Abu Dhabi Warriors promise fireworks at MMA Fighting Championships in the capital

If you like combat sports you are probably familiar with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator Fighting Championships, the pioneers of mixed martial arts. But there are always new antagonists trying to compete or carve out their own niche.

Backed by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the Abu Dhabi Warriors are more interested in strategic collaborations with the right authorities and promoters, to develop the sport of MMA in the UAE rather than competing against them.

Indeed, as the tickets are complimentary and made available to the fans on a first come first serve basis. Up to 2,000 general admission tickets will be available on the day at IPIC Arena in Zayed Sports City.

After investing much to turn Abu Dhabi into the capital of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the UAEJJF is using their expertise to try to make the Abu Dhabi Warriors a household name in the UAE and Middle East.

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– MMA career a marathon not a sprint for Abu Dhabi Warrior Ahmed Al Darmaki

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Warriors event took place back in November 2012 at Adnec. After a two-year hiatus, the Abu Dhabi Warriors returned in March this year for their second event; Saturday will see the third instalment, taking place at the IPIC Arena at Zayed Sports City, the home of UAEJJ.

Abu Dhabi Warriors are bringing some of the best mixed martial artists from around the globe, with world-class talents on display. The event will be broadcast live and exclusively on Abu Dhabi Sports TV in the Middle East as well as other TV networks around the world.

An action-packed fightcard will have home representation, with the Emirati, Ahmed Al Darmaki, fighting Artiyom Gorodynets of Ukraine.

For the main event, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, of Cameroon, takes on Paul Buentello of the USA. The duo have 30 knock outs between them, so expect fireworks.

Sokoudjou, 31, also known as the “African Assassin”, is a veteran of UFC, Bellator and Pride fighting championships, and has a record of 16 wins and 13 losses. He said at yesterday's news conference: “I’m enjoying my time in Abu Dhabi, the people are really nice. This will be a great event for the fans. I’m ready.”

Buentello (33-16), the former UFC and Strikeforce heavyweight title challenger who has faced some of the biggest names in MMA history, said he too was looking forward to putting on a show and promised “fireworks” for the fans of Abu Dhabi.

“When I got the call from Abu Dhabi Warriors, and they told me that the fight will be in Abu Dhabi, I didn’t even ask who my opponent will be or the specifics of the contract, I said 'yes'.

“I’ve heard a lot about Abu Dhabi, so I really wanted to come here and see how incredible the country is, their deep rooted cultures and their rich history.

“There is no animosity between myself and Sokoudjou. We don’t have any stress. It’s a great opportunity to show our talents to the Abu Dhabi fans. There will be fireworks.”

SATURDAY’S FIGHT CARD

Main card

• Heavyweight (+93kg) Rameau Sokoudjou (Cameroon) v Paul Buentello (USA)

• Lightweight (-70kg) Alexander Sarnavskiy (Russia) v Jesse Ronson (Canada)

• Light heavyweight (-93kg) Max Nunes (Sweden) v Fabricio Monteiro (Brazil)

• Welterweight (-77kg) Karl Amoussou (France) v Abdulmajid Magomedov (Russia)

• Lightweight (-70kg) Waylon Lowe (USA) v Vaso Bakocevic (Montenegro)

Preliminary card

• Welterweight (-77kg) Yoshiyuki Katahira (Japan) v Lewis Long (Wales)

• Welterweight (-77kg) Seung Chan-hong (South Korea) v Maxim Ceban (France)

• Bantamweight (-61kg) Muha Li (China) v Martin Akhtar (Sweden)

• Middleweight (-84kg) Josip Perica (Croatia) v Ion Pascu (Romania)

• Featherweight (-66kg) Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Artiyom Gorodynets (Ukraine)

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