Abu Dhabi (Etihad)
The inaugural session of the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC 1), hosted by Mubadala Arena in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, succeeded in achieving remarkable success amidst a large audience turnout and distinguished participation from the world’s elite jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts players.
The innovative and unique tournament was able to bring about a qualitative shift in the global combat sports scene, and won the praise of many prominent athletes, as it included fights in Jiu-Jitsu and grappling within an octagonal cage, unlike traditional fights on the mat.
This inaugural tournament represents just the beginning, as International Vision Sports Management (IVSM), the organizer of the event, intends to launch a global tour and organize the tournament in a number of the most prominent cities in the world over the next two years, and the winner of the tournament will be crowned in each season according to the final total of Points earned, as “Abu Dhabi Extreme” guarantees its fans the opportunity to enjoy watching exciting fights and strong competitions throughout its awaited tour.
The main event of the fights without a suit during the tournament witnessed the participation of Brazilian Neiman Gracie, descended from the famous Gracie family in the field of combat sports, where he achieved a landslide victory over American Ben Henderson, the former champion of the UFC and WEC competitions.
Gracie said: “I am pleased to have this unique experience and participate in this unique tournament, which I expect will gain a leading position in the world of grappling, and I look forward to returning and fighting the fights within the framework of the upcoming tournaments.”
Gracie also highlighted the commonalities between Abu Dhabi Extreme and mixed martial arts, and stressed that his extensive experience in various tournaments gave him the ability to take advantage of the cage to knock down his opponent.
In turn, Ben Henderson said: “The presence of the cage contributed to making the task of knocking down the opponent more difficult, unlike fights held on the mat, especially with the short round time, which added more suspense to the fights.”
Tariq Suleiman, the famous Arab athlete in the field of mixed martial arts, pointed to the uniqueness of the tournament among its counterparts and its introduction of a new concept, as he said: “Abu Dhabi Extreme is unique in its experience and distinctive atmosphere, and I am pleased with this opportunity to develop my career in mixed martial arts, challenge myself, and participate in grappling tournaments. Which has always been my true passion and I practiced it for 15 years and held my black belt for three years, and I also used it to resolve many of my fights by submission.”
The tournament recorded a fierce competition with the start of the fight between the Palestinian Abdul Karim Al-Selwadi and the Egyptian Islam Nader Reda, who showed exceptional skills, so Al-Selwadi achieved victory by the referees’ decision, as he said: “The tournament was distinguished at all levels, even though it was still in its first session, but the organizing bodies I succeeded in achieving the highest standards, and I am always pleased to be part of the activities of this tournament.”
Al-Selwadi added: “Abu Dhabi Extreme has redefined combat sports tournaments, especially with the launch of its anticipated global tour, ensuring that it continues to organize exciting and innovative fights. The tournament succeeded in blending Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts and gained the admiration of audiences around the world, which heralds bright prospects awaiting the tournament in the future.”
Fabricio Andre succeeded in achieving a strong victory over his opponent, Marcio Andre, in an exciting match that ignited the stands with cheers. Andre expressed his happiness that the fight was decided in his favor, and said: “I believe that Abu Dhabi Extreme will change the features of combat sports tournaments. It is an innovative event characterized by an enthusiastic atmosphere and a strong audience presence.”
#Abu #Dhabi #Extreme.. #qualitative #leap #world #combat #games