ABU DHABI // Marcos Oliveira, the Pan American jiu jitsu champion, is banking on local support to inspire him to victory when eight of the best mixed martial arts exponents from around the world lock horns for the Dh1 million grand prix prize in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship on Friday. Oliveira, 31, is one of the Brazilian jiu jitsu instructors in the rapidly growing sport in Abu Dhabi schools curriculum and he is expected to have a large following from his students when he faces Johan Romming, of France, in the first of the four single elimination rounds of the championship. The dates for the semi-final and final are not yet known.
"I want to win this inaugural title for several reasons, and one of them is for Abu Dhabi, where I have spent 11 months and made it as my second home," said Oliveira. "I have trained six days a week and spent more than a month to improve my boxing skills with a fellow Brazilian." "I was to meet Johan in a championship fight in the US last year but it didn't materialise because Johan lost in the semi-final," added Oliveira, who went on to win the title. "This time it is a direct confrontation and I am ready for him."
However, Romming, 23, was equally confident that Oliveira will not have it all his own his way. He said: "I am as well prepared as he is and if he's talking about what happened one year ago, then he is in for a shock." The eight fighters came face-to-face in a pre-fight introduction at the Emirates Palace hotel yesterday. All were in jovial spirits but their moods are likely to change once they get inside the cage.
Jeff Monson, the American, threw the down gauntlet by saying: "We know each other pretty well and have great respect for each other's fighting abilities, but there won't be any kind of friendship or camaraderie when we get into business. Everyone is for himself in this game and for the kind of money; it will be hell for anyone coming across my path." Monson will face Shamil Abdurahimov, the Russian, in one of the four championship bouts in the first open-weight competition.
Neil Wain, the British competitor, will be up against Przemyslaw Mysiala, of Poland. A couple of changes to the original card were forced on the organisers after the losses of Marcio Cruz and Sergei Kharitonov because of injury. Coming in place of the duo are Dave Herman, another American, who will face Sokoudjou Nkamhoua, of Cameroon. "All the eight fighters have been carefully selected by an international panel, and the likes of Dave and Sokoudjou takes nothing away in the absence of the two original fighters," said Soheil Nemri, the chief executive of I SEE Events.
"There will be non-stop action with music and a lot of side events including six other non-championship fights," he added. Hassan al Rumaithy, the Emirati, will be among the fighters seeking to establish themselves on the world stage when he takes on Massimiliano Pecchia of Italy in one of the non-championship bouts. The venue is a 600-seat capacity auditorium at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The fighters will be at the Marina Mall, in front of the Paris Gallery, for the weigh-in tomorrow at 7pm. @Email:apassela@thenational.ae
