Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi:
A promising future for the Emirates in mixed martial arts
The tournament represents an important step in the preparations for the World Championship in Abu Dhabi
Ali Al-Najjar is champion for the UAE in the under-14 category, weighing less than 40 kg
Sultan Al-Ghussein is champion of the UAE in the under-18 featherweight category (65.8 kg)
Abu Dhabi, March 5, 2023: The start of the fourth mixed martial arts tournament for juniors, hosted by the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, witnessed strong competitions and impressive performances by Emirati talents in various weight categories, amid the presence of a crowd of sports fans who enjoyed thirty fights.
The competitions were attended and the winners were crowned by His Excellency Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, His Excellency Brigadier General Mohammed bin Dalmouk Al Dhaheri, Member of the Federation’s Board of Directors, Chairman of the Mixed Martial Arts Committee and First Vice President of the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Federation, and Stephen Fox, President of the Alliance of Independent Sports Federations. And recognized by AIMS, Mohamed Ibrahim, President of the Egyptian Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Faisal Zakaria, President of the Sudanese Muaythai, Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Tariq bin Hazim Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the UAE Muaythai and Kickboxing Federation, and Tariq Al-Bahri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Association of Jiu-Jitsu Professionals, Mubarak Al Menhali, Director of Technical Administration at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Mohammed Al Hosani, Member of the Federation’s Mixed Martial Arts Committee, and Fouad Darwish, General Manager of Palms Sports Company.
His Excellency Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, says: “Another tournament consolidates Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the most important cities in the sport of mixed martial arts, and a preferred and permanent destination for champions from everywhere.”
His Excellency adds: “The great demand for participation in this tournament reflects the presence of a growing base of practitioners and talents who wish to become professional in mixed martial arts, excel in it, and achieve achievements. This represents a translation of the vision of the wise leadership aimed at consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a global capital of mixed martial arts, and perhaps the matter that We are heartened by the fact that most of these talents and good materials are from the Emirates, seeking to represent the national team and reach the international podium with the country’s flag.”
His Excellency concluded by saying: “These tournaments represent an important step in the framework of preparations for hosting the World Junior Mixed Martial Arts Championship in the capital, Abu Dhabi, next August. The main goal is to prepare a national team that includes the best talented players keen to honorably represent the country and achieve the largest number of colorful medals.”
In turn, Mohammed Al Hosani, a member of the Mixed Martial Arts Committee in the Federation, says: “Mixed martial arts tournaments for juniors achieve many gains, the most prominent of which is the continuous development and upward trend of the players’ performance and their acquisition of experience, contact and expertise, and fighting fights under pressure and different circumstances.”
He added: “This is the fourth tournament organized by the federation in less than 6 months. We will also organize the fifth and sixth tournaments before the expected start of the World Championship in August of this year. All of this is within the framework of enhancing the readiness of the players and preparing them to participate in the World Championship in a manner that keeps pace with their hopes and aspirations.” The people of the Emirates and their wise leadership.”
Al Hosani continues: “The fourth edition of the tournament witnessed the participation of more than 40 Emirati players, in addition to 20 Arab players, so we can say that this tournament is distinctly Arab, especially since the World Championship includes elite players coming from various countries of the world, so it is important to ensure that our players The opportunity to interact with them to give them the required experience before competing in the World Championships in Abu Dhabi.”
Ali Al-Najjar is a hero
The fourth mixed martial arts championship for juniors witnessed the crowning of Ali Al-Najjar as the UAE champion in the category of juniors under 14 years of age, weighing less than 40 kg, after defeating the player Rakan Al-Yamahi in the final fight.
On this occasion, Al-Najjar said that achieving the UAE Championship is a great achievement that every athlete dreams of, especially at the beginning of his career, and it will represent a great incentive for me to continue training and gain more experience. I will do all my energy to maintain this precious title. I dedicate this achievement to my family, the coach and the fans who supported me.
Sultan Al-Ghussein, champion for juniors under 18, featherweight (65.8 kg)
The player, Sultan Al-Ghussein, was able to be crowned champion of the Emirates in the junior category under 18 years of age, in the 65.8 kg featherweight category, after defeating Salem Al Shamsi in the final fight. Al-Ghussein said that he will carry with him the memories of this wonderful victory to the World Cup in Abu Dhabi, stressing that winning this tournament will be the starting point for him towards greater achievements. In the rest of the fights, Omar Al Jabri defeated Hamad Ahmed, with a weight of 37 kg, Saeed Ahmed over Ali Al Mazrouei, with a weight of 57 kg, Ali Al Najjar (in the quarter-final fight) over Ali Hassan, with a weight of 40 kg, and Zayed Al Dhubari (in the quarter final fight) over Imran Al Shamsi, with a weight of 40 kg. Mayed Al Hosani beat Khalifa Al Jaber with a weight of 37 kg, Kamal Abdul Latif over Ali Al Najjar with a weight of 44 kg, Mansour Al Kaabi over Rahma Al Shamsi with a weight of 62 kg, Yassin Al Hajj over Al Moez Ali with a weight of 40 kg, Youssef Al Khoury over Younis Al Kahil with a weight of 62 kg, and Ali Al Najjar (in Semi-final fight against Rashid Al Thani, weighing 40 kg, Rakan Al Yamahi (semi-final fight) against Zayed Al-Dhubari, weighing 40 kg, Zayed Al-Hammadi, against Abdullah Abu Daqqa, weighing 48 kg, Ismail Ahmed, against Yassin Zawawi, weighing 50 kg, and Aisha Al-Hammadi, against Hala Badawi. With a weight of 57 kg, Khaled Zawya over Bakr Khaled, with a weight of 65 kg, Younis Jakoush over Obaid Al Bustani, with a weight of 48 kg, Amer Aoun over Muhammad Amer, with a weight of 60 kg, Ali Al-Najjar (final fight) against Rakan Al Yamahi, weighing 40 kg, and Salem Al Shamsi (semi-final) A Lee Hamid Al-Laim, with a weight of 65.8 kg, and Sultan Al-Ghussein (semi-final) over Hamad Al-Mahrouqi, with a weight of 65.8 kg, and Ahmed Al-Jabri over Ali Al-Yarbi, with a weight of 52.2 kg, and Abdullah Mahdi over Sultan Al-Dhaheri, with a weight of 67 kg, and Mansour Al-Harithi over Bader Al-Marzouqi, with a weight of 65.8 kg. 61.2 kg, Qutaiba Al-Quntar over Faisal Muhammad, weighing 70 kg, Sultan Al-Ghussein (final fight) over Salem Al-Shamsi, weighing 65.8 kg, Abdullah Al-Tamimi over Loay Al-Dalqi, weighing 67 kg, Youssef Al-Mohsen over Muhammad Al-Junaibi, weighing 67 kg, and Murad Al-Shibli over Butti Al-Amri weighed 65.8 kg, Muhammad Al-Shehhi Ali Muhammad Al-Sheshtawi weighed 65.8 kg, and Saeed Al-Hosani Ali Mansour Al-Sayed weighed 70.3 kg.
