Maxwell Djantou Nana and Styve Ngono Added to PFL Dubai Card

Two Cameroonian fighters are set to take another step forward in their PFL careers, with Maxwell Djantou Nana and Styve Ngono booked for PFL Dubai on Nov. 14.

Maxwell Djantou Nana Faces Former PFL Champion Denis Goltsov

Maxwell Djantou Nana will face his toughest test to date when he meets no. 2-ranked heavyweight Denis 'The Russian Bogatyr' Goltsov at PFL Dubai. The Cameroonian enters the contest with a 9-2 professional record, while Goltsov brings a 37-9 record and years of experience competing at the highest level of promotion.

Nana, who competes under the nickname 'Leonidas', was among the favourites to win the 2025 PFL Africa Heavyweight tournament. He was even hailed as a potential successor to fellow Cameroonian Francis Ngannou in heavyweight supremacy, but his tournament campaign ended in disappointment at the PFL Rwanda semi-finals, where he retired from the fight midway through the third round.

Despite that setback, Nana earned another opportunity on the global circuit after PFL Africa did not feature a heavyweight tournament in 2026. Although he made his PFL debut in August 2024, his subsequent participation in the African promotion helped establish him as a heavyweight to watch.

Nana returned to the global stage at PFL Sioux Falls on May 2, where he secured a unanimous decision victory over Karl Williams after going the distance. He followed that performance with an emphatic finish at PFL Charlotte on Aug. 7, stopping Eduardo Neves with a left hook to the liver in the third round.

Those victories have helped Nana build momentum ahead of the biggest test of his professional career. Ranked sixth in the heavyweight division, he will attempt to break into the upper echelon against Goltsov, who claimed the 2024 PFL Heavyweight World Tournament Championship and has been a mainstay in the promotion since 2019.

Styve Ngono Makes Global PFL Debut Against Undefeated Khabib Nabiev

Fellow Cameroonian Styve Ngono will also compete at PFL Dubai, where he faces undefeated Russian prospect Khabib Nabiev in a light heavyweight bout at 205 lbs.

Ngono holds an 8-1 professional record and has yet to suffer a stoppage defeat. His only professional loss came by way of unanimous decision, a record that highlights his durability as he prepares for the next stage of his career.

Unlike Nana, Ngono is relatively new to the PFL system. He made his PFL Africa debut at the promotion's 2025 finals in Benin on Dec. 20, 2025, where he earned a unanimous decision victory over Mélèdje Yedoh in a showcase bout.

He returned to action at PFL Nigeria on June 13, 2026, facing Richard Muzaan in another showcase contest. Ngono went the distance once more, securing another unanimous decision victory to maintain his momentum.

Now, the Cameroonian will make his first appearance on the PFL global circuit against Nabiev, who enters the contest with an unblemished 12-0 record. A win here would strengthen his position as a prospect to watch in the light heavyweight division, while extending his unbeaten streak in the PFL.

PFL Dubai Features More African Talent

Nana and Ngono will be joined on the card by two other African fighters, further strengthening the continent's representation at the event.

Egypt's Omar El Dafrawy, the 2025 PFL MENA Welterweight Tournament Champion, will compete in the co-main event against Belgium's Patrick Habirora. Meanwhile, Algeria's Asaël Adjoudj will face Russia's Movlid Khaybulaev in a featherweight contest.

PFL Dubai takes place on  Nov. 14 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE. The event marks the promotion's fourth card to emanate from Dubai, and the first since the merger with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)