The ink is dry on twenty-six contracts putting into motion thirteen potent bouts pitting the best mixed martial artists from Arabia and Africa against one another. Kicking-off another double-header for the premier combat sports promotion in the Middle East with the international card of UAE Warriors 60 the following eve, the hottest prospects in the region are inbound to mix it up with some of the most beloved MENA veterans of unarmed warfare. So let’s take a look at a few of the standouts ready to knuckle-up in the Space 42 Arena in downtown AD on the 12th of June, starting with some breaking news.
Omran Chaaban, Lebanon 7-1
‘The Lebanese Gorilla’ is back after a strong showing on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter in which he went 1-1, winning his first bout in the Apex with his signature anaconda choke, before dropping a decision thereafter. He got straight back in the mix though, competing in a main event in his adopted hometown of Helsinki, taking the tap from a first-round d’arce earlier this year. The UAE Warriors Arabia Welterweight champion has yet to defend the title he so spectacularly took from Hammami, nor will he do so here but will be taking on a very dangerous and experienced opponent nonetheless. He faces the Democratic Republic of Congo’s lethal kickboxer Gunther Kalunda, who beat Deiveson Figueiredo’s training partner from the Pitbull Brothers, José da Rocha, to take the EFC belt back in 2018. He has had mixed success ever since in promotions such as One Championship and Shooto, but was recently crowned the Heavyweight Champion of a top Japanese kickboxing promotion. Alongside his striking prowess, he also has highly-developed Judo and grappling defence, which he will surely utilise to escape the head-and-arm traps laid by Chaaban.
Khaled Laallam, Algeria 6-0
We are privileged to be witnessing the career-arc of a rising star whose time in the MMA firmament, insha’Allah will shine brightly for many years to come. The Swedish-based Algerian was only 17 when he became the IMMAF world champion, but his form has improved inexorably into his pro years as he emerges as one of the hottest talents in European MMA. Based at Concrete BJJ in Tyresö, he has as many wins by KO as he does by submission, a stat that has been born out in the Warriors Octagon with three first-round finishes and a decision against Diego Bandu where he came out guns blazing in a lodestar performance at UAE Warriors 52. A tall, athletic middleweight he’s great in the clinch, devastating from distance, lethal off his back, suffocating in top control and brutal in-guard. Attributes which will all come handy in this fight against South Africa’s Siyakudumiso Nomvemve. Fighting out of Dominators Den in the country’s north-east province of Mpumalanga, he recently graduated to serious contendership with a win over the former Brave stalwart Mzwandile Hlongwa, who in turn took Khamzat Chimaev into the second round much like Laallam did at amateurs. A standup fighter with a titanium chin and a powerful scramble, he presents clear and present danger to the consciousness of Laallam, who with a win here, will have surely stamped his application for either a title shot or a UFC contract.
Mohamed Saleh, Iraq 5-0
Still at the tender age of 19 and fighting out of the CFL team based in Sulaymaniyah, Saleh is an undefeated Kurdistani wrestler from Diyana whose five victories were finishes in the first, two of which dropped the cageside jaws here in Abu Dhabi. The highly-experienced Brendan Lesar at UAE Warriors 57 was a big test at the beginning of the year and one which Saleh passed with flying colours thanks to a strong chin and good sprawl. Whilst it is the latter which often platforms his submission offence and forms the majority of his victories, his hands are getting better too, outstriking the Casablancan kickboxer Aymane Benhayoune at UAEW 52 in his Warriors debut, to show a developing fluidity in his standup in a style reminiscent of his compatriot heroes, Amir Albazi and Ali Taleb. He battles Cairo’s Muay Thai specialist, Mohamed ‘The Doctor’ Eldeeb, who though having a sprinkle of submission wins on his record is an exciting kickboxer recently coming-off a stunning first-round headkick KO in Sheikh Zayed City. But at such a young age, an undefeated record and the broadest of skillsets, Saleh, like several other Iraqi fighters on the roster like Amir Alipour, is part of a growing wave of MMA talent beginning to flow out of Mesopotamia crashing upon Emirati shores, which will start sending shockwaves far beyond the region.
Ilias Bulaid, Morocco 7-1
Bulaid’s undefeated MMA streak includes three bouts in Bellator and one in Brave which consist of several first-round stoppages, courtesy of his electrifying Dutch-style kickboxing, a quality which garnered him another first-round finish by knees at his UAE Warriors debut in ‘23. It was at that event where he stole the show at the fight-week press conference, exuding attitude and being hot on the mic in the style of a brash and confident prizefighter which the press lapped up. In fact, it was that very same year that despite being sharper than ever, ‘The Blade’ refused to be blunted after a knee injury nixed his UFC debut, and everyone who has been lucky enough to watch him fight, would heartily wish that invite to Las Vegas be extended once more on pure merit. Because all of his finishes have been knockouts, none have been submissions, and the lad is pure box office inside and outside the Octagon. He faces another undefeated Iraqi prospect from Sulaymaniyah, Rebin Fazil from the Qaradax Panthers team who have been struggling to find bouts for him, whilst acknowledging their man is coming into this bout as a massive underdog. Having only turned professional over a year ago, whilst his opponents kickboxing career started nine years prior, ‘The Captain’ has finished all of his bouts on the canvas with heavy-hipped top control and devastating ground and pound. In this classic wrestler versus striker matchup it is perhaps Bulaid that has the most to lose, but that is not something he has done since a kickboxing bout nine years ago. And shows no sign of doing so anytime soon.
Abdulla Al Bousheiri, Kuwait 12-5
Talking about returns of beloved Warriors vets, Bousheiri is coming-off a razor-thin, some might say fortunate judge’s decision against OJ Mandt Johnsen last October, which was still a significant win in that it was his 17th pro fight without being submitted. It was also important in that the Kuwaiti firefighting hero continues to build confidence following his knockout loss to current PFL Champ Omar El Dafrawy at UAE Warriors 47, and coming-up short in his title fight against another PFL athlete, Badreddine Diani the year before. With six victories in our Octagon out of which four were first-round taps, he’s still determined to literally beat a path back to the elusive welterweight gold because despite his wrestling prowess, he actually wins most of his bouts with his kickboxing. His opponent, Anicet Kanyeba is very similar in that regard, having had his first EFC fight in 2013, turning pro just three years before Bousheiri. Despite his slippery wrestling and fast scrambles, he’s a superb, wily boxer who has dispatched a plethora of quality fighters to the sandman, and tellingly has also faced a lot of specialist wrestlers whose submissions he successfully evaded and beat. Regarded as a veteran vanguard member of fighters from Central Africa competing in the South in the nascent years of MMA on the continent, he’s enjoyed a long and storied career having trained with pretty much every camp that ever existed in Johannesburg. Yes, a massive obstacle to the promotional fan-favourite in his 12th Warriors bout, but without doubt creating a fight of the night candidate of the evening.
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With the collective talent of eight Arab nation’s best fighters competing in the region’s first and foremost combat sports phenomenon on the 12th of June, the world will be watching intently for emerging future UFC champions. As UAE Warriors provides a unique incubatory platform of Arabian excellence that continues to place Abu Dhabi, the ultimate proving ground of human endeavour, into the very heart of global sporting history!
