News DeskDubai, UAE – Team Nogueira Dubai emerged victorious at the QUINTET 5 team grappling event on Friday night, capping off a spectacular evening of combat sports at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.
In front of a raucous home crowd, the Dubai-based squad claimed the title in what marked the Japan-based QUINTET promotion’s first-ever event in the Middle East. The night featured four international teams led by combat sports icons Kazushi Sakuraba (Team Saku Japan), Renzo Gracie (Team Gracie), Bob Sapp (Team Bangtao Thailand), and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (Team Nogueira Dubai).
The unique team survival format saw five-man squads compete in elimination-style contests, where victory could only be achieved by submission. If no submission occurred within the round, both competitors were eliminated.
In the opening semifinal, Team Saku Japan edged out Team Renzo Gracie after captain Igor Tanabe delivered a heroic comeback. Entering as the team’s final fighter, Tanabe secured back-to-back submissions over Andre Luiz and Delson Henelo to overturn a 1–0 deficit and send his team into the final.
Team Nogueira Dubai advanced to the championship bout after a razor-close clash with Team Bangtao Thailand, winning via referee’s decision after no submissions were recorded.
The final provided the fireworks fans had been promised. Dubai’s Nikolay Vetrov gave the home team an early lead with a heel hook submission over Taisei Sakuraba. However, Tanabe returned for Team Saku Japan, eliminating Vetrov after a submissionless round. Haisam Rida then levelled the score with a win over Mido Mohamed, setting the stage for a dramatic finale.
With just seconds remaining, Team Nogueira’s Pouya Rahmani forced Daisuke Nakamura to submit via elbow dislocation, sealing a hard-fought victory for the home side and sending the crowd into celebration.
The evening also featured a series of super fights, with standout wins from Samuel Ramalho, Ahmad Al Bossairy, and Pablo Aragao.
Regional promoter Tarek Suleiman hailed the event as a milestone moment for Middle Eastern combat sports.
“I am incredibly proud to have brought QUINTET to the Middle East for the first time,” Suleiman said. “What we saw tonight was world-class grappling at its best. Every match had me on the edge of my seat, and full credit to the athletes who gave their all. Congratulations to Team Nogueira Dubai for a well-deserved win.”
Suleiman added that the success of the debut event could pave the way for a long-term QUINTET presence in the region.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We want QUINTET to become a regular feature on the UAE and Middle East fight calendar. Tonight was incredible, but the next chapter is going to be even bigger.”
The historic victory marks a defining moment for Team Nogueira Dubai and underscores the UAE’s growing influence on the global combat sports stage.
