UAE Warriors kick off 2023 with triple header at Etihad Arena

Four title belts in International, African and Arabia categories on the line this month

Bruno Machado celebrates after unanimous decision against Frenchman Mickael Lebout to win the UAE Warriors lightweight title in January 2021. Photo: UAE Warriors

The UAE Warriors will stage a triple header at the Etihad Arena on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island this month.

The three-day event kicks off with UAE Warriors Africa on Friday, February 24, followed by International and Arabia fight cards on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The highlight of the weekend is the lightweight title contest between defending champion Bruno Machado (15-9) and Martun Mezhlumyan (14-3) in UAE Warriors 36 (International) on Saturday.

Brazilian Machado was last seen in action in a high-profile boxing bout with MMA legend Anderson Silva, in the co-main event of Floyd Mayweather's fight last year in Abu Dhabi.

Former PFL $1 million tournament winner Emiliano Sordi (23-11-1) will meet Asylzhan Bakhytzhanuly (13-4-1) in the cards’ co-main event.

The popular Argentine will look to impress in his UAE Warriors debut while Kazakhstan's Bakhytzhanuly has the opportunity to score the biggest win of his career.

Friday will see the fourth instalment of the UAE Warriors Africa series.

The first UAE Warriors Africa featherweight champion will be crowned when "The Crazy Cameroonian" Jaures Dea (9-5) and Guinea’s Mohamed Camara (5-1) battle it out for the title.

The African series was successfully launched in early 2022 with the goal of providing a platform for fighters of African heritage to compete on a global stage.

The third day will see the UAE’s very own Mohammad Yahya (11-3) defend his Arabia lightweight title against the France-based Souhil Tahiri (5-3-1).

A pioneer in the regional MMA scene, Yahya has been competing for a decade and over the past two years has hit peak form, compiling a four-fight win-streak, including a KO win to capture the UAE Warriors Arabia title.

Starring in the co-main event is Jordanian Nawras Abzakh (10-4), who will fight for the inaugural UAE Warriors Arabia flyweight title when he faces Lebanon's Jonny Touma (5-1).

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