Patrick Habirora was one of the first names that sprung to mind when PFL headman John Martin floated the idea of allowing PFL fighters to compete on MVP MMA’s offerings.
Two years ago in Paris, the roar that greeted “The Belgian Bomber” for his PFL debut — just Habirora’s second pro fight — heralded the arrival of a new star for the promotion. He’s turned every arena he’s headlined since into a bubbling cauldron, and there’s no doubt he will do that for a second time in Brussels this Saturday when he faces former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in PFL’s latest European showcase.
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It’s not just the fighting that attracts the masses to Habirora, or his signature “Flashball” knockouts — he simply moves different to his peers.
The 25-year-old welterweight has been endorsed by the great Georges St. Pierre, he’s appeared in viral videos alongside football god Zinedine Zidane and he’s had 80,000 people burst with glee when he randomly appeared on stage at a Belgian music festival. More recently, there have been rumors of him striking up a friendship with Belgian royalty, as in the literal Princess of Belgium, Delphine de Saxe Cobourg.
Now being counted among the big players at PFL alongside Dakota Ditcheva, Cedric Doumbé, and Usman Nurmagomedov, how does the amateur world champion stay grounded?
Patrick Habirora vs Kevin Jousset during PFL Lyon at the LDLC Arena, in Lyon, France on December 13, 2025.
“You need to not change your circle of friends,” Habirora told Uncrowned.
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“People often make the mistake, when everything is going well for them, they change everything; their friends, even places they used to go to eat. You know, they only eat at two Michelin star places and they stop hanging out with the guys who supported them on the way up.
“That’s not for me. When I’m not working, I’d rather be at home with my boys than anywhere else. That helps me stay who I am. My boys can see if I change and they’ll let me know about it too. I need those guys to tell me the hard truths sometimes. I need those guys around me, the ones that tell me the truth no matter what.”
Habirora (8-0) had a rooting interest in MVP MMA’s first event. His friend, Salahdine Parnasse, was one of the big success stories of the night, recording a first-round knockout in his U.S. debut.
Habirora is painfully honest about his lack of interest in consuming the sport of MMA, but revealed that Parnasse confirmed there was some talk of a potential MVP MMA event taking place in Paris — a stage that would suit him perfectly.
“Honestly, I don’t watch MMA, so I didn’t watch the event,” he explained.
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“I’m not trying to be rude, I really didn’t see it, but I heard a lot about it. I went to the gym the day after it and everyone was talking about it. Obviously, my focus is on May 23 and Benson Henderson, but beyond Saturday, I know who [MVP and Netflix] should be thinking about. If they want to see some flashy stuff, they know where to find me.”
“I don’t think [PFL] would give me to [MVP and Netflix], but maybe we could do a collab of some kind. I’ve heard there is interest in an event in France, Salahdine told me that. Who knows what the future holds for me? After Saturday we can think about all of those things.”
While he is not an avid fan of MMA, Habirora knows all about his assignment for Saturday. He was very respectful in his assessment of the former WEC and UFC lightweight champion, knowing Henderson has already ascended to a level that Habirora aspires to one day reach.
“Henderson is a legend of the sport and he’s done things that I didn’t do,” he said. “He’s beat the best of the best and he’s got to the top, and I’m aiming to do that.”
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Although Saturday’s fight will be the third consecutive bout Habirora contests at 170 pounds, the plan is for the Belgian to eventually move back down to lightweight and challenge for the belt there — or at least, it was.
While fans salivate over potential matchups with the likes of Paul Hughes, Alfie Davis and eventually champion Usman Nurmagomedov, Habirora is keeping his options open.
Perhaps a nod to his new wave approach, it seems Habirora’s main concerns have little to do with what number appears beside his name or his proximity to the belt.
“The way to build a career now is different. It’s not just, ‘Oh yay, I’m in the rankings, I have to beat number five, then number four and then get to the title. I don’t think it’s like that. It’s about putting on the biggest fights you can put on, the most exciting fights. I want the public and fans to be excited to see the fight,” he said.
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“It’s not my job to make these fights, it’s for the PFL and my management. You should ask them. I’m going to focus on my job — getting in the cage and knocking people out.”
