Hadi Omar Al Hussaini left behind a comfortable managerial position and a decent income in a leading business conglomerate in Dubai to pursue his passion as a full-time MMA fighter.
A late starter in the sport at the ripe old age of 30, little did he realise how tough that journey was going to be, particularly in raising funds for his training camps and other expenses as a professional athlete.
His friends and colleagues were surprised when he told them that he was quitting his job to pursue his MMA dreams. Some even laughed.
“Fortunately for me, my entire family stood behind me in support. If not for them, I wouldn’t have continued chasing my dream,” Al Hussaini, now 33, told The National of his struggles in changing careers.
“To be honest, my biggest support is my family. My father, my uncles, my cousins. If not for them, I wouldn't be doing this. As an athlete, it's very tough to go and prepare for a professional fight.
“Most people think [because] I’m an Emirati I have a golden spoon in my mouth. That’s not actually the case.
“I had a very hard time to get any kind of support, especially when you have a big cost to prepare for a fight, pay for a camp. I told everyone I had this dream, but they all closed the door on me. Nobody believed in me, only my family."
Al Hussaini is the only Emirati on the 12-fight card of the inaugural PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series, headlined by the world title contest between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Saturday.
Flyweight Al Hussaini (5-1-1) takes on Ruel Panales of the Philippines (6-2), who returns to action after a defeat in the Road to UFC Season 3 semi-finals in Las Vegas last August.
“I want to win this for my family because they did everything for me to be able to go and train with some of the best coaches in a camp in California,” Al Hussaini said.
Al Hussaini was undefeated in his first six fights, recording five wins and a draw in the UAE Warriors and the Middle East Fight Championship before suffering his first defeat in the PFL Mena 2 in Riyadh last July.
“This fight in Dubai is going to be different for me," he said. "First, fighting in the PFL is an honour as it is one of the biggest promotions in the world. And fighting in my city in front of my people, in Dubai, where I was born and raised.
“For me, this is the most important fight in my life. A very big opportunity. I'm the only local fighting in this event. It's just going to be huge for me. This means a lot.
“It’s just a proud moment for me to be able to raise my nation’s flag and represent my country in a very big stage that's considered one of the biggest MMA cards in the history of Dubai.”
Al Hussaini believes a victory for him would open many doors to continue his journey as a professional fighter.
“I want to do this for what I love, my passion and hopefully this can be the turning point to open several doors for sponsorships and contracts, and to continue my journey,” he added.
Al Hussaini had been training in various sports, mainly for fitness, and dabbled in martial arts like jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing and MMA. He was offered a fight at the UAE Warriors in June 2021, a journey he has continued.
“The UAE Warriors called me to try a professional fight, and I did it. I loved it. I quit my job and did it. So, it's just something I fell in love with, and I kept doing it.
“PFL approached me after my sixth career fight as they wanted an Emirati fighter and took my signature for Mena 2 and included me for the Road to Dubai Champions Series.
“I want to remain in this promotion and obviously want a good result. It’s going to be a close fight with Ruel. I am ready for a stand-up game and a ground game. I am ready for 15 minutes of work. Hopefully, everything goes as planned and we get the victory.”
Al Hussaini said the PFL putting on a show in Dubai is "huge" and that the region can become the "Las Vegas of MMA".
Everyone wants to fight here," he added. "Every fighter now dreams to fight in Abu Dhabi or Dubai or Saudi Arabia.
“All the big names in combat sports want to fight here and the big opportunities are in this region. It's going to be big and hopefully I'm going to write history and build my legacy starting 25th of January.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
