KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)

Dubai will host one of the world’s most unique formats in mixed martial arts for the first time when Quintet 5 knuckles down at the Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday, marking the Middle East debut of the Japanese-born team grappling tournament.

Created in 2018 by Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba, Quintet is a five-on-five, winner-stays-on submission grappling contest where four teams face off until one side records three victories to advance. Submission is the only path to victory, adding a layer of intensity that has made the format one of the most exciting in global combat sports.

Bringing the event to the region is Tarek Suleiman, a leading figure in Middle Eastern MMA who also competed in Quintet 2 in Japan. Suleiman is collaborating with Sakuraba to host the Dubai edition, calling it the beginning of a new chapter for regional combat sports.

“I am so excited to be helping bring Quintet to Dubai,” Suleiman said at the press conference. “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’re putting on a show that will be truly memorable for the UAE, and it will show the world why the Middle East continues to grow as a major combat sports destination.”

The event will feature four teams of five fighters each, competing in a bracket format that mirrors Sakuraba’s original concept. If a fighter secures a submission, they stay on to face the next opponent from the opposing team.

If no submission occurs, both fighters step off and the next pair enters. The team with the most submissions advances to the final, where the ultimate Quintet 5 champion team will be crowned.

In addition to the main team event, several individual bouts are also scheduled, featuring elite grapplers and mixed martial artists from across the world.

At the press conference, athletes and coaches discussed strategies and expectations ahead of the Dubai debut. Pouya Rahmani, who boasts an unbeaten record in the UAE, declared he intends to keep it that way.

“I never lost in the UAE,” Rahmani said. “I’m undefeated, and everyone who comes here, I welcome them with a smash. I’ll be the final boss – the smashing machine – and I don’t think they’ll even reach me.”

Rahmani emphasised that his team’s strength lies in its balance and strategy. “We have hunter guys first, and I’m there at the end. Our team is balanced – the others are not,” he added confidently.

Meanwhile, veteran coaches Bob Sapp and Antonio Nogueira – both icons of the Pride and UFC tournament formats – shared insights into team selection and preparation.

“The main characteristic of choosing who fights first or second is efficiency,” said Sapp. “It’s about reading your opponents and making the right tactical calls.”

Nogueira, whose team includes fighters from Russia and Egypt, noted that his athletes’ enthusiasm had to be reined in.

“They were kind of fighting over who they were going to defeat and how fast,” he joked. “We had to slow them down a little bit. I offered a bonus to whoever gets the quickest powerbomb.”

Sakuraba, whose legacy as both founder and competitor looms large over the event, offered a stark reminder of the format’s unforgiving nature.

“It depends on the skills of our fighters,” he said. “But the game is submission – so be ready, my friend [giving away a friendly stare to Sapp].”

Neiman Gracie, another marquee name, revealed his team’s tactical structure. “We put the strongest guys first, the lighter ones in the middle, and strong again at the end. We expect submissions early,” he said.

For Suleiman, Quintet’s arrival in Dubai is more than just a one-off show – it’s the start of a longer journey to cement the UAE’s place on the global combat sports calendar.

“We call it king of the match,” he explained. “As long as a fighter keeps submitting, he keeps surviving. That’s the spirit of Quintet – and it’s going to capture fans here in a way they’ve never seen before.”

Quintet 5 promises to blend skill, endurance and teamwork in a way that few formats can, as Dubai prepares to witness a new era of submission grappling on October 23.

The event will be broadcast on Starzplay.