Filipino mixed martial artist Ruel “Bagsik” Panales isn’t lacking in confidence as he gets ready to make his historic Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut at the Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25th at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Panales, who will be the first fighter to carry the Philippine flag inside the PFL SmartCage, will be taking on the UAE’s own Hadi Al Hussaini in a preliminary flyweight contest.
For the 28-year old Filipino, the most glaring disadvantage that he sees against Al Hussaini will be his body clock and the home crowd advantage.
“I think my biggest disadvantage will be my body clock,” Panales exclaimed. “Because I’m coming from the Philippines, I need to adjust to the timezone in Dubai when I get there.”
“Knowing that I’ll be fighting in his home country, this is definitely going to be a big challenge for me. I know that he’s a good fighter, but I’m taking this as a challenge for myself as well,” Panales added.
As for his own merits, Panales believes that he’s got a few things in his favor compared to his opponent.
“I’ve watched his fights, and I can see that I’m a more well-rounded fighter,” he exclaimed. “I’m also taller and stronger than him, I believe.”
While Panales seems to have self-belief on his side, he also isn’t taking this big break for granted, and wants to use this platform to show that Filipino fighters belong on the big stage as well.
“I’m grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to be able to compete in the PFL. For the Filipino MMA fans, make sure that you watch my fight on January 25th, I promise you won’t regret it.”
“I will prove to the world how strong Filipino fighters are,” Panales concluded.
Road To Dubai Champions Series takes place on Saturday, January 25th, 7:30 PM at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE. (January 25, 11:30 PM Philippine Time)
Tickets on sale now at https://www.coca-cola-arena.com/sports/933/road-to-dubai-champions-series-nurmagomedov-nbsp-vs-nbsp-hughes
