Scheduled to kick off on February 14, the UAE Muay Thai Championship will welcome an unprecedented 824 competitors from 61 clubs across the UAE and internationally in the Space 42 Arena, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi.
This is in reality one of the largest Muay Thai events in the entire history of the region, an explanation of this growth & world wide popularity of the sport.
The three-day championship, which ends on February 16, is backed by the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation. In an exciting first, fights will take place in four rings, simultaneously assuring all fighters and fans that the blood will flow freely.
In addition to the top clubs in the UAE the championship wll also see teams from Uzbekistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Algeria, Palestine, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
The clubs taking part will be supervised by over 180 coaches, referees will be kept busy with the 60 who will officiate the fights.
One of the major milestones on the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation’s annual calendar, the UAE Muay Thai Championship marks the first event of the 2025 tournament season. It is the ground for honing skills, discovering talents and nurturing future national team prospects in all age categories.
Fighters aged 8 to 23 will be fighting in various weight divisions specific to age groups.
Speaking on the record level of participation for this championship, Ali Khouri, Board Member of UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, said: “It is great for the championship, the increase in numbers this year is a point we can all be proud of.”
The response has been fantastic, and is indicative of the interest we are receiving from athletes, clubs and the wider local and international Muay Thai community. Ali Khouri said: “This championship is a new direction for the game in the UAE, not only in participation, but also based on the standard of competition we are expecting.”.
He also stressed the importance of the championship.
“This tournament is in direct harmony with the goal and vision of Abdullah Saeed Al Neyadi, who is the President of the Asian and Arab Muay Thai Federations and the President of the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation. Under his leadership, we have a vibrant tournament calendar packed with world-class championships, enabling initiatives and training programmes to enhance the competitive standards of our sport,” he stated.
“This event will help to improve the technical aspects of fighters, gain valuable experience inside the ring, and ultimately grow the sport of Muay Thai in the long run.
The UAE Muay Thai Championship will be the biggest ever of its kind, featuring record numbers of fighters from across the globe and will be run according to world-class organisational standards, thus paving the way towards a landmark event for the region’s combat sports landscape.’
Established in May 2017, the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation is the recognized national governing body for Muay and kickboxing in the UAE. It enhances the growth of Muay Thai and kickboxing, developing a savvy and technical community whilst establishing the UAE as a competitive performer on the world stage.
The Federation is tasked with growing the game, promoting grassroots development, and developing professional and amateur national teams to compete and succeed on the international stage.