What have the favorites been up to in the United Arab Emirates? What’s it like when luxury and Jiu-Jitsu converge in Abu Dhabi? Who’ll come out on top in the final? What was the training session between Gracie Barra and CheckMat athletes like in the lead-up to the Abu Dhabi WPJJC, a professional international championship into its fourth installment? As an old GRACIEMAG article described, Abu Dhabi is where the unbelievable happens, and here you don’t miss a beat.

Like our Facebook page and find out, direct from your computer or smartphone, all the latest and greatest from the land of the Zayed Al Nahyan family—in videos, photo galleries, behind-the-scenes info and much, much more.

If the internet connection in the gymnasium holds up, you’ll be able to keep up with all the results real time via our Twitter: @graciemag_br, in Portuguese, and @graciemag, in English.

At the end of the day, our special envoys will post a bulletin on GRACIEMAG.com to provide an update and analyze all the highlights from the championship that kicked off today and ends on Saturday. Enjoy it with us.

Syria's Khalid Walled defeated Egyptian Hani Hurricane in December. Photo: Khalid Walid Hassan.

Desert Force Championship is heading into its second event, this Thursday, May 19, showcasing regional talent and two GP-format tournaments featuring Arab fighters.

The promotion, which had its maiden show in December, will again set up shop in Jordan’s capital city of Amman. “We’ve been scouting talent in the region and we’re planning to launch them on the world stage. There will be two more installments of this GP by the end of the year and the championship will have a superfight showdown in early 2012,” says promoter Zaid Mirza.

Besides the Arab circuit, which will also include fighters from Turkey and Iran, there will be international fighters featured on the card. This coming event will pit game Russian Baga Agaev against Brazil’s Francimar “Bodão” Barroso.

Jordan’s Roya TV network will be offering complete coverage of the event and featuring scenes from the day-to-day lives of the fighters with the aim of further popularizing MMA in the Arab world. Desert FC has the backing of Jordan’s royal family.

Check out the provisional card, and visit www.desertfc.com for further information.

DFC 2
Orthodox Club
Amman, Jordan
May 19, 2011

Arab under-70kg Grand Prix

Mahmoud Saeed (Egypt) vs. Elias El Rayess (Lebanon)
Zakaria Ahmad (Lebanon) vs. Ghaleb Al Harasher (Jordan)
Issa Issa (Egypt) vs. Abdullah Nabas (Jordan)
Ehab Rassol (Iraq) vs. Salem Ajrami (Jordan)

Under-77 Kg

Ammar Tchalabi (Saudi Arabia) vs. Mohamad Al Dawansy (Egypt)

Arab Under-84kg Grand Prix

Ibrahim El Sawy (Egypt) vs. Ben Hassine Aymen (Tunisia)
Mohamad El Sayed (Egypt) vs. Mousa Nemat (Jordan)
Murtaba Star (Iraq) vs. Tamer Frehat (Jordan)

International card

Vener Galiev (Russia) vs. Ian Jones (United Kingdom)
Baga Agaev (Russia) vs. Francimar Barroso (Brazil)