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(Exclusive) Vadim Nemkov Talks Road to Dubai, End of Bellator MMA, & Future with PFL

The former Bellator champion discussed his fight with Tim Johnson and future opponents in the PFL.

Drew Beaupre

(Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The PFL’s 2025 schedule opens on January 25 with Road to Dubai Champions Series, and MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré spoke with former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Vadim Nemkov before he faces Tim Johnson in the night’s co-main event.

Opponent Changes For Road To Dubai

The original announcement for Road to Dubai Champions Series included a huge heavyweight tilt between Nemkov and 2022 PFL Heavyweight Champion Ante Delija.

(Exclusive) Usman Nurmagomedov on Paul Hughes & PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series

An injury forced Delija off the card before the PFL announced that Nemkov would meet former Bellator foe Corey Anderson in a trilogy bout, but after that fight was also scrapped his current matchup with Tim Johnson was only announced a few weeks out from the event in Dubai.

“I was training all this time. The whole fact that I wasn’t aware who is gonna be my opponent wasn’t really a good moment, but I was training all the time. And the organization themselves, they said ‘No matter what, you’re gonna be on that card.’”

Nemkov’s team is extremely familiar with longtime UFC and Bellator veteran Johnson, and that gives the former light heavyweight titleholder quite a bit of confidence heading into what will be his second outing as a heavyweight.

“[Johnson] has a very strong punch, but as you mentioned, we know him pretty well. We had Valentin Moldavsky who was preparing for him, Fedor Emelianenko, and so we definitely know him pretty well, so we’re gonna try to get a win over him.”

End of Bellator MMA & Future With PFL

Road to Dubai Champions Series will kick off the PFL’s 2025 schedule and also signal the end of the Bellator MMA brand, and while Nemkov had prepared himself for the news he admits that it’s sad to see the end of a promotion where he spent so much of his career and had so much success.

“At some point I understood, like when the PFL purchased Bellator we kind of knew that that’s gonna happen one day, sooner or later. It is a little bit sad and sentimental, because I spent a lot of time, I was a champion there for a long time. So it’s kind of sad and exciting at the same time.”

PFL Unveils 2025 World Tournament Featuring Single-Elimination Fights & New Divisions

Nemkov still has plenty of options in front of him under the PFL banner, and while the 32-year-old says he’s not interested in participating in the recently-announced 2025 tournament structure he’s absolutely open to facing opponents like PFL Super Fights Champion Francis Ngannou.

“Yeah, I’m definitely not interested in the Grand Prix. I would prefer super fights, and I’m not sure what they’re gonna offer me. But if it’s gonna be [Francis] Ngannou, I’m ready, and if they’re gonna offer like [Ryan] Bader, or anybody else.”

Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes

The matchup between Nemkov and Johnson will serve as the co-main event for a card headlined by undefeated Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes. Nemkov is excited to see how the main event plays out, and he's also happy to be part of a stacked card that will close out Bellator’s chapter in MMA history.

“The [main event] should be really exciting, I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be pretty difficult fight for both fighters. But I definitely hope that Usman’s gonna win.”

(Exclusive) Paul Hughes Embraces "Destiny" in PFL Main Event with Usman Nurmagomedov

“Turn on the TV on January 25, and it’s gonna be a lot of exciting fights…I’m really excited that I’m gonna fight on the last tournament from the Bellator brand.”

(Credit: PFL MMA, Produced & Directed by Lisa Mongelli, Director of Photography: Carl Quinn, Editor: Ian Lasater, PR: Gaby Orlando)

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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