By Sonia Ahmed | 17 August 2020
Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, is the second most visited tourist destination in the Middle East. Pristine beaches and unparalleled hospitality await you if you plan to visit Abu Dhabi, the city of tolerance!
The essence of Abu Dhabi lies in its historical Islamic culture and architectural wonders like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque against the perennial shopping malls and growing technological innovations.
Abu Dhabi’s flexible trade policies have attracted world-famous international brands and tourists from all around the globe. Because of the visionary leadership of the state, Abu Dhabi received 17 million multinational tourists last year. Abu Dhabi’s popularity lies in its luxurious lifestyle, stunning tourist attractions, and lately, an ideal location for holding international sports events.
Rising Culture of Martial Arts in Abu Dhabi
The Chinese martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) have received tremendous popularity in Abu Dhabi. People here are passionate about learning martial arts. It’s the most popular combat sport in the country, so much so that BJJ is now one of the national sports.
Many official martial arts academies are operating here, such as Cobra Fitness, Primal Gym, and Muay Thai Capoeira Sports Club.
Sheikh Tahnoon, the ruler representative of the city, is known as the godfather of jiu-jitsu in Abu Dhabi. He established the first-ever Abu Dhabi Combat Club in 1998 and is himself a black belt from Gracie Barra San Diego in the US.
Yasmin Sewgobind, a BJJ teacher, considers Abu Dhabi as one of the global capitals of jiu-jitsu.
According to Abdul Munam Al Hashimi, the current chairman of UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “Jiu-Jitsu is part of the curriculum in more than 100 schools in Abu Dhabi and more than 15 official jiu-jitsu centers are under the supervision of the UAEJJF.”.
Then, there’s the YAS island, an iconic realm of recreational activities in Abu Dhabi and UFC’s destination for Fight Island.
YAS Island: A Phenomenal Tourist Destination in Abu Dhabi
YAS is a man-made island only 10 minutes’ drive away from Abu Dhabi airport. Out of the 200 islands in the country, this is the most luxurious one.
From world-class entertainment activities to spectacular shopping centers and from multi-cultural dining to exuberant musical nights at 5-star hotels, YAS has become the most popular family holiday destination.
It has the world's first-ever Ferrari Theme Park with the fastest roller coaster accelerating at 240 km/h. This ride is an adventure full of fantasies and joys, undoubtedly a thrilling experience for anyone who dares to enjoy it. If thrilling car racing is your jam, then YAS is where your dream can come true. Just visit YAS marina Circuit and hail your day!
Source: Burachet via Shutterstock
For some family fun with kids, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi is a hit that you must not miss. It’s the world's largest indoor theme park where kids can meet their dream superheroes such as Batman, Tom & Jerry, Superman, and many more!
The park has six thematic lands based on famous fiction stories of all times, named as Bedrock, Metropolis, Cartoon Junction, Gotham City, and Dynamite Gulch. Each land has its own theme-based rides, restaurants, cafes, and shops.
Next is the YAS Waterworld, the world’s biggest water theme park that will capture your heart. It has many breathtaking rides, including six unique ones that you won’t find anywhere else.
Every Thursday night, YAS Waterland is reserved for women only. It’s your opportunity to pack your bags, move to the site, call your favorite song to DJ, and enjoy the night-long fun.
A Perfect Site for UFC Fight Island
Apart from YAS being the world tourist hub, it has also become the future of combat fights, especially the UFC.
YAS Island is home to many rich multinationals. Due to the comparatively simple visa policies of the country, it was considered the ideal place to be the first-ever Fight Island on the globe.
Dana White, the UFC president, took the initiative of making YAS the future arena of the UFC championship - a unique destination, the Fight Island.
The idea turned into reality when traveling restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic made it a necessity. For the UFC production team to continue the championship, they required a pandemic-free bubble where all future international fights could be held. And, so YAS made the cut and became the real insane Fight Island!
The UFC Fight Island is a safe zone with mandatory precautions and MUST-follow SOPs. Only the athletes, their coaches, UFC production staff, and event managers have pass-through access. The 24-hour high-alert and infallible security of YAS island secure the zone against any risk.
Inside the UFC Fight Island at YAS
The Fight Island consists of a fighting arena, a top-notch gym with ultra-modern facilities, and prominent hotels like the YAS’s W Abu Dhabi 5-star hotel chain, which hosted the UFC championship in July 2020.
True to speculations, UFC has installed a unique octagon wrestling arena right on the beach, constructed in under 24 hours. It emulates a hardcore combat video game scenario where fighters will travel from all around the world to compete.
However, the octagon is for promotional purposes only as it is impossible to practice or fight in it under the intense middle-eastern heat.
According to Dana White, the idea of Fight Island has already shaken the entire UFC community and sports media. Already being the world’s renowned tourism hub, White says Abu Dhabi may also become the fight capital of the world.
The credit for turning a dream into the world's first novel Fight Island should go to Dana White, to Naura Kahil, the project manager of Fight Island and Saeed Al Saeed, destination marketing director of Abu Dhabi.