Jarrah Al Shirawi’s chance to reclaim his Professional Fighters League berth will depend on winning the eight-man PFL MENA welterweight season. Despite the setbacks of the past two years, Al Shirawi says he is a whole new fighter.
“I consider myself one of the most experienced fighters in the field,” Al Shirawi told Sherdog.com, “but this camp has given me the opportunity to improve and try new things to become Jara 2.0. With that comes the responsibility to perform and do well in this tournament.”
“I’m really looking forward to fighting in the Arab world again,” he added. “I think this is my chance to prove myself among the fighters in the Middle East, if not among the best. Maybe this will lead me back to fighting in a big tournament.”
Al Shirawi (19-6) will face Algeria’s Rayan Atmani (4-2) on Friday at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the 2024 PFL MENA 2 regular season. Atmani has never made it past the first round and could be looking to test Al Shirawi’s strength early on. If “The Lion of Jordan” wants to advance, he’ll have to prepare to be hunted.
Al Shirawi is excited to compete in Saudi Arabia and be part of the Middle Eastern combat sports showcase, but at this point in his career, his biggest concern is returning to the PFL global roster. Al Shirawi earned his spot on the roster by working his way through the Challenger Series and knocking out Michael Rielle in one round. After beating Gleison Tibau in his regular season debut, he thought the sky was the limit, but three consecutive knockout losses brought him back to reality quickly.
After losses to such powerhouses as Magomed Umaratov, Sadib Sy and Solomon Renfro, Al Shirawi knows he needs to step up if he wants to make it to the big stage again, and he says he’s been watching those bouts regularly during training and is determined not to make the same mistakes again.
“Now I know those losses were due to mistakes, but I feel I have corrected that,” he said. “I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling, footwork, boxing and just my overall approach to the sport. My confidence is exactly where it needs to be.”
The journey hasn’t been easy for the 32-year-old Al Shirawi. After a decade inside the cage, bouncing back from three consecutive knockout losses was no easy feat. A win over Nenad Avramojic last December gave him the confidence boost he needed to get back on track. Now, with the road back to the PFL World Tournament in front of him, all Al Shirawi has to do is perform like the fighter he believes he can be.
“When I lost, I had to remind myself not to forget who I am,” he said. “It’s easy to forget in those situations. I’ve gained confidence from beating big names and fighters who’ve had great runs in other organizations. I’m just here to prove what I can do, and hopefully it’s enough to get me back into the PFL US tournament.”