An injury forced KHK MMA fighter Hussain Ayad to bow out of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF)’s Second European Open Championships for Amateurs in Prague yesterday.
Ayad was battling with Kazakhstan fighter Berik Shinaliyev when he was forced to retire due an injury.
Another KHK MMA fighter Hamza Zrira also bowed out as a harsh and unfair decision by the referees saw him lose his match against Bulgarian Rostislav Raichev in round eight.
Ayad controlled the pace in the first two rounds but his opponent surprised him in the third with a ‘back hit in the centre-back of his body’ leaving Ayad in severe pain and forcing the referee to end the match.
Zrira, on the other hand, put up a brave performance and finished the fight but the referees decided in favour of his opponent.
Honourary president of Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Association and founder of Khalid bin Hamad Mixed Martial Arts Organisation (KHK MMA) Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa closely followed the eighth round matches in presence of IMMAF president Kerrith Brown, IMMAF CEO Denzin White, president of Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Association Khalid Abdulaziz Al Khayat and the association’s secretary and treasurer Waleed Sayar.
Later, Shaikh Khalid visited Ayad at the clinic where he was undergoing checkups and congratulated him on his spirited performance.
“You’re a warrior, a champion. Your exit doesn’t mean the end and the best will come,” said Shaikh Khalid.
Round eight witnessed 35 matches in light-weight, medium weight and heavy weight sections.
In the women’s section, Finland’s Anette Österberg beat Iceland’s Dagmar Hrund Sigurleifsdottir, Italy’s Ilaria Norcia got the better of Ireland’s Meagan OLoughlin and Hungary’s Alexandra Kovacs defeated Ireland’s Danni Neilan.
All the results are available on WWW.MYNEXTMATCH.COM