The 29th edition of the Dubai World Cup delivered a night to remember, with over 1 billion worldwide tuning in on Saturday night to watch the action live from Meydan Racecourse and a record-breaking $30.5 million prize pool up for grabs.

Topping the night’s drama was a historic win in the $12 million main event, the richest race in global horse racing, as “Hit Show”, representing Qatar’s Wathnan Racing and ridden by Florent Geroux, surged to a sensational victory.

Watched by more than 60,000 fans in the stands and broadcasted across 170 countries, the event once again reinforced Dubai’s position as a powerhouse in horse racing.

“This is exactly how I imagined it,” Geroux said after the race. “I always ride Hit Show the same wa, and he always gives me everything he’s got.”

The race wasn’t short on drama. Geroux kept a close eye on rival Forever Young throughout, and when the moment came, he powered through with perfect timing.

A Global Spectacle

Broadcast across the world, the Dubai World Cup once again proved why it’s a highlight on the global racing calendar. From world-class organisation to cinematic broadcasts and family-friendly fan zones, the event had something for everyone.

Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, General Manager of the Emirates Racing Authority, praised the event as a reflection of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

The event has positioned the UAE as a global leader in equestrian sports. “The Dubai World Cup continues to stand out globally, uniting the best horses, jockeys, and trainers,” Al Shehhi said.

He also applauded the Dubai Racing Club, led by Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook bin Juma Al Maktoum, for delivering a flawless event that wowed international guests and elevated the UAE’s reputation on the world stage.

Victories for the UAE and Japan

While “Hit Show” stole the spotlight, Team UAE had its reasons to celebrate. Local favourite “Dubai Future”, trained by Emirati legend Saeed bin Suroor, took home the title in the Dubai Gold Cup, defying the odds at nine years old.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s ‘Dark Saffron’ claimed glory in the prestigious Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, shining a light on the country’s growing prowess in international racing.

In one of the most emotional moments of the night, Cristian Demuro rode Japan’s “Soul Rush” to a stunning photo-finish win in the Dubai Turf, flipping the heartbreak of last year’s narrow loss into a triumphant victory.

“Last year, I lost by a nose,” Demuro said. “This year, I won by a nose. Luck was on my side.”

Meydan’s Legacy

Fifteen years after it opened, Meydan Racecourse remains one of the most advanced and prestigious venues in the world. Its cutting-edge facilities and high-level hospitality continue to draw top-tier talent and fans from across the globe.

Abdulaziz Al Maraziq, Executive Director of Dubai Stud, summed it up best: “The Dubai World Cup is now a symbol of excellence, not just in racing, but in organisation, hospitality, and international appeal.”

(Source: Wam)

Dubai hosted the second night of bare-knuckle fighting as BKFC 72, powered by World League of Fighters in association with Dubai Sports Council, presented a series of impressive knockouts and skilled performances. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium was filled to capacity as BKFC President and Founder David Feldman, MMA star Conor McGregor, and World League of Fighters Co-Founders Rajesh Banga and Sunil Mathew attended this significant combat sports event.

In the main event, “King” Kai Stewart defended his BKFC World Men’s Featherweight Championship for the fourth time. Stewart dominated his opponent, landing 156 punches out of 202 thrown, while South African challenger Tommy “The Farmer” Strydom landed 53 punches from 112 attempts. This clear difference in striking led to Stewart knocking Strydom down twice and securing a unanimous decision victory with all judges scoring the bout 50-43. Stewart, now undefeated with an 8-0 record, proclaimed after his victory, “I cleaned out the 145-pound division. I break everybody!”

The co-main event also featured one of the night’s most dramatic moments. Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga from United States of America claimed the first-ever BKFC World Women’s Featherweight Championship with a single devastating punch that knocked out former professional boxing champion Hannah “The Classical Warrior” Rankin from United Kingdom just 32 seconds into the first round. Borga landed 18 of her 22 punches, while Rankin connected with only 7 of her 14 attempts before the knockout blow. This victory improved Borga’s BKFC record to 3-0, establishing her as a dominant force in women’s bare-knuckle fighting.

Russia’s Vladislav Tuinov made an explosive BKFC debut needing only 26 seconds to defeat Belgium’s Sabri Ben Henia. Tuinov landed 3 of his 5 punches with one powerful strike proving enough to end the fight immediately for Sabri Ben Henia who landed 1 of 7 attempted punches before the referee stopped the contest.

Spain’s Nico “The Iron” Gaffie delivered one of the night’s biggest upsets against Brandon “Superman” Allen, the second-ranked featherweight contender. Gaffie’s persistent attack sent Allen to the canvas four times throughout the fight, with both fighters throwing exactly 93 punches each. Gaffie landed 41 punches to Allen’s 29, leading to a fourth-round technical knockout win with one second remaining in the round.

Welsh fighter John Phillips dominated his cruiserweight match against Brazilian veteran Fabio Maldonado. Phillips landed 29 punches while Maldonado connected with 19, allowing Phillips to knock Maldonado down twice before the referee stopped the fight only 29 seconds into the second round.

In welterweight action, Aaron Chalmers secured a third-round victory over fellow Englishman Chasa Symonds. Chalmers landed 25 of 63 punches compared to Symonds’ 15 of 47. After dropping Symonds twice, the fight was stopped just 16 seconds into the third round.

The heavyweight division saw Iran’s Hassan Yousefi defeat Brazilian Guto Inocente by unanimous decision. In this back-and-forth battle, Yousefi landed 83 of his 142 punches, while Inocente connected with 54 of his 102 attempts. The judges recognized Yousefi’s greater volume, awarding him scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46.

The preliminary card featured two lightning-fast finishes, Filipino lightweight Mark Angel Sadang defeated Iranian Matin Safari in just 1 minute and 27 seconds of the first round, while Kazakh featherweight Dilshat Nurym needed only 1 minute and 23 seconds to stop Russian Shamil Dzhakhbarov.

MMA legend Conor McGregor, whose partnership with World League of Fighters has helped bring bare-knuckle fighting to the region, expressed his admiration for the event. “I’m so proud of our warriors and combatants win, lose or draw who have put on an amazing spectacle across this two-day extravaganza in Dubai,” said McGregor. “This event shows what World League of Fighters and BKFC represent pure combat and true heart.”

Also Conor McGregor, adding his thoughts on the action-packed event shares, “There are a lot of big shows around the world, a lot of noise, but let me tell you something; this is the most exciting combat sport on the planet today. And it’s not just talk there’s no such thing as a boring fight in BKFC. In fact, there’s not even a boring exchange. Every moment is explosive, raw, and real.”

“The partnership between BKFC and World League of Fighters continues to deliver excellent combat sports entertainment to fans worldwide,” said Rajesh Banga, Co-Founder of World League of Fighters. “This event concludes an exciting two-day fighting showcase in Dubai, establishing the city as a key destination for combat sports globally.”

The success of BKFC 72 in Dubai marks another achievement for World League of Fighters in their goal to expand bare-knuckle fighting across international markets, bringing together top athletes from various fighting backgrounds.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium played host to an electrifying night of bare-knuckle action on April 4th as BKFC 71 delivered a stacked fight card featuring competitors from across the globe powered by World League of Fighters in association with Dubai Sports Council. The event marked another successful international expansion for the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship, bringing its unique brand of combat sports to the United Arab Emirates. The event was graced by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Founder and President, David Feldman, MMA Legend Conor McGregor and Co Founders of World League of Fighters, Rajesh Banga and Sunil Mathew.

In the main event, Austin Trout from Texas, USA successfully defended his BKFC World Welterweight Championship against Carlos Trinidad-Snake from Nebraska, USA via split decision in a contest that required an extra round. Trinidad-Snake scored an early knockdown in round one, but Trout demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the fight. After five rounds ended in a draw, the championship bout went to a decisive sixth round where Trout’s superior volume proved decisive. Austin Trout landed 93 significant strikes to Trinidad-Snake’s 73, earning scores of 58-55 and 57-56 on two judges’ cards, while one judge favored Trinidad-Snake 58-55.

The co-main event featured Britain Hart from USA defending her strawweight title against Tai Emery from Australia in a grueling five-round affair. Emery controlled the opening round with aggressive left hands, forcing Hart to adjust her strategy. By the middle rounds, both fighters displayed visible damage with cuts appearing over their left eyes. In round five, the ringside physician examined Emery’s swollen eye before allowing the fight to continue. Hart closed the show with a powerful right hand that helped secure her unanimous decision victory and tenth career win.

The middleweight division featured a gutsy performance from Johnny Tello from Canada who fought through a completely closed left eye to earn a unanimous decision (48-45, 47-46, 48-45) victory against Sabah Homasi from USA belonging to Lebanon. After a challenging first two rounds, Tello dominated the third frame, pushing his opponent into the corner and unleashing a barrage of precise strikes from various angles. After the win, Tello remarked, “I lost 25 pounds, had only two months of training, my opponent is bigger, and yet I am standing.”

In another exciting BKFC action, Egypt’s pro MMA bout Adel Al Tamimi delivered a commanding performance against Spain’s David Mora. Despite Mora landing some questionable blows to the back of the head that required referee intervention, Al Tamimi maintained his composure and consistently used his superior strength to control the fight. In round two, Al Tamimi neutralized his taller opponent’s reach advantage with a clean right jab that sent Mora to the canvas. The bout concluded at 1 minute and 28 seconds of the third round when Al Tamimi connected with another precision right hand for the decisive victory.

Egypt’s Mahmoud Ahmed secured a split decision win over Fuad Tarvedi from Azerbaijan by maintaining a consistent left-hand attack to both body and face throughout the contest. Judges scored it 47-46 twice for Ahmed and once for Tarvedi in the competitive matchup.

Islam Siszbulatov from Austria made a statement with his explosive performance, needing just 40 seconds to knock out Cheng Leang from Cambodia in the first round with a perfectly timed strike. Similarly impressive was Azerbaijan’s Elnur Suleymanov, who dominated Lucas Sontgen of Germany before finishing him 14 seconds into the second round with a devastating combination.

In heavyweight action, Brazil’s Geronimo Dos Santos needed just 1 minute and 49 seconds of the opening round, to dispatch veteran Alexey Oleinik of Russia by TKO. The Brazilian powerhouse connected with a thunderous single blow that sent Oleinik crashing to the canvas, demonstrating the raw power that makes him one of the most intimidating figures in the heavyweight division.

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BKFC 71 showcased the growing global appeal of bare-knuckle fighting with competitors from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, solidifying the promotion’s international presence in combat sports.