Global UFC Superstars Meet Local Mixed Martial Artists At Abu Dhabi Combat Club

Stars of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) organisation were special guests of the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) this week as part of their visit to the city to promote UFC 112 which will take place here in April. Among the fighters were UFC lightweight champion BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn, challenger Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar, middleweight champion Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva and middleweight title challenger Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort.

Also at the ADCC was mixed martial arts pioneer, Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend and regular visitor to Abu Dhabi, Renzo Gracie, who will be making his UFC debut in Abu Dhabi in April. The fighters took time to meet members of the club, answer their questions and help with a coaching session.

UFC will make history on 10 April in Abu Dhabi as the world’s greatest indoor sporting event goes outdoors at the Concert Arena, Ferrari World, Yas Island. The fighters visited the site of UFC 112 this week.

Topped by a double main event, two UFC world titles will be on the line at UFC 112. First, UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn puts his belt on the line against No.1 contender Frankie Edgar. Then UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva defends his crown against fellow Brazilian striker, Vitor Belfort. As well as two fascinating UFC title clashes, the UFC’s first venture into the Middle East region will also showcase an intriguing battle of legends as UFC icon Matt Hughes locks horns with Renzo Gracie at welterweight.

John Lickrish, Managing Director of Flash Entertainment, the event management company that is working in partnership with the UFC, comments:

“One of our goals in bringing UFC to Abu Dhabi is to develop mixed martial arts here and increase the number of students and coaches. We were really pleased that the UFC fighters were able to take time out to visit the Abu Dhabi Combat Club on this visit and meet many of their biggest fans in the region.”

Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC’s Managing Director of International Expansion, said:
“One of the reasons that our sport has such a great existing fan base in the region is because of the world-famous Abu Dhabi Combat Club. It was a pleasure and an honour to visit them and see their wonderful instructors and students.”

Abu Dhabi has a great love and passion for mixed martial arts. The Abu Dhabi Combat Club was the creation of Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who became a fan of mixed martial arts after watching the first UFC is the US back in 1993. Today the club has world-class instructors teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Judo, Wrestling among others. April this year will also see the second World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup to be hosted in Abu Dhabi.

Ticket details and further event information for UFC 112 will be available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, more information can be found at www.UFC.com.
 

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