UAE Warriors Arabia is latest chapter in ever-expanding story of mixed martial arts in region

Suleiman and Zerhouni headline inaugural event that provides a platform exclusively for Arab fighters

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 Arabia is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding story of mixed martial arts in the region.

The new event provides a platform exclusively for Arab fighters to come through the ranks and an 11-fight card, at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi, is headlined by the middleweight contest between Tarek Suleiman of Syria and Algerian Laid Zerhouni.

In the mix are three Emirati’s led by Mohammed Yahya who has a 7-3 win/loss career record, and the rising stars Rashed Dawood (1-0) and Abdullah Mohammed Ali (1-2).

“It is indeed an exciting start all over and an exciting start for the sport,” Fouad Darwish, managing director of Palms Sports, said at the launch ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

“We got the year with a very ambitious plan of staging two events across two weekends.”

The UAE Warriors 15 event, to commemorate the UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father and long-time coach Abdulmanap, was held last week. UFC president Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov were both present.

“We were deliriously surprised by Dana White’s exhilarating mention of our organisation,” Darwish said.

“That itself propelled our organisation to receive worldwide media attention. Dana White himself has regarded the UAE Warriors as one of the best MMA events.

“This is our tenth event in less than a year and at the time of a pandemic. Everything we are doing today is to challenge our own selves the same way our fighters challenge themselves every time they enter the cage.

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UAE Warriors 14 in pictures

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“The UAE Warriors Arabia is another cementing step in our pursuit of developing and growth of MMA in the region.”

Suleiman, who is a making his fifth appearance in the UAE Warriors since his debut win in the organisation against Englishman Oli Thompson in May 2019, welcomed the Warriors spin-off series as a unique event.

“The UAE Warriors is the only organisation to pick Arab talent and to grow them from the region,” he said.

“Their focus is now clear as we all see with the first UAE Warriors Arabia. I know many fighters in the region suffering without the opportunities.

“Now with the UAE Warriors stepping in we’ll see more talent surfacing for the audience, especially in the UAE.

“The UAE Warriors is improving all the time and we always see a fight cards and he shows better every time at the next event. There is always surprises and something always different to motivate the fighters.”