Emirati MMA fighter Mohammad Yahya is plotting a compelling encounter with television personality and fellow Bellator star Aaron Chalmers in Dubai.
The 24-year-old created history for the UAE two years ago when he signed a four-fight contract with Bellator to become the first Emirati to join an international MMA promotion.
Yahya, who fights out of TK MMA Gym based in Dubai, made his debut late in 2017 and secured an emphatic first-round finish of Ash Griffiths.
However, after entering the bout with a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury, the high of victory was followed by the low of surgery.
Out of action for 15 months, Yahya makes his long-awaited return to the Bellator cage on Saturday May 4 to face Gavin Hughes in the 155lbs division at Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs. Wilde live on the Bellator app.
And Yahya is ready to create some noise through his fists having been called out by Chalmers, star of the MTV hit show Geordie Shore, last summer.
Mohammad Yahya let’s go next 💪🏽🥊 https://t.co/w5zmAvPdP6
— Aaron Chalmers (@AaronCGShore) June 9, 2018
“I haven’t seen the call-out on Twitter but I hope he did because that’s one guy I would really like to fight,” Yahya told Sport360.
“Hopefully after this one we can get that done. Maybe we could do it in Dubai? That would be a great fight for Bellator to bring a card to the UAE and have a big fight here.
“I see him as the perfect opponent for that.
“I believe I can beat him in every aspect, so I hope he is calling me out and after this fight, let’s get that done me versus Aaron Chalmers in Dubai.”
The call-out emerged after Chalmers secured a victory of his own over Yahya’s debut opponent Griffiths, via first-round Guillotine Choke.
And despite the Briton fighting at welterweight, a division above the Emirati’s lightweight limit, Yahya is determined to get the bout made providing he comes through against Liverpool’s Hughes.
“It’s a fight which makes sense, though. My team wants me to fight him,” he explained.
“I think he fights in the division above me so maybe I would have to come up to 170lbs or maybe it could be catchweight. It doesn’t matter, any weight I’ll fight him.”
First, though, Yahya, who will make his seventh professional outing, must navigate a very tricky encounter with Hughes on May 4.
The British fighter is competing for the first time since being knocked out by Martin van Staden last March and will be making his debut for Bellator.
It was Hughes’ first loss having gathered a record of nine wins but Yahya is in confident mood as he enters the bout free of injury.
“In my last fight, there’s not a massive amount you can tell about my style,” he said.
“I was 50 percent, I literally went into it with a torn ACL and I still made the fight look easy.
“Naturally with the injury I showed some weaknesses in my game but I need to get back in the mix after my big recovery, I need a couple of fights under my belt.
Mohammad Yahya (Credit: Bellator MMA)
“Hopefully this fight goes well and I get the win, but I don’t know if anything has been discussed but obviously there are plans for Bellator to come to Dubai one day.
“That would be amazing for me because it would open up so many doors, but it would also be amazing for Bellator to get coverage in the Middle East.
“They love combat sports in Dubai and in the UAE so it’s a good place to do an event.”
Watch Mohammad Yahya in action against Gavin Hughes at Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs. Wilde live on the Bellator app on Saturday, May 4.
