Latest news with #UAEWarriors61
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Dana, call me!': Omran Chaaban ready for UFC after 46-second TKO win at UAE Warriors 61
ABU DHABI – Omran Chaaban is UFC ready. Chaaban (9-1) has won three-straight fights since appearing on Season 32 of "The Ultimate Fighter," needing just 46 seconds to take out Wellington Madeira (7-2) with brutal calf kicks at UAE Warriors 61 on Wednesday. As he celebrated his quick finish, Chaaban put up the phone sign, sending a message to Dana White and the UFC matchmakers. "Uncle Dana, Sean Shelby, where you guys at?," Chaaban told MMA Junkie. "Mick Maynard, call me. I'm in Abu Dhabi, I'm 24 years old, I've fought very high-level guys. I'm from Finland, we don't have any UFC fighters. I'm from Lebanon, I don't think we have any Lebanese – a couple of Lebanese fighters maybe? Or one. So yeah, you guys need someone from Finland and from Lebanon so, I'm here. I'm young, welterweight." Chaaban is back to his natural weight class after taking part in "TUF 32" as a middleweight. In his first fight, he upset current LFA champion Shamidkhan Magomedov by submitting him, but then lost a unanimous decision to the eventual season winner Ryan Loder. The 24-year-old is confident he's ready to make the UFC leap, and is even willing to fill in for a short-notice fight. "Of course I would," Chaaban said. "My aim is to become the best welterweight and even my coach believes that. So, that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking to be the best, and UFC is the best promotion in the world, we all know it. And yeah, uncle Dana, call me!" Only one Arab fighter competes on Saturday's return card to the Middle East in Abu Dhabi, when UAE's own Mohammed Yahya meets Steven Nguyen in a lightweight bout on the UFC on ABC 9 prelims. Chaaban thinks there's an opening for him to debut in the promotion's first card in Qatar on Nov. 22. "They're coming to Qatar so that's perfect for me," Chaaban said. "I'm the UAE Warriors welterweight champion, I'm Lebanese, Arab. I think there's loads of Lebanese people everywhere or Arabs – we are everywhere so, yeah, that would be great to fight in the Middle East. And they're coming to Paris as well. They're doing lots with Saudi, here (UAE), Qatar so, it fits perfectly." Chaaban left a final message to the UFC brass. "Dana White, I'm 24 years old, I'm Finnish-Lebanese, I finish people," Chaaban said. "I've finished everyone in my welterweight fights. Call me brother, call me."
Morocco World
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Bulaid Impresses with First-Round Submission Win at UAE Warriors
Moroccan MMA fighter Ilias Bulaid secured a first-round submission victory over Eduard Demenko at UAE Warriors 61, marking the first submission win of his professional career. Nicknamed 'Blade', the 30-year-old is an Enfusion kickboxing champion and remains undefeated in MMA, with a professional record of eight wins and no losses. 'It was not my plan specifically to go for a submission, but I'm always prepared to react to situations,' he told Morocco World News in an exclusive interview. Looking ahead, Bulaid said his ambition is to join the UFC: 'Next plans, in sha Allah, are to sign with the UFC and represent Morocco there,' he said. 'I am a proud Moroccan, and it is a pleasure to represent all Moroccans worldwide… Another goal of mine is to move back to Morocco with my family, as I feel at home there.' He added, 'I want to fight anyone, anywhere, as long as it is in the UFC. I've been rejecting all big offers from major organisations because I want to be in the UFC.'
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC vets Ali AlQaisi, James Llontop featured in UAE Warriors doubleheader in Abu Dhabi
UAE Warriors will host a doubleheader later this month. UAE Warriors 61, which takes place July 23 at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi, will be headlined by Arabian featherweight champion and former UFC fighter Ali AlQaisi (16-8), who meets former EFC bantamweight champion Sylvester Chipfumbu (11-6) for the promotion's inaugural Intercontinental featherweight title. Also featured on the card is a matchup between Season 32 "Ultimate Fighter" alum and Arabian welterweight champion Omran Chaaban (8-1), who meets Brazil's Wellington Madeira (7-1). Plus, UFC and PFL veteran Ronny Markes (25-10) takes on ACB alum Kazbek Saidaliev (13-3). UAE Warriors 62, which takes place July 24 in the same venue, features a headliner between welterweight champion Khotam Boynazarov (10-0), who defends his title against DWCS graduate and UFC alum James Llontop (16-5). Former Eagle FC Champion Imam-Shapi Mukhtarov (11-1) meets Azerbaijan's Anvarbek Daniyalbekov (9-0), and team Khabib Nurmagomedov's Ullubiy Amirzhanov (4-0) takes on submission specialist Ravshan Boymirzoev (5-0).
