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29 March 2024

UAE's MMA star Al Darmaki vows revenge in Abu Dhabi Warriors 4 [video]

UAE's Ahmad Al Darmaki makaing a grand entrance during Abu Dhabi Warriors 3 in October 15. (Supplied)

Published
By Allaam Ousman

UAE's only professional MMA fighter Ahmad Al Darmaki is ready to whip up a 'Desert Storm' in what is billed as a revenge clash against Ukrainian Artiyom Gorodynets in Abu Dhabi.

It will be a do-or-die battle for the Emirati who will be featuring in a 10-fight card when the Middle East's premier MMA Fighting Championship ‘Abu Dhabi Warriors’ returns to the UAE capital on May 24.

A collaboration with the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation, Abu Dhabi Warriors 4 takes place at the IPIC Arena in Zayed Sports City.

Al Darmaki (0-3) is quietly confident of avenging his loss to Gorodynets (2-3), who won by an armbar submission at the Abu Dhabi Warriors 3 in October.

“I am proud to be the only Emirati fighter at the event. I wear the colours of my country proudly and I will give the Emiratis a victory on May 24th," promised Al Darmaki, 27, who has been training under Moroccan coach Anas Siraj at Fit Republik in Dubai.

“My training has been going great. I'm not just confident. I feel I'm destined to win since I will be fighting in front of my fans in my home country,” Al Darmaki reiterated in an exclusive interview with Emirates 24|7.

A battle-seasoned soldier, Al Darmaki shrugged off the weight of expectations by displaying a steely determination to bring glory in the ring for UAE.

“Even meeting one of the greatest fighters is not worth giving yourself stress. I'm relaxed and telling myself don't be scared because you lead just one life,” said Al Darmaki who served in the UAE army for six years before becoming a full-time MMA fighter.

Abu Dhabi-based Al Darmaki wants to become a role model so other Emiratis will follow him into the sport.

“I want to prove there is an Emirati (MMA) fighter in this country so I can build up something,” said Al Darmaki who engaged in athletics as a sprinter before becoming a MMA fighter.

“I am looking for my revenge against Artiyom. I lost against him last time, but it will be different this time around. I cannot wait to get back in the ring and show all the fans what I am all about,” said Al Darmaki whose role model is former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

The event will be broadcast live on Abu Dhabi Sports TV in the UAE and MENA region, and streamed live worldwide on www.abudhabi-warriors.com.

“We laid the foundations last year, now it’s time to build on it,” said Lubomir Guedjev, managing director of Abu Dhabi Warriors.

“We are proud to have finalised the official calendar for 2016. We are scheduled for two events in Abu Dhabi, (May 24 and November) as well as four events from the series ‘Road to Abu Dhabi’.”

The heavyweight showdown of the evening will be between American heavyweight knockout artist Paul ‘Headhunter’ Buentello (34-16, 21 KOs), who knocked out his previous opponent (Rameau Sokoudjou) at Abu Dhabi Warriors 3 event in October 2015, and French master technician Moise Rimbon (22-10, 8 KOs).

“We all have the warrior spirit in us, we just need to harness it and believe. That’s what I am going to do again at the Abu Dhabi Warriors 4. I am excited and cannot wait to be back in Abu Dhabi. It is an honor to fight again in Abu Dhabi and I guarantee an outstanding performance for the fans,” said Buentello.

In the co-headline bout, Russian Alexander Sarnavskiy (32-4-18 submissions) returns after a hard fought battle at Abu Dhabi Warriors 3.

The winners of the ‘Road To Abu Dhabi’ events (Russia and Thailand) will also feature at the Abu Dhabi Warriors 4 fight card.

Tahar Hadbi (11-6, 6 KOs) of Algeria/France who defeated Rustam Bogatirev at the ‘Road To Abu Dhabi’ event in Russia (12 Dec, 2015) will face the tricky Yoichiro Sato (17-6, 2 KOs) of Japan, who defeated Carlos Moyano.

Diego Gonzalez (18-11, 11 submissions) of Sweden who defeated Nayeb Hezam at the ‘Road To Abu Dhabi’ event in Thailand (22 Aug, 2015) will face off against the Colombian Carlos Moyano (5-3, 3 KOs).

The card also features a list of top established veterans and up and coming hungry fighters of the fight game like; Jason Santana (2-0), Pavel Gordeev (2-0), Ivan Pitbull (23-13), Antonio Paulo Branjao (4-0) and Andreas Michailidis (6-2).