AD’S combat sports history spans 25 years, from jiu-jitsu to UFC, and future is promising
As fight fans worldwide now know, Abu Dhabi will be hosting UFC 280: OLIVEIRA vs MAKHACHEV on October 22.
The hotly anticipated fight night includes two title bouts and doubles up as the headline event of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week (ADSW) 2022, which runs from October 17-23.
The week-long festival of mixed martial arts and lifestyle events is the fourth edition of ADSW since the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced its ground-breaking five-year partnership with UFC to bring high-profile fights to the UAE capital.
The UFC’S return to Etihad Arena underlines the city’s burgeoning role on the global combat sports calendar.
UFC President Dana White has referred to the UAE capital as the “international home of UFC” and with a range of events across a variety of sports – from jiu-jitsu and championship boxing to Muay Thai and judo – the emirate’s reputation is growing globally. Yet for those in the region, combat sports have already been popular in Abu Dhabi for more than a quarter of a century.
Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor of the UAE, was studying in California in 1998, when he watched Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Royce Gracie dominate some of the earliest UFC events.
Inspired to train jiu-jitsu, Sheikh Tahnoon returned to the Emirates with intent on spreading the word, and set in motion plans to create the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Championship (ADCC).
Since then, jiu-jitsu in the Emirates has evolved to become the country’s national sport with a host of national, regional, and international events being held in the country. With the support of the country’s leadership and the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), jiu-jitsu has also become an integral part of the schools and national service curriculum.
In 2009, the UAEJJF hosted its first Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC), atracting participation from athletes worldwide. Emirati Faisal Al Ketbi won a gold medal in front of His Highness Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then-crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, signalling the start of an even greater investment in the sport. More than 200,000 Emiratis of all ages and skill levels now actively participate.
Abu Dhabi has continuously rolled out its mats, hosting events such as the Jiu-jitsu World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the ADWPJJC, where various Emirati male and female champions have successfully represented their country and won various medals. Multiple domesticchampionshipsandtrainingprogrammes have also contributed to this growth.
While jiu-jitsu is undoubtedly the instigator for combat sports growth in the UAE, Muay Thai and kickboxing have also both seen tremendous growth in Abu Dhabi in recent years. The UAE Muay Thai & Kickboxing Federation, which was founded in May 2017 and serves as the sports’ official governing body in the country, has made significant strides towards growing both strikebased sports and bringing their pillars together