It was a day to remember for Mohammed Buhaz’a when he met Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa in a friendly bout at the opening ceremony of Brave International Combat Week 2018 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town on Sunday.
The differently abled Buhaz’a celebrated the moment with confetti showering him as he was announced the winner in front of his friends and coaches who trains him to get into mixed martial arts.
The spectators cheered with teary eyes witnessing the joy of Buhaz’a who hugged his role model and hero, Shaikh Khalid, and walked along to meet Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs representative, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president.
But more than the victory, Buhaz’a proved to the world that it is worth to fight for the dreams.
And though the bout was a friendly session, the rules were followed to set an example for dedication and commitment.
Shaikh Khalid went the extra mile to give Buhaz’a a golden opportunity to show his talent and make his dream come true.
In preparation for the bout, Shaikh Khalid dropped down to the weight of Buhaz’a at 70 kilograms to comply with the rules, cutting off roughly 14.5 kilograms in less than one and a half months.
Shaikh Khalid had to undergo strict diet control to pass the weight category.
Important
“His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa proved a point that it is important to support the differently abled and under privileged youth in Bahrain,” said an emotional Eldar Eldarov, head coach of the Bahrain national team.
The initiative also was the launch of KHK Heroes which aims to inspire and support the underprivileged and to those in society with special needs.
Meanwhile, Shaikh Nasser said Bahrain has become a favoured destination for all athletes wishing to take part in various competitions such as MMA.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain has been able to pave a path to success in MMA and other sports through the support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister,” said Shaikh Nasser.
The Combat Week is held under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser, organised by the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BMMAF) in partnership with IMMAF and Brave Combat Federation.
It will feature the fifth edition of Amateur World Championships and the 18th edition of Brave Championship.