Dubai // From hospital bed to starring in an action movie alongside one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, it has been a memorable year for Dubai-based mixed martial artist Fatih Ulusoy.
The Dutch-born Turk will on Friday return to action for the first time since a serious injury in April put his career on hold when he takes part in Hard Knox Fight Night III in Abu Dhabi.
“On April 16 I had an injury; I broke my shin in a fight, not like Anderson Silva but close to it,” Ulusoy said, comparing his injury to the gruesome leg break the Brazilian UFC superstar suffered in the octagon in December 2013.
Following successful surgery the 2014 UAE boxing champion was lined up for a return to combat on September 18. Before the fight could go ahead, however, organisers Global Fighting Championship ceased operations. But there was a silver lining for Ulusoy.
“So I’d been training at the end of July and August; I was good to go, running and everything,” he said. “In September after the fight was cancelled I kept training. September, October, November, December – I kept training.”
Ulusoy had a fight scheduled for December 26, in Chechnya, but that too had to be cancelled, for security concerns.
But on Friday, Ulusoy, 35, can put those disappointments behind him and the extended training to good use after Mat Dryden, the promoter of Hard Knox, called him up and invited him to fight on the card.
“I got a phone call two weeks ago from Mat Dryden ... He said ‘Fatih it’s always a pleasure to have you on the card, would you like to fight?’ I said, ‘Sure, put me on the card’.”
Ulusoy will make his comeback against Ali Hoseyn Mardi of Iran at the Park Rotana hotel in Abu Dhabi. Before that, though, there was the little matter of being part of new Jackie Chan film, Kung Fu Yoga, that was partly shot in Dubai.
“I had contacts from different agencies ... asking me to try out for the film and I kept saying, ‘I’m not an actor, I’m a fighter’,” he said. “But they kept calling, and I thought why not give it a try? A friend visiting from abroad encouraged me to do it said lets go together.”
The experience turned out to be one of the best of Ulusoy’s life. His fight scenes with Chan on set at the Atlantis, The Palm went down so well director Stanley Tong asked Ulusoy to travel to China on December 23 for three more weeks of shooting before the film’s release next year.
“Growing up watching Jackie Chan was amazing, and to act with him was even more amazing,” Ulusoy said. “I have more respect and love for the guy. He’s very humble, 61 years old, but still fast and he is the same in real life like in the movies. He invited us for dinner, he gave me souvenirs, and we talked a lot. He said Dubai is one of the most iconic places to work in because everything is so easy, everything is flexible and smooth.”
Ulusoy is not planning a career in acting just yet but says he is not against returning to it if the right role comes along. “Definitely, why not?”
Fighting, however, is still his main focus.
“I started kick-boxing when I was seven. I was born and raised in Holland, and after that I started playing soccer, which is very popular there,” he said. “When I turned 17 or 18 I turned to kick-boxing again; it was what I liked. MMA is a bit extreme, but I have passion for fighting so I don’t come to box, kickbox or grapple – I come to fight.”
Ulusoy has been based in Dubai since 2011.
“Dubai, for me, is the best location in the world,” he said. “I just love to live here, everything is just amazing. For a fighter, of course, it’s different. In Amsterdam I used to train six hours a day, six days a week. Dubai is different, it’s more laid back, and the weather is great. Still, if you’re fighter you can train anywhere in the world.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE