Sergei Bilostenniy won the main event of PFL Dubai on Saturday, beating champion and heavy favorite Vadim Nemkov by unanimous decision to claim the PFL heavyweight title. Scores were 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47. Nemkov, a former light heavyweight, took Bilostenniy down early and threatened with a belly-down armbar, but the 31-year-old challenger's physical advantages soon dictated the bout. Nemkov's takedowns were largely ineffective after one early onslaught, and though he threw more strikes, he appeared overmatched by the final round.

Patrick Habirora (10-0) delivered the co-main event, stopping Omar El Dafrawy (16-7) in the first round with a high-elbow guillotine after dominating the striking. Habirora, the Belgian Bomber, briefly went to his back on a takedown attempt before locking in the choke and bringing El Dafrawy down limp, a finish that resembled Jon Jones' 2011 win over Lyoto Machida. Afterward he called out welterweight champion Thad Jean and appealed to newly appointed PFL CEO Nakisa Bidarian for a title shot.S1S2

Elsewhere on the card, Dubai native Pouya Rahmani (6-1) was outclassed by Oleg Popov (24-2), a student of Fedor Emelianenko, in their heavyweight bout. Rahmani landed a hook in the first round but faded badly after dropping the opening frame, and Popov won a decision over the remaining rounds. Joji Goto also won a decision over Sergio Pettis. In the opening bout of the main card, Lewis McGrillen (14-2) knocked out Nawras Abzakh (15-7) with a leaping knee in the final seconds of the first round, after which Abzakh did not return to his corner and the referee waved off the fight. Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer attended to watch McGrillen, a fellow Mancunian.S1S2