Amid geopolitical tensions, the UAE’s resilience continues to uplift spirits. A country that hosted the Dubai World Cup — the richest night in horse racing — at Meydan in the middle of a raging war is now gearing up to stage another premier sporting event.
Next month, May 24 to be precise, elite MMA fighters of the region will arrive at the Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, to vie for glory in the PFL Mena: Pride of Arabia.
For PFL (Professional Fighters League), the Middle East has become a breeding ground for talented young MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) stars.
Next month’s event will feature an array of Arab fighters, including two Emiratis — Mohammad Yahya and Zamzam Al Hammadi, the first female Emirati MMA star.
The organisers are brimming with hope and excitement as they prepare to host PFL Mena Pride of Arabia in Dubai.
“We’ve already hosted three events with the PFL here. Every time, it’s a full house at Coca-Cola Arena,” said Jerome Mazet, General Manager of PFL Mena, during an interview with Khaleej Times.
Despite the growing uncertainty over the ceasefire in the Middle East war, the PFL organisers never had any doubts about hosting the event.
“When the authorities said Dubai is open and welcoming events, it immediately became the top priority for us,” said Mazet.
“Dubai is the capital — the economic capital — of the Arab world. We are hosting this event at Coca-Cola Arena, and the help and support we’ve had from them has been outstanding. So it was a very simple decision for us to choose Dubai.”
Local heroes
Fighters from 11 Arab countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt, will compete in the high-profile event next month.
But all eyes will be fixed on Mohammad Yahya and Zamzam Al Hammadi, who will be defending the UAE colours inside the cage.
“For this card, we actually have three Emiratis, and two of them are very big names — Muhammad Yahya, a legend, you know, a former champion of UAE Warriors and a UFC veteran. And we have the newcomer, Zamzam, the first-ever Emirati female to enter the cage in any promotion. So this is a big moment for the UAE,” said Mazet.
“The Emiratis want to see their local heroes fight at home. So it’s a very special moment, and it’s a great card and great timing for us to be in Dubai.”
Role model
Mazet also hopes more women from this region will take inspiration from Hattan Alsaif, who has attained a cult status in Saudi Arabia after becoming the first female MMA fighter from her country to join the PFL.
“Hattan started with us two years ago after her first fight. There was a huge wave in the press, a huge positive wave, with everybody wanting to see her,” he said.
“She is now arguably the most famous female athlete in Saudi Arabia, across all sports. Her fan base in Saudi Arabia is very, very diverse. She brings families, younger people, and obviously a lot more women. We’ve had venues where up to 25 per cent of the audience is female. We’ve never seen that in MMA before. So it’s amazing to see that change.”
So can the UAE’s female fighters follow in the footsteps of Hattan?
“Of course. There’s a culture in this country (UAE), you know, with jiu-jitsu in schools. That’s where she (Zamzam) comes from, and that’s where MMA can be the end goal for some of the most talented ones,” he said.
“Girls who have been excellent at jiu-jitsu, who have won national competitions and represented the UAE — there’s now a pathway, just like Zamzam, where you can actually make a living out of this and be recognised for it.”
Source: Khaleej Times