QUINTET was established in Japan in 2018 by wrestling and combat sport legend Kazushi Sakuraba, and showcases teams of five fighters going head-to-head in a winner-stays-on team survival grappling tournament. Over the years some of the planet’s greatest grapplers and jiu-jitsu practitioners have competed in QUINTET – and now the format comes to Dubai on October 23 at Coca-Cola Arena, with submission as the only path to victory. Legend of the Middle East fight scene, Tarek Suleiman, is working alongside Sakuraba to deliver the event – a first for the region, and something he hopes can lead to a much longer future relationship. “I am so excited to be helping bring QUINTET to Dubai,” said Suleiman, who competed in QUINTET 2 back in 2018. “This is an incredible format, filled with intrigue and excitement, and some of the very best athletes the world of combat sports has to offer. We are putting on a show that is going to be truly memorable for the UAE, and show the world why the Middle East continues to grow as a major combat sports destination. This is something completely new for the sports fans of Dubai, and something I think they will embrace.”

On the night, four teams of five will compete in a bracket format. Starting with one fighter from each team, the winner will stay on until one team has amassed three victories and is declared the match winner. The two winning teams will then face off in the final. On top of this, there will be a number of singles bouts on the card, again with some of the world’s best athletes taking part. Teams will be announced soon but will contain big-name fighters from the world’s leading fight organisations. Suleiman says the cultural links between the UAE and Japan are a perfect match and a reason behind their strong partnership for QUINTET. “I find the people of Japan and the UAE very similar,” he says. “They are very polite, dignified, and respectful and these attributes reflect not only the countries, but also their approaches to combat sport and fighting. This event will bring those two nations together along with fighters from across the planet, and this is very exciting to see.” Alongside his grappling and Jiu-Jitsu prowess, Suleiman has built a fearsome 23-fight MMA career, competing in the likes of the Professional Fighters League, UAE Warriors, and Brave CF. At the age of 36 he admits his in-ring career might be coming towards the end, but as a promotor he has lots to give the sport, and its fighters – including some innovative ideas for the local fight scene. “We know the gyms in Dubai and the wider UAE have a healthy rivalry so I would like to give them the opportunity to face off on a regular basis, in the QUINTET format, but with a soccer-style league system so we can find out who the best gym really is. I’d love to start in Dubai, and branch out into other countries in the region – with a long-term goal of having national teams facing off against each other. There is a lot of work to do to get to that point and our focus is all on October 23 at the moment and putting on a show that our fans will never forget.”