June 1, 2011

Abu Dhabi

By: ADFC

 Ali Mohammed Ahli may have cried after winning his first two fights, but that is no reason to underestimate his tough spirit. Rather, his tears demonstrate his undying passion for the fight and indicate his bright future as a mixed martial artist. Combining techniques of Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other forms of wrestling, MMA is a rapidly growing combat sport not only in the UAE, but in the world, and is being widely promoted by AFDC, an event that has successfully created a platform for local and regional fighters such as Ali Ahli to showcase their talent. After remaining undefeated in his short but eventful fighting career, Ahli is now signing with ADFC in hopes of promoting himself as an international MMA fighter. Ali will be the first fighter the promotion signs since its conception in 2010.

The youngest professional fighter in the Middle East at the mere age of twenty, Ali Ahli debuted his career at the second round of ADFC on October 22, 2010, fighting against Luciano Ferreira of Brazil. For those who attended the fight, echoes of Ahliʼs name cheered by his faithful fans can still be heard, supporting their hometown favorite. After three rounds of brutal leg kicks by Ahli and constant takedowns by Ferreira, Ahli gratefully walked away with victory from a split decision by the judges. The young fighter went on to win another match against deadly Russian native Malik Omarov in May of 2010, allowing him to steal the spotlight in the UAE MMA world.Having been trained for a short three months in MMA under the instruction of his Californian coach, MJ, at the time of his first fight, the UAE is expecting big things from their native fighter, who is currently planning to compete in Thailand under the sponsorship of ADFC.

Ali Ahli may boast that he is the best fighter in the UAE, yet he acknowledges that he is still an underdog in the world of MMA and has a long way to go, which is why i see Entertainment and Events, the creator and promotor of ADFC, has decided to sign him as its first fighter. Focused on educating the region about what MMA is all about, ADFC gives priority to local Emirati fighters and aims to promote them as well as the full combat sport. Ahli states that it has always been his dream to represent his country, which he is now able to do with ADFCʼs sponsorship. Randall Yogachandra, the Chief Operating Officer for ADFC, stated that, “Ali represents a great start to the building of a regionally based talent bank that weʼre sure will develop to rival some of the top talents abroad.”

After three rounds organized by ADFC,  the sport of MMA is becoming increasingly popular in the UAE and has now given Ali Ahli the tools that he needs for success. Ever since he first watched UFC on television, Ahli has stopped at nothing to fulfill his dream, and our expectations for his future are set very high.