UAE Warriors 14: Manon Fiorot 'looking for a knockout' against Gabriela Campo

Frenchwoman and Argentine to fight in promotion's first female title bout in Abu Dhabi

Naomi Tataroglu throws a punch at Manon Fiorot during their bout at UAE Warriors 13 in September. Courtesy UAE Warriors

UAE Warriors will break new ground on Friday when the promotion stages its first female world title fight.

France's Manon Fiorot takes on Gabriela Campo of Argentina for the women’s flyweight title in one of two championship bouts on the 12-fight card at UAE Warriors 14.

Fiorot is no stranger to UAE Warriors, winning both her fights including a victory over Naomi Tataroglu in September. She holds a 6-1 win-loss record in professional mixed martial arts, same as her opponent Campo, who is making her debut for the organisation.

“It’s my third appearance in Abu Dhabi and I’m very happy to return for a title contest,” Fiorot said at the pre-event presser on a virtual platform on Wednesday.

“Gabriela and I hold similar records. However, she hasn’t come up against similar opponents as me, so we are different levels. I’m looking for a big knockout.”

Fiorot has reeled off six successive wins since losing her debut fight by split decision at Cage Warriors 94 in June 2018.

Campo, who only arrived in the UAE capital hours before Wednesday's launch, said she is ready to cause an upset..

“I was given short notice of this event because of some changes but I have been training throughout the year and ready to go," she said. "I’ll work on my strengths for this fight.

“This is the first time I’m appearing in a contest of this magnitude and I’m incredibly happy and looking forward to the fight.”

Juares Dea of Cameroon takes on the Canadian-based Moroccan Xavier Alaoui for the bantamweight belt in the second title match at Zayed Sports City’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena.

Dea (7-2) is undefeated in six UAE Warriors appearances while Alaoui (11-3) returns to the octagon after a unanimous points’ decision over Taksim Zabitov on his Warriors debut in September.

Alaoui believes he is operating on a “whole different level” than his opponent and is confident of being crowned champion.

“I have seen this guy put down by a body shot in a fight and to be undefeated [in the Warriors] I find it as a big word,” Alaoui said.

“I’m going to finish this dude. If it goes five rounds that’s going to be too bad for him.”

Dea replied: “The last guy who said that knows how the fight finished. Friday is just two days [away]. Let’s see.”

Several fighters have used UAE Warriors as a launchpad to the UFC, including Mounir Lazzez, Casey O'Neill, Sasha Palatnikov and Dean Barry.

Fouad Darwish, general manager of Palms Sports, the event manager of the UAE Warriors, said the promotion continues to grow and credits the support from Abu Dhabi for its continued success.

“Every single person that takes part in the UAE Warriors is part of a big family. We are very grateful to Dana White [UFC president] for acknowledging our efforts," Darwish said.

“We are growing as a family to an extent beyond borders, and none of it would have been [possible] if we weren’t in Abu Dhabi. In simple terms, the name of our success is Abu Dhabi.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov watches UAE Warriors in Dubai