National Jiu-Jitsu athlete Omar Al Suwaidi of Al Wahda Club is in top form. Following his gold medal triumph at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro last month, the 21-year-old clinched the championship title at the fifth Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC5). Just six months after a close defeat to Scottish rival Shay Montague at ADXC2, Omar secured a decisive victory on Friday night, making amends for his earlier loss.

In the flyweight category preliminaries at the Mubadala Arena, Omar, the sole Emirati male participant, dominated American fighter Samuel Marquez, securing a unanimous decision. Omar’s aggressive approach from the outset kept Marquez on the defensive, despite his formidable guard. “He put up a strong fight, but I managed to neutralize his defense. I’m thrilled to have won this time,” Omar shared with Khaleej Times in the post-match euphoria, surrounded by a cheering crowd of family and friends.

Despite his recent victory, Omar reflects on his ADXC2 loss. “At ADXC2, I was overly aggressive, focusing on takedowns rather than submissions. This time, I adjusted my strategy,” explained Omar, who honed his submission techniques under the tutelage of coach Gabriel Figueiro and alongside his brother Mohamed Al Suwaidi, the first Emirati to triumph at ADXC. “I was determined to push my limits this time. Last edition, I fatigued by the final round, but this time, I was relentless. I trained intensely for the past two months, securing my win with a foot lock and a back choke submission. I’m proud to have done this for my country,” Omar stated, accompanied by his coach and brother.

Coach Figueiro praised Omar’s flawless performance. “We were aware of the opponent’s dangerous arm bar and choke. At ADXC2, we made strategic errors. This time, we corrected those mistakes, prioritizing submissions, and Omar excelled. It was a perfect performance,” Figueiro emphasized, as ADXC5 concluded with a successful night, including the first win of Emirati girl Balqess Al Hashmi in the steel cage.

Other Results:
Main Event: Urijah Faber defeated Bibiano Fernandes (Grappling bout)
Rayron Gracie defeated Marcos Carrozzino (Jiu-Jitsu bout)
Co-main Event: Chad Mendes defeated Diego Brandao (Grappling bout)
Pedro Ramalho defeated Max Lindblad (Jiu-Jitsu bout)
Main Card: Pouya Rahmani defeated Hamdy Abdelwahab (Grappling bout)
Davi Vetoraci defeated Amin Boudhina (Jiu-Jitsu bout)
Jonnatas Gracie defeated Burak Sarman (Jiu-Jitsu bout)
Felipe Bezerra defeated Vladimir Blium (Jiu-Jitsu bout)
Ruan Alvarenga defeated AJ Agazarm (Grappling bout)