PFL Brussels faceoff erupts in violence as matchmaker Dan Hardy struck
PFL matchmaker Dan Hardy was hit in the face and lost his glasses during the incident, which saw opposing team members throw punches ahead of Saturday’s welterweight preliminary bout.
A ceremonial faceoff between mixed martial artists Khamzat Abaev and Luca Poclit at PFL Brussels descended into disorder on Friday, with punches thrown by opposing team members. The Professional Fighters League has released video footage of the incident, which occurred as the fighters prepared for a scheduled welterweight preliminary bout at the ING Arena on Saturday.
The confrontation escalated after Abaev, who holds a professional record of 5-1, initiated physical contact by shoving Poclit’s hands and throwing a kick in the air. Poclit, with a record of 10-2, responded during the exchange. The situation further deteriorated when haymakers were thrown by members of opposing teams, disrupting the planned ceremonial proceedings.
PFL matchmaker Dan Hardy, who was responsible for squaring the fighters off, attempted to intervene and maintain order. However, Hardy was struck in the face by Poclit during the scuffle, resulting in him losing his glasses. Despite his efforts to keep the fighters at a distance, the intervention proved insufficient to prevent the violence from breaking out.
The incident has drawn attention to the conduct surrounding pre-fight rituals, though specific regulations regarding the management of ceremonial faceoffs were not detailed in the source material. The extent of any injuries sustained by Hardy or the fighters remains unspecified in the available reports.
Abaev and Poclit are still scheduled to compete against each other on Saturday at the ING Arena. The bout will proceed as part of the welterweight preliminary card, with no further details provided regarding potential disciplinary actions or changes to the event structure following the Friday chaos.
