Suleiman pays tribute to UAE, says event is his chance to give back to country

As QUINTET 5, one of the sports world’s most anticipated combat sports events nears, promoter Tarek Suleiman has spoken candidly about the opportunities Dubai and the UAE have offered him – and how this is his time to give back.

The blockbuster event takes place on October 23 at Coca-Cola Arena, bringing together some of the world’s very best grapplers in a unique team survival format.

Suleiman is well-known throughout the Middle East for his storied fight career that has seen him travel the world competing at an elite level. Born in Syria but now residing in Dubai, he has fought under numerous promotions including Brave, UAE Warriors, PFL – and also fought in QUINTET in 2018.

Humble in the acknowledgement of his achievements, Suleiman chose to thank those who have given him the opportunity to succeed in combat sport – with Dubai and the UAE at the top of that list.

“I’ve been fortunate to live in this country, which has given me so much and shaped who I am today,” said the  6-year-old.

“The UAE has offered countless opportunities to people like me — inspiring ambition, drive, and the pursuit of success.

“That’s why I’m here now: to give back to the country that has given me so much. I want to contribute to the jiu-jitsu and martial arts community by bringing one of the biggest promotions in the world — QUINTET — to the UAE with QUINTET 5, and there are big plans ahead. This is my way of giving back.”

Suleiman takes great pride in knowing this event is truly unique, not just to the region but something the world of combat sport has not seen before.

For the first time, the captains of the four teams taking part are combat sport legends from the era of Pride FC – a Japanese promotion that was once the world’s biggest mixed-martial arts organisation. Kazushi Sakuraba (the founder of QUINTET), Renzo Gracie, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Bob Sapp will lead teams AND Suleiman explained their historic rivalries.

“This event is something that has never been done before,” he said. “These legends faced each other only once or twice in the early 2000s, back when MMA was still relatively unknown. In the days of PRIDE Fighting Championships in Japan, Nogueira faced Bob Sapp and won, while Renzo Gracie fought Sakuraba, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Jiu-Jitsu history with a submission victory. Now, they’ll be reunited — but this time, they’ll lead their own teams to victory.”

The fight night will consist of four five-man teams battling it out in a survival grappling format. Victories are secured by submission only, with the winner staying on to face a new challenger from the opposition. This continues until one team has all its fighters eliminated. Alongside this there are also a number of individual super fights involving both regional and international grappling stars.

“Fans should prepare for an epic night of matchups,” said Suleiman. The lineup is incredible, featuring world-class grapplers and huge names from across the sport. Expect fireworks.”

And when the final bell rings on October 23, that is not the end of the work for Suleiman and his team – the future holds much, much more.

“The plans for QUINTET are big,” he explained.