PFL's Biggest Fight of the Year: World-Class Kickboxing Icon Ready to Shine

Is this the biggest non-UFC fight this year?
PFL's Biggest Fight of the Year: World-Class Kickboxing Icon Ready to Shine
PFL's Biggest Fight of the Year: World-Class Kickboxing Icon Ready to Shine

Cedric Doumbe is finally making his highly anticipated comeback to the cage at PFL Europe 3. "The Best" enjoys immense popularity in France and is gearing up to headline the Paris fight night in his very first bout as part of the PFL roster.

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The former two-time GLORY kickboxing welterweight champion was rumored to have signed with the UFC back in September 2022 before negotiations fell through. It was then revealed that the French kickboxer had signed with the PFL and would be expected to debut in 2023.

Well, France's premier kickboxing icon is ready to further solidify his unblemished record this weekend against fellow countryman Jordan Zebo

Doumbe, who stands at an impressive 4-0-0 in MMA and 75-7-1 in kickboxing, burst onto the scene in November 2011 with a remarkable first-round knockout of Arbi Emiev at SuperKombat Universe. 

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Less than a year later, Doumbe stepped into his first main event at MMAGP, securing a second-round stoppage victory. Doumbe continued his ascent by headlining two more events at MMAGP, where he delivered two more devastating knockouts.

Despite being a world-class kickboxer, Doumbe has showed great promise on the ground, and several of his victories have been aided by good takedown defense and effective positioning. 

This debut offers a great chance to see if the PFL can develop a fighter in the mold of the UFC's Israel Adesanya—a supremely marketable athlete with world-class skills. Increased competition in the MMA landscape is always a win, so make sure to keep a close eye on one of the hottest prospects in the sport right now.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

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