Turns out Gladiator Fighting Championship is not the first MMA fight in Kuwait. Warriors War was an MMA cage fight that took place in Kuwait back in 2001 and not only was Bruce Buffer the announcer and John McCarthy one of the refs but UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes was on the fight card and he lost! Not sure how I never noticed Kuwait mentioned in his professional record on Wikipedia.
KUWAIT SHIDOKAN JITSU WARRIORS WAR I
Hughes, Pele, Newton, Menne, some of the top talent in lightweight world traveled half-way around the globe in hopes of winning $60,000 in an 8-man tournament on Kuwaiti soil. No easy victory as Menne would face Canada’s Carlos Newton in the first round and then Russian alternate Maro Magob before fighting the much heavier Kareem Barklaev from Russia in the finals. [Source]
The video on top of this post is of Antonio Tello versus Kuwait’s Khaled Mubarak [Video]
Here is a link to the full fight card of Warriors War Kuwait [Link]
Thanks lulz
5 replies on “Warriors War – Kuwait”
No problem brah. In an interview from a couple of years ago (prior to fighting Renzo in UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi), I remember Matt Hughes saying that he’s uncomfortable with the region in general, and that he didn’t want to travel here. Him losing by a knee in an unknown regional promotion may or may not have had something to do with it. Still a legend though, hope he comes back.
Don’t think Hughes should come back, that loss to Koscheck was embarrassing. Unless he plans to come back and knock Koscheck out, then I’m down for that.
GFC is the first Kuwaiti based MMA Promotion.
That’s true. Warriors War was just a one time event.
its funny how obvious it is that the fight between the kuwaiti and tello is fixed,tello the brazilian had about 4 extremely easy armbar/ triangle attemps,and he gave them up to give the other guy the means to put on a show for the local fans, when will we grow up?.