streak.

Drew Beaupre

(Jose Peñuela / PFL)

Fresh off winning the lightweight tournament at the 2024 PFL World Championship, Gadzhi Rabadanov spoke with MMAKO’s Drew Beaupré about competing in his first full PFL season, Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator title defense in Dubai, and what fans can expect from him in 2025.

"Unfinished Business" In The PFL

Rabadanov collected his first PFL win back in 2019 but was unable to complete that season’s tournament, and after the promotion purchased Bellator he immediately jumped at the chance to return to the PFL and claim both the 2024 lightweight belt and a $1 Million check.

(Exclusive) Gadzhi Rabadanov Talks 2025 Plan after Winning PFL Lightweight Tournament
Rabadanov cashed in on his return to the PFL after the promotion purchased Bellator. / (Jose Peñuela / PFL)

“I feel like [a] rich boy,” Rabadanov said with a laugh. "[The feeling] is great, I’m very happy. It was [a] very long road for me, this my dream, now I’m champion…Right after the [PFL & Bellator] merger, I pretty much asked to go back with the PFL, ‘cause I had unfinished business there. Usman [Nurmagomedov] is the champion in Bellator, so in order to avoid any conflicts I decided to go with PFL full [time] and asked my manager to sign me up, and that’s where I ended up and that played out well.”

PFL 2024 World Championship: Full Recap of Every Global Champion

Back-To-Back Finishes To Win PFL Gold

A pair of decisions over Solomon Renfro and the formerly undefeated Elvin Espinoza secured a playoff spot for Rabadanov, and in the semifinal and final lightweight matchups he made a major statement with his first stoppage-wins since 2019.

“After my Bellator career, I had five decision wins over there. I realized that yeah, I need to work on my striking. And even before the season started I’d been working hard on my striking, then through the whole season. The first fight with Renfro I was throwing, in the second round I was trying a little bit, same with Espinoza, but didn’t quite pan out. And then later on during the year I was working harder and harder on my boxing, and then you saw that play out with [Brent] Primus and obviously in the semifinals as well. So I’m gonna keep working on my striking, and that’s for me the priority right now. Because I know my grappling, my wrestling is already there. I know the organization and the fans like finishes, even before fighting Primus I said ‘I’m looking to finish him.’ And you know, I’m glad that played out, that it gave me more confidence, and I’m looking for even better fights next year.”

First Full PFL Tournament & Bellator Merger

The PFL’s unique season format can be grueling for even the most experienced fighters, but Rabadanov is eager to try and win back-to-back lightweight tournaments and continue to take advantage of the opportunities the promotion has presented him with since the Bellator merger.

“I’m very happy with the PFL format, that they always keep me busy. That’s great, you always have your fights coming. For myself, I don’t consider myself a heavy lightweight, walking around in general. So I don’t have to do really intense weight cuts, so that’s not the main issue. As long as I stay healthy and everything is good with my body, I can keep going another season, and that’s the plan right now.”

(Exclusive) Gadzhi Rabadanov Talks 2025 Plan after Winning PFL Lightweight Tournament
The PFL's acquisition of Bellator has worked out well for Rabadanov / (Jose Peñuela / PFL)

“Things played out well for me, I’m very thankful that I’m busy with the organization. Obviously for me it was a great year...I want all the fighters to have their opportunity, so I hope the next season the organization and the fighters who kind of got the short side of the stick this year, I hope they play it out and even it for everybody. Again, for myself, I’m very thankful to the organization.”

(Exclusive) Dakota Ditcheva Wants "Massive" Manchester Event after Winning PFL Title

Traveling To Dubai In January & Plans For 2025

Rabadanov is currently focused on helping to prepare his friend and teammate Usman Nurmagomedov for a Bellator lightweight title defense against Paul Hughes at Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25, and after that the 31-year-old has two very different options in mind for his own 2025 schedule.

(Exclusive
Nurmagomedov is the reigning Bellator lightweight champion. / (Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA)

“Obviously I think Usman is gonna do his job and take him apart round by round. He’s a professional at that, he’s the champ for a reason. We have several other guys from our gym participating on the card, I myself will be there to support them, support my brother Usman, and I’m looking forward to that event.”

(Exclusive
Unless the PFL offers him a fight with Jake Paul, Rabadanov will try to win back-to-back lightweight tournaments next year. / (Jose Peñuela / PFL)

“If PFL gonna make [a] fight, super fight Gadzhi with Jake Paul boxing match, maybe [we do] this. Or if [not], I stay in PFL [for the] new season and I will be champ again.”

Read More PFL & MMA News

Stick with MMA Knockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC, MMA and Boxing.

Follow MMA Knockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Published
Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

Home/News