DUBAI: Local fighters are set to join a strong line-up of international fighter at Quintet 5 in Dubai on Oct. 23.
UAE-based fighters including Thiago Sa, Talison Soares, Pouya Rahmani and Haitham Rida will take centre stage at the Coca-Cola Arena when a new team format in martial arts makes its Middle East debut in Dubai.
The survival format sees each team consisting of five fighters, with one member from each team starting the match and the only route to victory being submission. The winner stays on, and a new opponent from the other team steps up. If a match ends in a draw, then both competitors are eliminated. This continues until one team is completely eliminated with all five fighters defeated, and the other is declared the winner.
Four legends of martial arts will captain the teams in Dubai, with the reunion of Pride FC’s biggest stars: Kazushi Sakuraba (the founder of Quintet), Renzo Gracie, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Bob Sapp.
On the night, the teams will compete in a bracket format with two semifinals, and a final to crown the overall winner. Team Sakuraba and Team Gracie will face-off in one semifinal, while Team Bangtao will take on Team Nogueira in the other.
Team Nogueira’s Thiago Sa — head coach at the Team Nogueira gym in Dubai — said: “For years people have been saying they want to see me compete here, and now is the right time. Quintet is an incredible event, and an opportunity I am very excited about. The people of Dubai are in for an amazing show, and I hope it can inspire more people to understand and love the world of grappling and combat sport.”
Regional promoter for the event, Tarek Suleiman said the quality of the competitors is outstanding.
“You cannot underestimate just how good this group of fighters is. We have four teams packed with talent that is the envy of the world. We have multiple world champions, regional champions, and those who have competed at the highest levels in the biggest organizations. I am hugely proud that we also have incredible local talent within these teams. The Middle East is constantly growing when it comes to combat sports, and seeing these guys on a stage like Quintet will only inspire people in the region. This is going to be an unforgettable night — and one that can inspire even more growth in Middle East combat sport.”
The team breakdowns in full:
Team Sakuraba: Haisam Rida, Igor Tanabe, Taisei Sakuraba, Daisuke Nakamura, Oshima Sosuke
Team Gracie: Talison Soares, Delson Heleno, Neiman Gracie, Diego Freire, Anderson Wesiley
Team Nogueira: Pouya Rahmani, Abdelraouf Mido, Vetrov Nicolay, Thiago Sa, Zeliman Kashaev
Team Bangtao: Kemoy Anderson, Lucas Barbosa, Alex Schild, Kim Dong-hyun, PJ Barch
