A new face is set to explode on to the global wrestling scene, as the first Emirati professional grappler to compete overseas takes to the ring.
Although wrestling remains a sport in its infancy in the UAE, wrestlers like Shaheen are ensuring that is about to change.
Like many wrestlers around the world, Shaheen — real name Mohammed Saif, 27 — has a special move inside the ring that captivates the crowd.
His backflip somersault from the top rope has not let him down yet and is fast-tracking him towards a full-time career in the sport.
“I’ve been watching wrestling since I was a kid after a trip to the States with my family,” he told The National.
“At eight years old, there was something special about watching these people put on a show.”
There were no channels showing wrestling back in Dubai, so Shaheed used magazines to follow the sport.
He also sourced Dh5 VHS tapes from Satwa to watch wrestling bouts from the US.
Inspired by the likes of wrestling mega stars Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio and The Hardy Boyz, Shaheen began to dream of a future in the sport.
“I couldn’t wait for these guys to show up on videos so I could watch,” he said.
“They were all larger-than-life characters and had crazy moves, but had a connection with young fans like me.
“Seeing these guys do a frog splash or a moonsault made me want to be able to do the same for wrestling fans in Dubai.”
That dream is slowly becoming a reality. Now signed by Progress Wrestling in the UAE, Shaheen is helping to drive the growth of the local scene.
A recent Sons and Daughters of the Desert show was evidence of a groundswell of support for young wrestlers in the UAE like Shaheen.
His professional wrestling career kicked off in 2019 in the UK, where he trained and performed before being recruited by World Wrestling Entertainment for their tryouts in Saudi Arabia.
Although they were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, that only invigorated him to push ahead and help drive the wrestling scene in Dubai.
“Wrestling takes a toll mentally as well as physically, and working with other more experienced wrestlers helped me to progress,” said Shaheen.
“It felt like an internship. I wanted to come up with a name that represented my country in a positive way, and it means falcon — a small fast bird that embodies what I do in the ring.”
Since focusing more seriously on the sport, Shaheen's life has changed. His diet has been transformed to fuel his twice daily workouts that include a huge amount of cardiovascular exercise to keep pace with international wrestlers.
His stage name attracted a lot of interest in Pakistan, so he went there to compete in his first show in front of 4,000 people with the country’s Pro Wrestling Federation in 2021.
“It was a big first event so it was sink or swim. I was really nervous,” he said.
“To be the first Emirati wrestler to compete overseas was a big badge of honour for me and a great way to learn about how the sport works.
“I know the work I have to put in. My day job is working in events, but through wrestling, I can live my dreams.
“I feel like I can help create a new wrestling scene in the UAE and the Middle East, there is also a lot more expectation now of Shaheen,” he said.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Price: from Dh199,900
On sale: now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
