Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE Warriors (UAEW) fight promotion is about to break new ground in Abu Dhabi when the twin cards of UAEW 61 and 62 this week introduces its first-ever Arab-African Intercontinental title belt.
The featherweight bout between Ali Al Qaisi and Sylvester Chipfumbu, headlining UAE Warriors 61 is a statement about the organisation’s growing role as a truly global MMA platform. The Jordanian and a fan favourite in the region, will take on his rival from Zimbabwe - the clash for the continental belt carrying the added motivation of being a third different title belt for Al Qaisi.
Though the spotlight was not on him, veteran fighter and former champion Bruno Machado summed up what the promotion from Abu Dhabi has meant for the fighters. He was replying to a question at the press conference about his ambitions of taking on bigger names and aiming for the catchweight division belt on Friday, should the Brazilian beat his Azerbaijani rival Agshin Babaev.
“After I last fought in the UAE Warriors [five years back], a lot of things changed in my life… But this is not my full-time job. I have a family to support. But when I am ready for a fight, I can come here [UAEW] anytime. There are not one, but two fight cards and they do it at least three in a year; what more do you want?
“I am 38 years old and I have to do a day job for my family, which means I cannot afford to train for two or three months, needed for such big fights. But for the rest of my fraternity, I can say - if you’re not in the UFC, UAE Warriors is the best place to be.”
On cue, the promotion’s chief organiser and Chief Executive Officer of Palm Sports, Fouad Darwish, declared on stage that Machado can come to Abu Dhabi and will receive training support for two months, should he wish. The pressure is now on Machado to win this bout and dream bigger, while the Brazilian is still competitive at his age.
Meanwhile, the soft-spoken, shy Chipfumbu said he was not going to roll over either for the inter-continental fight. “I’m not here for a participation trophy. Once the cage door closes, I’m ready for one round or five. I’ve done all the work,” Chipfumbu said.
Adding weight to Machado’s comments was the presence of UFC veteran and Peruvian James Llontop who is fighting in the main event for UAEW 62. He is the challenger in the path of Uzbekistan’s Khotam Boynazarov, the welterweight title holder.
While the fighters took centre stage, Darwish also took the opportunity to acknowledge the work done behind the scenes at the vent. It starts, he said, with heart – not hierarchy. “We don’t have an external production team, matchmaker or event company,” he said. “We all work as a team with passion at the Warriors.”
Darwish revealed plans for UAE Warriors to expand to Egypt, Jordan and India, though logistics and sponsorship challenges remain. “We’ve got the sanctioning. We’re ready. But some countries are tough when it comes to visas and costs. Still, it’s part of our mission.”
Addressing the fighters, he added: “This is a family. We feel your pain. We celebrate your success. You are our reason. That’s why UAE Warriors is close to our hearts.” He reminded everyone that the promotion was only five years old, but felt like it’s been around for decades.
