News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – The Etihad Arena is set to witness a surge of Arab pride this Saturday as Egyptian heavyweight Hamdy Abdelwahab and Palestinian lightweight Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady take centre stage at UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane. The two regional stars promise to bring passion, power, and purpose to the octagon — in what is shaping up to be a landmark night for Middle Eastern mixed martial arts.
For Abdelwahab, Egypt’s first-ever UFC fighter and a former Olympic wrestler, competing in the UAE capital carries deep personal meaning. The Cairo-born athlete, who represented Egypt at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, faces American Chris Barnett in a high-stakes heavyweight clash.
“It feels great because it feels like I’m home, fighting in my hometown,” Abdelwahab told ahead of the fight week. “I’m from Egypt, born and raised there, so being in Abu Dhabi is special. I told the Arab fans that I need their support — I want everyone to be there and I hope I don’t disappoint them.”
With a laser focus on victory, Abdelwahab says the game plan is straightforward: finish the fight. “It doesn’t matter what it’s going to take,” he added. “It’s going to be his luck – whatever it comes out as – but we’re looking to finish this fight.”
The Egyptian fighter also lauded Abu Dhabi’s growing stature as a global hub for combat sports. “Abu Dhabi started growing in the sport and in organising events, especially across the Middle East,” he said. “I can rank Abu Dhabi as No.1 — the home of martial arts. Any event hosted here becomes one of the most successful.”
Meanwhile, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, known as The Pride of Palestine, is set for his long-awaited return to competition. The 29-year-old will meet Brazilian Matheus Camilo in a lightweight bout that marks his first appearance in over a year.
“Ever since my last fight, I’ve just been keeping my head down, training, and getting better,” Al-Selwady said. “I believe this is all part of God’s timing — and right now is my time.”
For the Palestinian, fighting in Abu Dhabi is a full-circle moment. “It brings me back to when I started MMA in the Middle East,” he said. “Seeing people who followed me from 10 years ago, eight years ago, all excited to come watch me again — that’s an amazing feeling.”
Having begun his professional journey in 2012, Al-Selwady has witnessed first-hand the sport’s transformation in the region. “Back then, Jordan was the capital of MMA. Seeing Abu Dhabi adopt MMA and really take over through the years is beautiful. We’ve grown together,” he said.
He also believes that the healthy rivalry among Arab nations has fuelled MMA’s regional success. “It’s a healthy competition between Arab countries to see who can host the biggest events — and in the end, it’s the fighters who gain the most,” he added.
From Cairo to Amman to Abu Dhabi, the journeys of Abdelwahab and Al-Selwady reflect the Middle East’s rising influence in global mixed martial arts. As the octagon lights up on Saturday night, all eyes — and cheers — inside the Etihad Arena will be on these two Arab warriors carrying the region’s fighting spirit to the world stage.
