Patrick “The Belgian Bomber” Habirora delivered the biggest statement of his young MMA career after knocking out former UFC and Bellator champion Benson Henderson in just 20 seconds at PFL Brussels on Saturday night, May 23, in Belgium.

The undefeated Belgian prospect needed only one explosive sequence to finish the MMA veteran, landing a leaping left hook that instantly dropped Henderson and brought the crowd inside the arena to its feet. Habirora improved to 9-0 with the victory and now owns eight finishes in his professional career, further strengthening his status as one of Europe’s fastest-rising MMA stars.

The emphatic finish capped a memorable night for Belgian fighters and highlighted the growing momentum of PFL events across Europe. Fighting in front of a hometown crowd, Habirora wasted no time asserting himself against the experienced Henderson, who entered the bout with 42 professional fights and championships across multiple organizations.

The explosive knockout immediately became one of the standout moments of the event and could push Habirora closer to bigger opportunities within the PFL rankings. The victory also extended his unbeaten streak while further elevating his reputation as one of Belgium’s top combat sports prospects.

Habirora shines at home

In the co-main event, French bantamweight Taylor Lapilus continued his impressive run by securing a unanimous decision victory over England’s Jake Hadley. Lapilus controlled the fight throughout all three rounds and extended his winning streak to six straight bouts.

After the victory, the French contender openly called for a title opportunity while emphasizing his desire to compete against the best fighters in the division. His dominant performance further solidified his standing among the elite bantamweights competing under the PFL banner.

Belgian middleweight Boris Mbarga Atangana also made a strong impression after stopping Jared Gooden in the opening round. A head kick badly hurt Gooden before Atangana overwhelmed him along the cage with heavy punches, forcing the referee to halt the contest.

Atangana’s performance kept his undefeated record intact and announced his arrival as a dangerous name in the PFL middleweight division. The Belgian fighter showcased both power and aggression in front of the home crowd, earning one of the loudest reactions of the evening.

Main card delivers finishes

Japanese fighter Naoki Inoue earned a split-decision victory over PFL bantamweight tournament champion Marcirley Alves in one of the night’s closest contests. The fight featured intense exchanges throughout, with Inoue initially using his size and reach advantage before being drawn into Alves’ aggressive striking battle.

Judges ultimately awarded the narrow decision to the former RIZIN champion after a closely contested matchup that featured heavy exchanges from both fighters. The result added another notable victory to Inoue’s resume against one of the division’s most respected competitors.

Earlier on the main card, featherweight contender Asaël Adjoudj scored a spectacular head-kick knockout over former Shooto world champion Keisuke Sasu. Adjoudj used a wide variety of kicks throughout the contest before finishing the fight with a devastating high kick in the second round.

The victory strengthened Adjoudj’s position as a rising threat in the featherweight division while continuing his impressive momentum inside the PFL cage. Following the fight, Adjoudj also expressed his desire to move closer toward a future title opportunity.

The preliminary card also featured several notable finishes, including Khamzat Abaev’s first-round knockout win over Luca Poclit and Movsar Ibragimov’s submission victory against Shane Campbell. Gustavo Oliveira secured a guillotine choke submission over Baris Adiguzel, while Ashley Reece and Adam Meskini both earned hard-fought decision victories.

PFL Brussels concluded with multiple highlight-reel finishes and breakout performances as the organization continued expanding its presence across Europe’s MMA scene. The event delivered a strong mix of rising prospects, established veterans, and dramatic finishes that kept fans engaged throughout the night.