UAE Warriors nominated for Best Promotion at World MMA Awards

Abu Dhabi-based promotion up against UFC, Bellator, Legacy Fighting Alliance and Brave CF

Xavier Alaoui lands a high kick on Jaures Dea in the UAE Warriors 14 bantamweight title fight at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday, November 27, 2020. Courtesy Palms Sports

Jaures Dea lands a kick on Xavier Alaoui. Courtesy Palms Sports

Xavier Alaoui launches an attack during his victory over Jaures Dea. Courtesy Palms Sports

Gabriela Campo lands a punch on Manon Fiorot. Courtesy Palms Sports

Manon Fiorot takes down Gabriela Campo. Courtesy Palms Sports

Manon Fiorot punishes Gabriela Campo before the referee stopped the contest. Courtesy Palms Sports

Emirati Mohammad Yahya lands a high kick on Briton Dan Collins. Courtesy Palms Sports

A bloodied Russian Islam Mamedov lands one on Martun Mezhulmyan of Armenia but the latter went on to win the catchweight 73kg fight. Courtesy Palms Sports

Emirati Rashed Dawood made a sensational MMA debut. Here he is seen with a rear naked choke on Uzbek Otabek Kadirov. Courtesy Palms Sports

Ho Taek-oh lands a fierce right hand on Ronald Girones. Courtesy Palms Sports

Brazilian Vinicius de Oliveira has the Russian Furkatbek Yokubov down on the canvas. Courtesy Palms Sports

Hussein Salim of Iraq receives his award from Fouad Darwish, general manager of Palms Sports. Courtesy Palms Sports

Russian Arthur Zaynukov poses with Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, chairman of Palms Sports, after the awards. Courtesy Palms Sports

UAE Warriors has been nominated in the Best Promotion category alongside other leading companies including the UFC and Bellator in the annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards.

It is the first time the Abu Dhabi-based promotion has been selected for an international award which also includes Legacy Fighting Alliance and Brave Combat Federation on the shortlist.

Mixed martial arts was one of the few sports to continue in 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic.

UAE Warriors successfully staged 10 events during the crisis, which included flying in a number of overseas fighters all while adhering to the country's Covid-19 safety measures.

“We have been nominated as one of the best promotions especially for our commitment to the game during the coronavirus pandemic,” Fouad Darwish, managing director of Palms Sports that manages the UAE Warriors, told The National.

“We were able to complete 10 successful events during this period. Not only that, we were able to bring fighters from 43 countries during the pandemic.

“The fact we have been nominated for an award in itself is a recognition of our abilities, dedication, strategies, deployment of our fighters and the talent pool we have gathered.

“To add to this, more than 15 of our fighters have been signed by UFC, Bellator or Titan. There is not a month that we don’t see one of our fighters going to a bigger MMA organisation.”

UAE Warriors began under the banner of Abu Dhabi Warriors in 2012 but held only four fight cards in six years before Palm Sports took over the promotion in 2019.

Since then the promotion has grown into one of the region's most productive launchpads for fighters looking to climb the MMA ladder.

“We did start with an ambition to become a regional organisation but today we are seen by many as an international pool of talent we have assembled in such a short period of time,” Darwish said.

“At the time of our taking over the promotion, we never thought Palms Sports would be able to convert the UAE Warriors into a world organisation. And here we are.”

Other award categories include 'Fighter of the Year', 'Knockout of the Year', 'Fight of the Year’, and the recently added ‘Fighting Spirit Award.’

Fighters Only magazine gives fight fans the power to vote for their favorite fighters, which knockout and submissions amazed and shocked, and which nominees impressed them the most over the past year to determine who takes home a World MMA Award.

Fans can cast their votes at worldmmaawards.com. Voting concludes on September 8.

The venue and the date for the annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards ceremony will be announced in the coming weeks.