By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: PFL.
PFL Brussels delivered exactly the kind of explosive showcase European MMA has been building toward, with hometown star Patrick Habirora producing a stunning 20 second knockout of former UFC and WEC champion Benson Henderson in front of a packed ING Arena. The unbeaten Belgian prospect needed just one clean shot to end the night.
Habirora landed a leaping left hook almost immediately after the opening bell, sending Henderson crashing face first to the canvas as the Brussels crowd erupted. The victory moved “The Belgian Bomber” to 9–0 with eight finishes and confirmed his status as one of the fastest rising names in European MMA.
“The world is at my feet right now,” Habirora said after the fight. “I respected Benson’s legacy, but this is my era, my hometown, and I’m making myself completely undeniable in the PFL.”
The result also marked a brutal end to Henderson’s return from a three year retirement, with the MMA veteran never getting the opportunity to settle into the fight before Habirora closed the show.
The co main event saw France’s Taylor Lapilus continue his climb toward title contention with a dominant unanimous decision win over England’s Jake Hadley. Lapilus controlled the pace throughout with sharp striking and smart movement, extending his winning streak to six straight fights. “There are levels to this game, and I just showed everyone where I belong,” Lapilus said. “Put the gold on the line next. I want the title fight, and I want it immediately.”
Elsewhere on the card, Belgium’s Boris Atangana made a huge statement in the middleweight division by stopping UFC veteran Jared Gooden after rocking him with a head kick before finishing the fight against the fence in just 65 seconds.
The night’s opening main card bout also produced one of the best finishes of the event as featherweight striker Asaël Adjoudj knocked out former Shooto champion Keisuke Sasu with a devastating head kick in the second round. The former kickboxing world champion spent much of the fight attacking Sasu’s body and legs before suddenly going upstairs for the finish.
“I’m ‘The Sultan’ for a reason,” Adjoudj said afterward. “Sasu is a tough world champion, but when I go high with the kicks, nobody survives. The belt is the only target now.”
Japanese standout Naoki Inoue also edged 2025 PFL Bantamweight Tournament winner Marcirley Alves via split decision in a closely contested crossover bout with RIZIN.
From start to finish, PFL Brussels felt like a coming out party for Europe’s next wave of stars. Habirora may have owned the loudest moment of the night, but the overall message from Brussels was even bigger: European MMA talent is arriving fast, and the PFL is becoming one of its biggest stages.
Full PFL Brussels Main Card Results:
Patrick Habirora (9-0) defeated Benson Henderson (30-13) via knockout (punches) at 0:20 in round one
Taylor Lapilus (25-4) defeated Jake Hadley (12-6) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Boris Atangana (9-0) defeated Jared Gooden (23-12) via knockout (punches) at 1:05 in round one
Naoki Inoue (21-5) defeated Marcirley “Durin” Alves (15-5) via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)
Asaël Adjoudj (11-1) defeated Keisuke Sasu (14-5-1) via knockout (head kick) at 2:22 in round two.