Patrick Habirora Trains with Georges St-Pierre | PFL Dubai Documentary Ep. 1
Undefeated Belgian MMA prospect Patrick Habirora heads to Montreal, Canada, to train alongside legendary former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre ahead of the biggest fight of his professional career. In the first episode of The Rise of the Belgian Bomber, the PFL follows Habirora's preparations at Tristar Gym as he gets ready to face Omar El Dafrawy at PFL Dubai on November 14, 2026.
The documentary offers an inside look at Habirora's Canadian training camp, his relationship with St-Pierre and the mindset behind his undefeated 9-0 record. After knocking out former UFC champion Benson Henderson in just 20 seconds, the 25-year-old Belgian now faces a more experienced opponent with championship credentials of his own.
Patrick Habirora trains with Georges St-Pierre at Tristar Gym
Habirora's connection with Georges St-Pierre is more than a promotional appearance arranged for the cameras. The Belgian has made regular trips to Montreal to train with the former two-division UFC champion and renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi.
In a December 2025 interview with Ariel Helwani, Habirora explained that he had already visited Montreal three times and regularly tried to spend a month training in Canada. His first visit came during his amateur career, when St-Pierre took an interest in his development.
For a young welterweight, there are few more accomplished fighters to learn from. St-Pierre won UFC championships at welterweight and middleweight, building his career around disciplined preparation, outstanding wrestling and the ability to adjust his approach to different opponents.
The opening episode of The Rise of the Belgian Bomber explores that relationship through Habirora's latest visit to Tristar. Rather than concentrating exclusively on spectacular techniques, the documentary highlights the personal lessons he has taken from the Canadian legend.
Habirora speaks about remaining focused on his goals, maintaining discipline and appreciating the opportunities his career has created. He also explains why he enjoys preparing in Montreal, where the French-speaking community makes the transition from Belgium easier while the different environment allows him to concentrate on training.
The visit comes at an important stage of his development. Habirora is no longer simply an unbeaten prospect gaining experience in European MMA. He is approaching a fight that could establish him among the leading welterweights in the promotion.
From IMMAF world champion to PFL's Belgian Bomber
Habirora's rise began well before his professional debut. He won gold at the 2023 IMMAF World Championships, completing an amateur career that had also included a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships.
He turned professional in January 2024 and made his PFL Europe debut two months later, defeating Claudio Pacella by unanimous decision. That remains the only fight in his professional career to reach the judges.
Since then, his aggressive striking and finishing ability have attracted increasing attention. In July 2025, he knocked out UFC veteran Danny Roberts with a head kick in Brussels. Five months later, he stopped another former UFC fighter, Kevin Jousset, with punches in the opening round at PFL Lyon.
Those victories helped establish Habirora as one of the leading names in Belgium's rapidly developing MMA scene, alongside other prospects covered in MMAtown's Belgian MMA breakout stars feature.
The 20-second Benson Henderson knockout at PFL Brussels
Habirora's biggest breakthrough came on May 23, 2026, when he headlined PFL Brussels against former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.
The experience gap was substantial. Henderson had spent years competing against elite opposition, while Habirora was still building his reputation on the international stage.
But the contest barely lasted long enough for either man to settle into a rhythm.
Habirora caught Henderson with a powerful left hook, followed with another punch and attacked the grounded veteran until referee Mike Beltran intervened. The official knockout time was just 20 seconds into Round 1.
The victory improved Habirora's record to 9-0, with eight finishes, and produced one of the most memorable moments of the PFL's 2026 European schedule.
Watch the complete Patrick Habirora vs. Benson Henderson fight from PFL Brussels to see the knockout that preceded this documentary's Canadian training camp.
Patrick Habirora vs. Omar El Dafrawy at PFL Dubai
The reason for Habirora's latest preparations in Montreal is his upcoming welterweight matchup against Omar El Dafrawy at PFL Dubai.
Scheduled for November 14 at Coca-Cola Arena, the fight will serve as the co-main event beneath the heavyweight championship contest between Vadim Nemkov and Sergey Bilostenniy.
Habirora enters ranked No. 4 in the PFL welterweight division, while El Dafrawy holds the No. 5 position. The Egyptian veteran carries a 16-6 professional record and previously won the inaugural PFL MENA welterweight championship.
For Habirora, it will be his first professional MMA appearance outside Europe. The matchup also represents a different type of challenge from his recent fights against former UFC veterans. El Dafrawy is an established PFL competitor with considerable finishing experience and his own ambitions in the welterweight division.
Both fighters are capable of ending contests with strikes, making their Habirora vs. El Dafrawy matchup particularly interesting. Habirora has demonstrated exceptional early finishing power, but his opponent has the experience to test how that aggression holds up against another dangerous offensive fighter.
The first episode of The Rise of the Belgian Bomber provides a closer look at the work behind that challenge. From training at Tristar to learning from Georges St-Pierre, Habirora is preparing for the next step in his career with the same ambition that has carried him from amateur world champion to one of PFL's most closely watched unbeaten prospects.