Osamah Almarwai says he is ready to make history on Friday by becoming the first Arab to win the ONE Championship flyweight submission grappling title when he takes on champion Mikey Musumeci in Colorado.
The Musumeci-Almarwai title contest is one of the two main co-events of the 11-fight card headlined by the ONE Fight Night 10 MMA flyweight world championship bout between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes.
Born in Yemen and raised in Saudi Arabia, Almarwai carries the weight of the Arab world on his shoulders against an opponent widely regarded as one of the pound-for-pound best grapplers in the sport.
Almarwai, 31, says the messages of support he has received has “turned me to be in my best ever shape” and that his American opponent will see his best version when they lock horns at 1stBank Center, Denver.
“It’s an honour for me to represent the Arab World and I assure everybody that I’m in my best shape ever and ready, and hopefully, be the first Arab to win this flyweight title,” Almarwai told The National.
“I continue to receive lots of messages and love from so many people from different countries. It’s really an honour for me to represent the region. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I assure them I’ll be in the best version of myself. I would like to thank for their support. I appreciate their love."
He added: “Representing the Arab World puts a lot of pressure on me but this pressure will give me the strength to win."
Almarwai earned his passage for the title meeting with 26-year-old Musumeci after a string of victories including winning the No-Gi Pan American and the IBJJF No-Gi World Championship titles.
He has been preparing for the biggest match of his career for more than three months under the training of Andre Galvao, the co-founder and head coach of Atos Jiu Jitsu in San Diego, California.
“My preparation has been going very well. I have studied Mikey. He is one of the best but I train with some of the best in the world, and that’s why I want to fight him,” he said.
“I have completed my preparation and now I’m just focused on the mental preparation. I feel ready, I fee sharp, and hopefully, come out with a win. I will create history again on Friday, Insha Allah."
Musumeci, who boasts a 19-3 win-loss record, makes the second title defence of his ONE flyweight submission grappling belt against Almarwai having beaten Gantumur Bayanduuren via unanimous decision in January.
The contest is scheduled for 10 minutes and Almarwai says, though he respects Musumeci, he is determined to take the challenge to the champion.
“As the challenger my approach for Mikey will be aggressive. It’s only 10 minutes, so there is no time to waste. I have studied his game and I have seen his flaws and seen his strengths. I have prepared both mentally and physically for this match.
“I have been watching and following him. It’s an honour to be competing against Mikey. He’s my biggest challenger and I’ll be testing my skills against him,” he said.
Almarwai claims his speed and his mental preparation to be his biggest asset while representing the Arab World motivates him to bring his best to the table.
Almarwai’s jiu-jitsu journey began when he followed his older brother, Mohammed, to the gym as a boy in Saudi Arabia and he continued to train after completing high school.
He then moved to the United States to study English in Orlando, Florida where the university he attended offered free jiu-jitsu classes.
Almarwai received his brown belt when he returned to Saudi Arabia, where his father was employed, before returning to the US again to complete his Masters in Engineering Management.
“I spent my free time training jiu-jitsu during my college time, I would train hard but it wasn’t serious. I started competing and then I started to focus more seriously and professionally," Almarwai adds.
“I thought I had the talent and the potential because I was training with some of the best in the world when I came to the US. I thought 'why not become a professional?'
“In the late stage of my brown belt, when I won my first world title as a professional, I took it up more seriously. Tthat’s the time I wanted to be one of the best and represent the Middle East because I was able to beat some of the biggest names in the sport.
“Hopefully on May 5, I’ll make history again by becoming the first Middle Eastern flyweight world champion.”
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
The specs
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South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
