UAE Warriors Arabia is latest chapter in ever-expanding story of mixed martial arts in region

Suleiman and Zerhouni headline inaugural event that provides a platform exclusively for Arab fighters

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FIGHT CARD

Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)

Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)

Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)

Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

UAE Warriors Arabia is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding story of mixed martial arts in the region.

The new event provides a platform exclusively for Arab fighters to come through the ranks and an 11-fight card, at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi, is headlined by the middleweight contest between Tarek Suleiman of Syria and Algerian Laid Zerhouni.

In the mix are three Emirati’s led by Mohammed Yahya who has a 7-3 win/loss career record, and the rising stars Rashed Dawood (1-0) and Abdullah Mohammed Ali (1-2).

“It is indeed an exciting start all over and an exciting start for the sport,” Fouad Darwish, managing director of Palms Sports, said at the launch ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

“We got the year with a very ambitious plan of staging two events across two weekends.”

The UAE Warriors 15 event, to commemorate the UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father and long-time coach Abdulmanap, was held last week. UFC president Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov were both present.

“We were deliriously surprised by Dana White’s exhilarating mention of our organisation,” Darwish said.

“That itself propelled our organisation to receive worldwide media attention. Dana White himself has regarded the UAE Warriors as one of the best MMA events.

“This is our tenth event in less than a year and at the time of a pandemic. Everything we are doing today is to challenge our own selves the same way our fighters challenge themselves every time they enter the cage.

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UAE Warriors 14 in pictures

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“The UAE Warriors Arabia is another cementing step in our pursuit of developing and growth of MMA in the region.”

Suleiman, who is a making his fifth appearance in the UAE Warriors since his debut win in the organisation against Englishman Oli Thompson in May 2019, welcomed the Warriors spin-off series as a unique event.

“The UAE Warriors is the only organisation to pick Arab talent and to grow them from the region,” he said.

“Their focus is now clear as we all see with the first UAE Warriors Arabia. I know many fighters in the region suffering without the opportunities.

“Now with the UAE Warriors stepping in we’ll see more talent surfacing for the audience, especially in the UAE.

“The UAE Warriors is improving all the time and we always see a fight cards and he shows better every time at the next event. There is always surprises and something always different to motivate the fighters.”

FIGHT CARD

Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)

Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)

Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)

Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)