Former UFC star Dan Hardy has described Cedric Doumbe’s clash with Baysangur ‘Baki’ Chamsoudinov at PFL Paris as the “biggest prospect fight in all of mixed martial arts.”

The Professional Fighters League returns to the French capital where undefeated duo Doumbe and Baki face off in the welterweight division on Thursday evening.

The event between the two Frenchmen  at the Accor Arena, for which tickets sold out almost instantly, comes after Doumbe’s impressive first-round victory over Jordan Zebo in September.

Hardy, now the PFL head of fighter operations, talked up the encounter, comparing poster boy Doumbe to the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor.

“We’re very fortunate to have Cedric Doumbe and he makes my life very easy,” Hardy told the PA news agency.

“In terms or marketability and technical ability I don’t think there’s anyone who comes close to Cedric. I have to look at the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor to find someone who has the same impact on the fans.

“The crowd in September was 90 per cent Doumbe but Baki (Chamsoudinov) this time will have a lot of support as well. He’s undefeated, he has Khamzat Chimaev in his corner, you know what to expect from both of these guys.

“To me, this is the biggest prospect fight that can be made in all of mixed martial arts right now.

“We’ve had to reorganise the arena to get more fans in.”

The Chechen-born Baki boasts a strong wrestling background which will test Doumbe’s stand-up style.

Hardy believes the fight could prove to be a risky one for 31-year-old Doumbe.

“Because he’s fighting Baki everyone feels that this is a fight in which he could potentially lose,” he said.

“Baki could take him down, control him against the fence and make him look like a beginner in MMA. We haven’t had those questions answered in Doumbe’s game yet.

“It’s a very risky fight for Doumbe. If I was his management then this is not the fight I would of picked for him. Baki’s taken this fight and is probably thinking ‘Doumbe is crazy, he’s a good fighter but he’s not fought anyone like me before’.

“If I was a cautious matchmaker trying to build Doumbe up then this is not a fight I would make. But I’m a former fighter who is an MMA fan and I want to see this fight.”

Hardy also sees the reasons why Doumbe would take on the 22-year-old Baki’s challenge.

“I can’t underestimate a fighter like Doumbe, he knows himself so well,” Hardy said. “He plays the range and psychological game really well and I just wonder if any of the games he’s playing leading into this fight will have any impact on Baki.

“Cedric has taken this fight because it’s a shortcut to the top. If he gets the win then he can start looking at champions and think ‘I want to fight you’.”

Professional Fighters League founder Donn Davis has predicted a “historic” night ahead of the first Mixed Martial Arts event to take place in Saudi Arabia.

PFL’s title holders go up against belt holders from Bellator in a never-seen-before night of champions in Riyadh on Saturday.

This comes after the PFL acquired Bellator in November 2023.

Davis is relishing the opportunity of becoming the first MMA promotion to tie a deal with the sovereign state in a sold out event.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Davis said: “It’s historic. It’s the first-ever MMA event to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we get to be a part of something historic in sport.

“I think Saudi Arabia is the future of combat sports.

“We’re a company of yes and there is another company out there who is the company of no and they can do what they want. We try to do things different and put the fans first.

“It’s a big deal, this is our first primetime event and media deal on ESPN. Acquiring Bellator has also been a big deal and now this is a big step in us becoming a co-leader in MMA and we’re excited for Saturday.

“This is a collaboration between our partners in Saudi Arabia and us at the PFL.”

The inaugural event will feature the likes of PFL’s Ray Cooper III, Thiago Santos and Clay Collard as well as Bellator’s Patricio Pitbull, Yoel Romero, Ryan Bader and Johnny Eblen.

Davis compared the format to an NBA All-Star game, insisting PFL’s putting the fans first mindset helped create the idea.

“We wanted to do the first event in Saudi but only if it was a great big event,” Davis added.

“We came up with an idea which has never been done before in combat sports. Champions against champions. PFL v Bellator.

“It’s like an All-Stars game which has real stakes where the players and athletes really care.

“We have big prize money with an extra belt where there’s a ring inside the belt. This is a big card with 12 current or former champions, six ultra champion bouts, this has never been done before.

“People are asking what if all the Bellator fighters win? Then they all win. We try and do things the fans want to see.”

PFL have worked alongside Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, who has helped put on major boxing events including the likes of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

When asked about his experience of working with leading figures in Saudi, Davis said: “Everybody here. Turki, the minister of sport (Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal), the PIF team, they all want to win and excel and that is the shared value. It’s been a pleasure.”