Marcão in photo from personal archives
After a successful maiden event, the second installment of Abu Dhabi Fight Championship (ADFC) promises to heat up the race for the one million-dirham (approximately US$ 280 thousand) prize.
Set for October 22 in the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the event is headlined by the GP semifinal fights between Marcos Oliveira (Brazil) and Neil Wein (England), and between Rameau Sikoudjou (Cameroon/USA) and Shamil Abdurahimov (Russia) at the other end of the bracket.
The winners of each bout will face off in the grand finale in early 2011. And Marcos “Marcão” Oliveira wants to be there.
A Rio native residing in Abu Dhabi, Marcão is totally focused on the event. “I’ve picked up my boxing here in Abu Dhabi. This week Professor Cafuringa is supposed to arrive from Porto Alegre to sharpen up my hands. I want to be 100% on the day of the 22nd,” says the wrestler and Jiu-Jitsu black belt who came up with the quickest knockout of the first event, against France’s Johan Romming.
The event, which will be broadcast live on TV, boasts a preliminary card featuring Michel Maia, Maiki Reiter and Hassan al Rumaithi, among other aces. Randall, the event’s promoter, expects to draw an even bigger crowd than the first installment, given the repercussions from the maiden event.