Georges Eid 10-6 vs Mohamed El Jaghdal 10-10
It’s a dream come true for Eid, a respected figure in Lebanese MMA to headline in his home country. A Desert Force vet who put on a great fight against Mohammad Fakhreddine eleven years ago, Georges reminded everyone of his finishing potential with his first-round KO of Reguigui in PFL last year. Despite going 2-2 in the Mena format, ‘The Lebanese Bulldozer’ is still at the top of his game with a good scramble and submission defence, having only tapped once in his entire career. Willing to trade, he has plenty of first-round knockouts and with the fact that he’s fighting in his homeland for the first time in over four years, you can expect Eid to put on a show of note.
El Jaghdal has amassed more pro fights than Eid in half the time and competed twice at UAE Warriors in 2022. With us, he lost to quality opponents including Yahya’s first title defence, which saw El Jaghdal tapping way deep in the fifth after a competitive war in which he impressively pushed Yahya hard. A Moroccan kickboxer based in Catalonia with a few first-round submissions, he’s only been finished once in three years and pressures his opponent onto the back foot from the first bell. Even though he’s good at slipping the counters, it’s his submission defence that often provides opponents with opportunities.
An electrifying matchup between two experienced athletes who always hunt early for the finish and relish a good dance partner on the feet. Should be fireworks.
Shadi Kabbani 3-0 vs Ali Tabaja 2-1
Like Georges St Pierre, Kabbani got into MMA after a successful gymnastic career and has become a huge social media star in Lebanon with 2.6 million TikTok followers. Looked great when he negated the striking strengths of Walid Ait Tami at UAEW 43 to take the decision and remain undefeated. He has a Muay Thai and Sanda background with tight kickboxing and solid grappling. Based in Tristar, Lebanon which is where the GSP comparisons stop.
Tabaja is another TMT Beirut product with head coach Hassan Al-Bargawi, and has mostly competed in Muay Thai and Kickboxing, having made his pro MMA debut just three months ago.
With his ground game an unknown quantity, Tabaja has the speed and power in the standup but Kabbani has very few kickboxing weaknesses and a proven grappling ability.
Flobater Fares 2-0 vs Talha Derdiyok 4-1
Derdiyok is a problem on the feet but has competed on the AJP Tour, though he hasn’t fought since falling for Osmanli’s ninja choke last year – his first and only loss. Good from range with power and speedy distance coverage on a big overhand right, most of his wins come from his work on the ground but Talha certainly looks a handful when coming forward with combinations.
Fares predicted a second-round TKO for his last fight against Alex Asio in Al Ain but got it done earlier in first to go 2-0 as a pro. He had the perfect Warriors debut at UAE Warriors 59 putting on a clinic against Bendari during which he displayed a complete skillset. Training with Liam O’ Griffin at SBG Cork since he was 12, he enjoyed a stellar 24-fight amateur career in which he found success at a young age and won the IMMAF European title last year.
Two very talented strikers who are also very aggressive in their submission offence could quite possibly take Fight Of The Night.
Anthony ‘K9’ Zeidan 5-2 vs Ahmed Darwish 4-1
Zeidan has bags of international experience from his bouts at Brave and 971 but lost both of his shots at PFL Mena, most notably to eventual winner Omar El Dafrawy with whom he went the distance. His right hand gave Warriors vet Ayman Galal his first ever loss a few years ago but Anthony has struggled to maintain consistency since then. A freestyle wrestler who trains his jits with Said Khatib and Daniel Hilal he has never been submitted.
Darwish also lost his PFL Mena shot this year against another Warriors vet, Badr Diani, also going the distance, which snapped his four-fight win streak this past July. Zeidan is his first opponent since that loss, but Darwish is well-rounded and is coming-off a cracking first-round rear-naked win two months ago.
Both performed well at PFL Mena, and though Darwish is evidently hungry, it is Zeidan who is more experienced.
Abed Amir Hamoud 1-1 LEB vs Karar Rahim Ali 4-2
Hamoud went 1-1 in Desert Force’s junior promotion but will feed off his home crowd with his team from Tiger Muay Thai Beirut coming in squad deep.
Ali lost his only Warriors fight to Laallam two years ago which snapped a three-fight winning streak. A Kyokushin fighter from Baghdad where he trains under Raad Jameel, he has great top control from where he excels in ground and pound but also has a wide karate stance when he’s happy to keep it standing. Strong and well-built for a heavyweight.
Very different styles and careers with Hamoud a dark horse with the crowd behind him.
Elie Farah 3-4 vs Erfan Madadi 1-1
Farah is a combat coach in the Lebanese army and is the five-time national boxing champion training under Wissam Abi Nader at Tristar Gym Lebanon but it is Moe Fakhreddine who has mentored and guided his career to date. Still needs to improve his bottom game as he struggles to escape positions but has a fiery attitude and as you’d expect has speed and timing in his fists. Lost his Warriors debut at the Space 42 Arena a few months ago and will be looking to make amends in his home country.
Madadi is a Muay Thai fighter who has had plenty of international kickboxing experience, training out of Academy Elmoharkat in Tehran. He has already had three pro MMA bouts with mixed success after turning professional just 8 months ago. Happy to come forward and engage in striking, his ground remains an unknown quantity.
A treat if it stays on the feet but Farah will be under pressure to test his opponents ground game which is always a roll of the dice against new Iranians.
Imad Hamdo 0-0 vs Imad ‘The Spider’ El Azami 0-0
Very little on Hamdo.
El Azami is a coach at Gracie Barra in Pamplona and has a variety of Moroccan and Spanish amateur MMA accolades. Little information.
Two professional debuts.
Ilknur Kurt 1-2 vs Yeganeh Bulaghi 1-0
Kurt, whose name in Turkish means ‘Wolf’ is a European and National kickboxing champion who often compares herself to her favourite fighter, Valentina Shevchenko. Showed a lot of progress in her first and only Warriors bout despite losing to Mahmood by decision in Al Ain a few months ago. A very good Muay Thai fighter who was trained by her father, Kurt likes to control the cage very early and fire-off rangy combos but has been working on her ground furiously with her head coach, the renowned Turkish grappling trainer and BJJ Black Belt Egemen Baranok.
From Mazandaran Province, Bulgahi is based with The Caspian Tigers team in Tehran and had the perfect professional debut six months ago by sinking in a guillotine 30 seconds in the first round to prove she looks ready for the bright lights.
Huge step up for the relatively unknown Bulgahi taking on a Turkish striker keen on getting her first Warriors win.
Ali Zreik 2-1 SYR in LEB vs Fathy ‘Gawy’ Mahmoud 1-0 EGY
Zreik is based at Saida Academy on the Lebanese South Coast where he is coached by Desert Force vet, Mohamad Ghorabi. Having only turned pro 16 months ago, he took a superb underdog victory in his last fight in Jounieh with a first-round guillotine of the previously undefeated Jules Hakim. He lost an entertaining pro debut by decision to Kabbani who competes in our co-main event.
Mahmoud is a boxer with a BJJ blue belt and is a member of the Egyptian National Sambo Team. He made a massive splash on his pro debut just three months ago in Cairo with a sweet first-round triangle. His nickname ‘Gawy’ is Egyptian Arabic for ‘Strong’ and he is certainly an athletically-built lightweight.
Two big regional prospects at the early stages of their careers who have already proven a lot of finishing intent on the canvas.
Abed ‘Son of War’ Masharki 2-3 vs Magdy ‘Bad’ Tariq 3-0
Masharki is a Muay Thai striker, training with K1 and Muay Thai World Champion Youssef Abboud at Tiger Muay Thai in Beirut where his overall skillset is overseen by Hassan Bergawi. Originally from Aleppo in Syria, his best pro performance was a stunning headkick KO victory in Kurdistan four years ago in the CFL. Made his Warriors debut in a tough fight against Yazeed Hasanain at UAE Warriors 41 which he lost by a close split decision in a fun fight and certainly showed enough promise in that bout to earn a rebooking. With strong clinch work and good wrestling defence, Abed is a humble and confident fighter who is motivated to represent Syria on a big platform.
Tariq is an undefeated top-heavy Iraqi wrestler who co-main evented a recent Evo fight in Cairo and pulled-off an impressive second-round triangle choke. Good takedowns and guard-passing with good counter work on the feet is why he is currently undefeated. Admittedly at the beginning of his career, he is facing his most experienced opponent to date.
A classic clash of styles to kick-off the card with the relatively unknown Tariq looking to make a name off the locally based Syrian. Whoever has the broader skillset might be able to dictate where this fight goes.
