UAE’s fighting queen: Zamzam Al Hammadi wins MMA debut

Dubai: Before the opening bell had even rung at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, Zamzam Al Hammadi had already etched her name into UAE sporting history. Competing at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) MENA: Pride of Arabia on Sunday night, she became the first Emirati woman to step inside a professional MMA octagon.

Her groundbreaking appearance marked a defining moment for mixed martial arts in the UAE and a major step forward for women’s sport in the region.

Although the night’s main event was headlined by another legendary UAE, Mohammad Yahya, the atmosphere inside the Coca-Cola Arena shifted the moment Al Hammadi’s walkout music hit.

The roar from the crowd made it feel as though this was the moment everyone in attendance had truly been waiting for. As she made her way to the cage, the sense of history, pride and anticipation around the arena was impossible to ignore.

“To be honest when I heard all the cheers for me, I thought woah,” said the 18-year-old.

“I felt like my mini me, I was so happy and I remembered the feeling I felt when I made my Jui-Jitsu debut, this felt quite similar.”

Standing across from Al Hammadi was Egypt’s Abeer Mansour, a far more experienced opponent stepping into her fourth professional bout.

Competing under the bright lights of the PFL presented an entirely different challenge from the amateur ranks where Al Hammadi had built her reputation, and Mansour brought the composure and experience that comes with fighting at that level.

Al Hammadi later admitted there were nerves as she prepared for the opening bell, fully aware of both the occasion and the test standing in front of her.

“I have to admit I was nervous,” stated Al Hammadi.

“Thank god I was able to use these nervous as my strength though and I controlled the fight to secure the win not only for myself but for the UAE.”

With bringing a strong Jiu-Jitsu base into the cage, and her opponent Mansour known more for her stand-up striking, the stylistic contrast was clear from the outset.

The 18-year-old’s game plan became obvious almost immediately in the opening round as she closed the distance and worked on securing as many takedowns as possible.

She executed that approach with discipline and control, repeatedly bringing the fight to the ground and dictating position through the first two rounds.

Speaking on her plan heading into the fight, she said: “Me and my coaches were planning to get her to the ground and try and get a submission finish.

“The submission finish didn’t happen unfortunately, but after the second round I knew all I had to do in the third was to hang in their because I had been dominant up to that point which made me confident I was up on the judges’ score cards.”

Although her opponent arguably found more success in the final round, the momentum of the fight had already been firmly shaped by the earlier exchanges.

Many inside Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena felt that Al Hammadi had done enough work in the first two rounds to secure the contest.

Al Hammadi shared that same belief herself, though she admitted there was still a wave of relief when the judges’ decision was read in her favour, confirming a historic debut victory.

“To be honest it was a big relief for me, to get my hand raised I was so happy,” she continued.

“We wanted to finish the fight, but the main thing was getting the win in any way possible and that’s what I did.”

The teenager reflected on what it meant to make her professional debut in front of a home crowd, describing it as a moment she had dreamed about long before ever stepping into the cage.

Al Hammadi also discussed that not only competing, but winning in front of her family, supporters, and home fans made the experience even more special.

“To not only compete but to get the win in front of all my fans, family and friends was something that will stay with me forever,” she said.

“My mum joined me in the cage at the end which was really special and to feel the pride from not only her, but the whole country as well is a great feeling."

Beyond Al Hammadi’s historic win, the PFL MENA: Pride of Arabia event marked a positive step forward for live sport in the UAE, signalling a welcome return of major events to the region after a period of uncertainty in recent months.