Ali Khaled

It started explosively, and never relented. Kickboxing’s Glory 20 came to Dubai, and fighters, having talked the talk in the days leading up to the event, did not let anyone down inside the ring.

After 19 editions that took place in Tokyo, Istanbul, London and many US cities, some of the world’s best kickboxers finally got a chance to showcase their skills in a region where martial arts continue to rise in popularity with Glory 20 Dubai.

At 26, Van Roosmalen is seven years younger than his opponent Ristie, who will look to use his strength, jabbing technique and longer reach to effect.

Giant Simon Marcus aims to raise his game while Emirati boxer reworks strategy for Glory 20 bout on Dubai fight card.

The UAE had two matches planned during the current international break, but the games went by the board because the Arabian Gulf Super Cup was rescheduled for Friday.

UAE Under 23 side’s bid to emulate the 2012 Summer Games' batch begins in Kalba where they must top a group comprising Tajikistan, Yemen and Sri Lanka.

He is “family” as well as coach. His fatherly relationship with Ahmed Khalil, Omar Abdulrahman, Ali Mabkhout and others is set to continue into the peak years of their careers.

The news last week that the UAE was awarded the hosting rights for the Fifa Club World Cups in 2017 and 2018, after it was held here in 2009 and 2010, will be music to the ears of those who experienced it first time, writes Ali Khaled.

Culturally, in the region, disabled people were not always fully integrated into society. Slowly, this is changing. And disabled athletes are finally moving from the shadows. Few entities have done as much as the Fazza Championships for People with Disability to encourage engagement.

For the first time, a women’s team organised by the UAE Football Association will compete in a tournament that includes sides from outside the region when the Emiratis travel to Cyprus for the eight-team tournament, writes Ali Khaled.

Lone Emirati on UAE Open side wants to send message to his compatriots as teams from around the globe take part, reports Ali Khaled.

For some of the older players, and those not affiliated with or who did not make the squads of entering nations, it is an opportunity to enjoy the game at its highest level, writes Ali Khaled.

The match between Al Ain and Al Jazira on Sunday night may be billed as the most important match of the season but, for the visitors, the defining fixture arguably took place more than two weeks ago.

Saturday saw the conclusion of the Fazza Championship for Freediving 2015 at Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai, and the main attraction was Branko Petrovic of Serbia, a man who lived and breathed (or not) freediving before he even knew it was a sport.

The Fazza Championships for Falconry extended to more than four months, attracted more than 7,000 participants and acknowledges the efforts of the country’s best falconers, writes Ali Khaled.