Emirati fighters steal show at Youth MMA Championship in Abu Dhabi

sport — Promising and young Mixed Martial Arts talent from the UAE continued to put on a brilliant show in the fourth Youth MMA Championship on Saturday at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City. Image Credit: Supplied

Abu Dhabi: Promising and young Mixed Martial Arts talent from the UAE continued to put on a brilliant show in the fourth Youth MMA Championship on Saturday at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City. The championship, which saw as many as 40 Emirati youth taking to the octagon, is perceived to be the perfect precursor for the Youth MMA World Championship in August.

The tournament featured fierce fights with a fight card of 30 bouts in a variety of weight divisions, in front of a boisterous crowd. The packed afternoon of competition was capped off with Saeed Al Hosani’s victory against Mansoor Alsayed in the 70.3kg class in the main event.

Abdel Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Mqrtial Arts Federation, and Brigadier Mohammed Bin Dalmouj Al Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Chairman of the Federation’s Mixed Martial Arts Committee and Senior Vice President of the Asian MMA Federation, were among the dignitaries who attended the competitions and honoured the winners.

Top spot

Ali Al Najjar, the UAE champion who competed in the Youth C 40 kg division, was crowned after winning the championship bout against competitor Rakan Al Yammahi. “Every athlete dreams of winning the first position, especially early in their careers. Securing the top spot would be a fantastic motivation for me to keep working out and get more experience. I’ll do everything I can to maintain this achievement,” he said.

Sultan Al Ghusain defeated Salim Al Shamsi in the decisive match to win the Youth A 65.8 kg division. “I see today’s accomplishment as a springboard for even greater successes as I get ready for the forthcoming World Championship in Abu Dhabi.”