Hassan al Rumaithi feels he is carrying the future of his sport in this country on his muscular shoulders.
The first Emirati professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter takes centre stage tonight at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship (ADFC) as he goes fist-to-fist with the 32-year-old Italian Massimiliano Pecchia.
Al Rumaithi is 26 and this will be only his third MMA fight – “the first big one”, he says – and while he has spent two months training twice a day, he admits to being as nervous as he is excited. “This is my first big competition and I feel a lot of pressure, yes, because I am the only local fighter and it is taking place in Abu Dhabi,” he says.
“A lot of young guys will be watching me, wanting me to win, so they can begin training too.”
MMA visibility has expanded locally of late, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 112: Invincible event in March having provided the Middle East’s first live taste of the sport. Some 11,000 people watched the bouts at a purpose-built arena at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. It was also beamed to millions of homes around the world. .
With a strong interest in the Emirates in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, it is little surprise that MMA, which combines stand-up fighting techniques with wrestling, jiu-jitsu and judo, is becoming popular among Emiratis.
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100514/NATIONAL/705139878/1139
.jpg)
