Exclusive interview: Mohammed Yahya ready for historic debut at UFC 294
Mohammed Yahya will make history next month when he becomes the first Emirati to compete in the UFC.
The Dubai-based athlete, 29, has been signed to the world’s lead mixed martial arts promotion and will make his debut at UFC 294 at Etihad Arena on October 21.
Yahya, a UAE Warriors Arabian champion at lightweight, is scheduled to take on American Trevor Peek, although the UFC has yet to confirm the bout.
UFC 294 is headlined by the rematch between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and former belt-holder Charles Oliveira – a re-run of the main event at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi last October.
Posting a video on Instagram having signed the UFC contract, Yahya said: “Alhamdulillah, it’s been a long road. I’ve signed with the UFC. It’s been a dream since I was 14 and I just got to show that dreams do come true, but with a lot of hard work.
“Now it’s time not to win, but to be out on the best performance I’ve ever had. This fight is not just for the UAE but for the whole Arab region."
The son of an Emirati father and English mother, Yahya was born in Oxford, England, before moving to Dubai when he was one. He began mixed martial arts aged 14 and competed in jiu-jitsu and kickboxing, climbing to 22-0 as an amateur in the latter.
After debuting in amateur MMA in 2012, Yahya signed with regional promotion Desert Force, and went on to win four of his five fights. He fought twice in Bellator – one victory, one defeat – and in 2019 signed for UAE Warriors.
Yahya has won seven of eight bouts for the Abu Dhabi-based promotion, becoming its lightweight Arabian champion. He defended the title three times.
Yahya competed most recently in February, where he sealed a unanimous decision win against Souhil Tahiri. As such, his professional record stands at 12-3.
Riding a five-fight win streak, Yahya fights out of TK MMA Fit gym in Media City. He is managed by gym founder Tam Khan.
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Mohammad warms up backstage before the fight ahead of defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title against Mohamed El Jaghdal at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad warms up backstage ahead of his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title defence against Mohamed El Jaghdal at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya begins his walk into the arena for his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title defence against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya backstage ahead of his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title defence against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya makes his way into the arena for his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title defence against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya celebrates his victory against Mohamed El Jaghdal after defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya lands a series of punches on Mohamed El Jaghdal on his way to defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya in action against Mohamed El Jaghdal during his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title defence. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya defends his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya blocks a punch from Mohamed El Jaghdal during their UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title fight. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya throws punches at Mohamed El Jaghdal during their UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title fight. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya and Mohamed El Jaghdal in action during their UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title fight. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya celebrates after defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya and Mohamed El Jaghdal after their lightweight title fight at UAE Warriors Arabia. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya holds the his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title belt after beating Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya celebrates after defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Mohammad Yahya celebrates with his team after defending his UAE Warriors Arabia Lightweight title against Mohamed El Jaghdal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
“I’ve been training for this fight since March, so I’m ready," Yahya said. "I want to thank my manager and my coach, and the DCT [Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi] for making this happen.
“And [UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation chairman and chairman of Palm Sports, who manage UAE Warriors] Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, for supporting me all the time and giving me the platform to reach where I need to be.
"I’m ready, I’m going to make all the Arabs proud.”
Sitting alongside Yahya, Khan said: “This has been over 10 years, maybe 11 years in the making ... it’s a dream come true. The first ever Emirati to be in the UFC and the first ever Arab from the GCC region to be in the UFC. So it’s history for all Arabs as well as Muslims around the world. Congratulations Mohammed.”
UFC 294 marks the UFC’S return to Abu Dhabi for the first time in a year. It forms part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, a week-long series of events and activities.
Alongside Makhachev-Oliveira 2, the card also features a highly anticipated middleweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa, while rising flyweight Muhammad Mokaev takes on Tim Elliott.
Peek, meanwhile, is 8-1 as a pro, and has twice fought in the UFC – both this year - winning one and losing the other.
