Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The Middle East’s best mixed martial arts promotion is primed to detonate in Abu Dhabi tomorrow night after all athletes competing at UAE Warriors 59: Arabia vs Africa on the 12th of June weighed-in and appeared alongside those at UAE Warriors 60: Nunes vs Abubaker on Friday the 13th at the official fight week press conference.

As the world’s press gathered at the spectacular IHC Building to grill the co-main and main eventers from both fight nights, the CEO of Palms Sports and GM of UAE Warriors, Fouad Darwish welcomed teams from across the globe to the heart of Abu Dhabi. The face-offs between Brazil’s Victor ‘Sombra’ Nunes (11-5) and Somalia’s Muhidin Abubaker (9-1) were respectful yet brooding as both foes pointed to the sky as if already claiming the right to the interim flyweight belt which is up for grabs in Friday’s main event. The headlining competitors for the preceding evening which showcases the best talent from Arabia and Africa were also on stage as outstanding Palestinian submission specialist Abdul Hussein (12-2) and Marseille’s Algerian leg-locker Sami Yahia (13-5) both promised swift conclusions to their mouthwatering clash. 

They successfully made weight but for the evening’s co-main event, French-based Algerian, Islem Masraf (3-1) agreed to accept a purse-fine from his opponent, Diego Bandu (5-2) who was over the middleweight limit. UFC vets Vinicius Moriera (14-8) and Tanner Boser (21-10-1) got their first look at one another with the latter in particular praising the promotion as one of the world’s best based on his fight week experience in the capital of capitals. 

There was a notable moment of tension when a media member asked former UFC Ultimate Fighter contender Omran Chaaban (7-1)  and his Congolese opponent, Gunther Kalunda Ngunza (8-5) to re-enact their face-off, but the fighters had to be separated by staff as their war of words looked like escalating into action.

The event was also notable as Fouad Darwish announced that Arabia Featherweight Champion from Jordan, Ali AlQaisi (16-8) would be appearing next month at UAE Warriors 61 on the 23rd of July as fight fans can expect another double-header to come their way with UAE Warriors 62 being on the 24th of July with several title fights being promised. 

The full fight cards are:

UAE Warriors 59: Arabia vs Africa

Catchweight 63kg Mahmoud El Raouf (5-2) vs Lewis Mataya (1-1)

Bantamweight Lisa Zimmo (2-0) vs Chaymae Boudik (1-0)

Welterweight Elie Farah (3-3) vs Fahad Eltahawy (4-2)

Catchweight 59kg Flobater Fares (0-0) vs Hafid Bendari (1-0)

Catchweight 71kg Abood AlQaisi (1-1) vs Ahmed Mando (1-0)

Featherweight Amer El Shanshory (10-11) vs Ananias Mulamba (8-2) 

Middleweight Zaman Ismail (3-1) vs Mohamed Eldeeb (3-1)

Middleweight Khaled Laallam (6-0) vs Siyakudumiso Nomvemve (4-1)

Featherweight Rebin Fazil (4-0) vs Ilias Bulaid (7-0)

Welterweight Omran Chaaban (7-1) vs Gunther Kulunda Ngunza (8-5)

Welterweight Abdullah Bousheiri (12-5) vs Cole Henning (5-6)

Middleweight Islem Masraf (3-1) vs Diego Bandu (5-2)

Bantamweight Abdul Hussein (12-2) vs Sami Yahia (13-5)

UAE Warriors 60: Nunes vs Abubaker

Bantamweight Faris Asha (4-0) vs Ruel Pañales (3-2)

Bantamweight Murad Ibragimov (4-0) vs Sukhrobbek Atazhanov (7-2)

Middleweight Rafik-bek Omarov (0-0) vs Feng Senwei (0-0)

Strawweight Michele Oliveira (4-1) vs Zulfiya Kurbashova (3-2)

Light Heavyweight Magomed Tuchalov (2-0) vs Tursunbek Sodikov (1-1)

Middleweight Romero Cotton (6-2) vs Marcos Santana (6-0)

Catchweight 74kg Yazeed Hasanain (3-2) vs Hossein Khorsandi (4-0)

Bantamweight Shikhikhlas Dzhamalov (6-0) vs Gamlet Aslanov (6-0)

Catchweight 75kg Martun Mezhlumyan (14-3) vs Italo Gomes (13-5)

Catchweight 74kg Piotr Niedzielski (20-7) vs Vladislav Rudnev (10-0)

Heavyweight Vinicius Moreira (14-8) vs Tanner Boser (21-10)

Interim Flyweight Title Victor Nunes (11-5) vs Muhidin Abubaker (9-1)

UAE Warriors 59 and 60 are proudly presented by Palms Sports and take place on the 12th and 13th of June, live on UFC Fight Pass from the Space 42 Arena at 7pm Abu Dhabi time (11am ET 8am PT) in the UAE.