Fahad Al-Hammadi strikes gold as UAE maintain winning streak at IMMAF Youth World Championships

ABU DHABI: The UAE mixed martial arts national team continued its winning streak at the IMMAF Youth World Championships after securing a gold medal on Friday, bringing its overall tally to 12.

The host nation has now won four gold, four silver and four bronze medals. The competitions for the Youth A, 16-17 years old, took place at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, where Fahad Al-Hammadi defeated Italy’s Damiano Grillo to secure first place in the 70.3 kg division.

“I extend my gratitude to everyone who supported us, especially the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation,” Al-Hammadi said. “The journey toward this tournament victory involved extensive preparations to deliver our best performance, and thankfully, the hard work has paid off, and our team is achieving remarkable results. Thank you all for the unwavering support and belief in us.”

The championship, organized by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, is set to conclude on Saturday.

Mohammed Al-Hosani, a member of the MMA committee of the federation, praised the the Emirati athletes for their performances and attributed them to the support and guidance of the country’s leadership, as well as the efforts of the federation.

“The evaluation and selection process for the UAE national team players spanned a full year between the third and fourth editions of the IMMAF Youth World Championships,” he said.

“During this time, five MMA local tournaments were organized, with one of the primary goals being evaluation and selection. Subsequently, a rigorous preparation and a preparatory training camp was conducted for a month prior to the championship to enhance the players’