“Hard work, discipline, and belief” - Bahrain’s Hamad Marhoon looks to replicate amateur success in the pro ranks

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

After years of success in the amateur ranks, Bahraini mixed martial artist Hamad Marhoon will be taking his talents to the professional level when he makes his PFL debut at the PFL MENA Semifinals: Champions Collide card this coming Saturday, September 27th at The Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

An IMMAF veteran with national championships to his name, Marhoon believes that the mindset that carried him to amateur success will also carry him to professional success.

“My philosophy can be summed up in three words: hard work, discipline, and belief,” Marhoon shared. “Those values have carried me through 24 amateur fights, through national championships, and to the IMMAF podium, and now they are carrying me into my professional debut on one of the biggest stages in the region.”

Marhoon will face off against undefeated Algerian Ibrahim Chelabi in his maiden professional assignment, and he understands that this fight is an opportunity to represent his home country.

“Taking part in the PFL MENA semifinals is nothing short of a historic opportunity for me, for Bahrain, and for every aspiring fighter in our region,” he said.

“There was never a chance I would turn away from such a moment — this is the chance to represent my country and to prove that Bahraini fighters belong at the very highest levels of MMA.”

In order to represent his country the best that he can, Marhoon has made sure that his preparation is also at the highest level.

“My preparation has been intense and all-encompassing,” he explained. “Over the past months I have trained with world-class professionals, sharpening every tool I have, from wrestling and grappling to striking and endurance. I’ve pushed myself through technical drills, sparring sessions, and conditioning programs designed to prepare me for any scenario inside the cage.”

Marhoon also paired that intense training with an impressive level of commitment, which includes staying off social media, which can be very difficult to do. “For me, the cornerstone of success is commitment. Even on the hardest days, when the body is sore and the mind is tired, I show up and I put in the work. That daily discipline has shaped me not just as a fighter, but as a person.”

“To maintain my focus, I deliberately keep myself away from the noise of social media — I don’t want distractions, I want clarity,” Marhoon continued.

Marhoon added that his opponent is no slouch, but he’s willing to step up to the challenge. “Facing Algeria’s Ibrahim Chelabi, an undefeated fighter with a one hundred percent finishing rate, is the kind of challenge that excites me and motivates me to show the very best version of myself.”

September 27th is gearing up to be a big night for Marhoon, and he’s ready to make his mark on the MMA world. “This fight in Riyadh is not just another match — it is the beginning of a new chapter, and I intend to seize it with everything I have. For Bahrain and for myself, I am ready to make history.”