5 Things You Might Not Know About Islam Reda

Islam Reda wants to finish the job.

The 31-year-old Egyptian will resume his hunt for Professional Fighters League glory when his featherweight semifinal opposite the undefeated Taha Bendaoud helps anchor 2025 PFL MENA 3 this Saturday at The Arena Riyadh in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reda steps back into view with the wind of a seven-fight winning streak in his sails. He last saw action at 2025 PFL MENA 1, where he wiped out Akram Nasri with punches in the third round of their May 9 quarterfinal. The victory was his first by knockout or technical knockout and moved him to 13-1 as a pro.


As Reda moves ever closer to his forthcoming showdown with Bendaoud at 145 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. His handlers took the sink-or-swim approach.

Reda made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the age of 19 on May 3, 2013, when he took a three-round unanimous decision from Mostafa Mohamed Ali at an Egyptian Free Fighting Championship show. In fact, he went 2-0 as a teenager. Some six months later, Reda put away Salah Mostafa with an armbar in the first round of their Arabic Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 pairing.

2. Some might consider him a homebody.

The “Egyptian Zombie” has never fought outside of the Middle East. All 14 of Reda’s bouts have taken place in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates.

3. He excels on the mat.

Reda holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a discipline in which he has won eight national championships in his native Egypt. He has put those skills to use inside the cage, where eight of his 13 victories have come by submission. Reda’s methods of choice: four armbars, three rear-naked chokes and one triangle choke.

4. He preaches what he practices.

Reda represents the Saracens Team out of Cairo, where he trains under former Nightmare Fighting Championship titleholder Ahmed Faress and serves as the gym’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach.

5. His body betrayed him.

The once-beaten Reda was a PFL MENA finalist in 2024, as he posted unanimous decisions over Adam Meskini in the quarterfinals and Marouane Bellagouit in the semis. However, an injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament and cost him a chance at a life-altering payday. Bellagouit replaced him in the featherweight final and suffered a first-round technical knockout loss to Abdullah Al-Qahtani.