The organisers behind this week’s Abu Dhabi Warriors MMA event insist that having cageless rings will not detract from the excitement of their bouts and that big crowds can be attracted in the UAE.
The second edition of Abu Dhabi Warriors takes place on Thursday at the IPIC Arena after a three-year hiatus, with 20 fighters from around the world facing off in 10 fights.
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– VIDEO: Brett Rogers v Derrick Mehmen Preview – Abu Dhabi Warriors
Backed by UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the fights will be set in rings without cages and Lubomir Guedjev, the managing director the event, believes that not having the metal barriers will still present the MMA in an entertaining way in the Emirates.
“From our perspective, martial arts started way back, in the 1950s to be more specific. So the cage changes the face of the game completely,” said Guedjev.
“Not having a cage allows fighters to the freedom to run around the ring and chase each other. It has also a little bit of an aggressive approach. This means MMA is displayed in an original way.”
Grant Waterman, head referee in the UFC, touched on the rules and regulations of the fights, stressing that although they are similar to those in global MMA, a couple of major differences exist.
“There are no head shots allowed on the ring, unless the fighter who received the hit moved his head on the way of the punch or kick, while points will also be deducted if a fighter stomps his opponent with his feet,” said Waterman.
“We have a rule set here that is designed to maximise safety for the fighters, and yet we still have the highest levels of entertainment, so we have got the ideal balance between the fighter’s safety and spectator’s experience.”
Brett Rogers faces Derrick Mehmen in the main event of Abu Dhabi Warriors, with the latter fighter drafted in after an injury to Alexei Kudin.
The fighters are ready for some intense showdowns in Abu Dhabi Warriors on Thursday night! https://t.co/NaGmmrCKbP
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“He (Mehmen) has taken Alexei’s place and that tells me that he is a good fighter,” said Rogers. “I guess his fighting style is so similar to mine so I can’t wait to pick him apart and to see how his fighting style really is.
“I am 34 years old, and the way I see it I have been getting better by the game, so knocking him out will be special to me, and especially for the fans watching.”
Mehmen, meanwhile, is was unconcerned with being a late addition to the roster, saying: “I bring the fight every time. If you watch my last seven fights it is do-or-die and I consider myself to be an exciting fighter.”
Tickets for the event are available at Virgin Megastores across the UAE. For more information, visit www.abudhabi-warriors.com or www.facebook.com/ADWarriors.
