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- International stars go through their paces at Yas Mall
Abu Dhabi: In the run-up to UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov this weekend at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, fans enjoyed a glimpse of the main event protagonists at the UFC Open Workouts at Yas Mall on Thursday night.
Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov, headliners of the Aug. 3 event, took part in the workouts, as did co-main event athletes Shara Magomedov and Michal Oleksiejczuk, with each demonstrating their workout skills in front of throngs of MMA enthusiasts.
Sandhagen, who is No.2 in the bantamweight rankings, will have his work cut out against undefeated Dagestani Nurmagomedov (17-0) in what promises to be an intense curtain-closer with both fighters looking to set up a future title shot.
The unbeaten Magomedov, meanwhile, is returning to the octagon on short noticen. His Polish opponent Oleksiejczuk is a veteran of the game, promising another gripping bout in the co-headline middleweight clash.
The four fighters were joined at Yas Mall by Mohammed Yahya, the first Emirati to compete in the UFC. Yahya will be competing in the fight promotion for the second time in his career, taking on Brazilian Kaue Fernandes. Yahya holds an overall record of 12-4, with extensive experience fighting in the region. Fernandes, 29 and with a record of 8-2, is also making only his second UFC appearance.