At 18, most athletes are still searching for their edge. Emirati MMA fighter, Zamzam Al Hammadi is already carrying the kind of clarity that usually takes years to earn; the result of repetition, discipline, and a kind of patience under pressure that Jiu Jitsu teaches. Indeed, she shows no signs of stopping anytime soon after becoming the first woman from the UAE to sign with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in April 2025, with a full debut scheduled for 24 May 2026 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.
Before undertaking MMA, Al Hammadi started in the martial arts by training in Jiu Jitsu at two and a half years old, something her mother avidly pursued along with Judo.
‘There was a class in front of her for the kids’, her mother tells Complex MENA.
‘So I left her while I was waiting for her and I went up to the class, then my first coach, Jian, told my mom that “Zamzam has the brightest future in martial arts.”’
Her coach saw a long-standing talent in Al Hammadi and he could not have been more right.
As previously mentioned, the highlight of her career thus far was becoming the first female Emirati to be signed to the PFL, a feat she hopes inspires her countrywomen to pursue a similar path.
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‘To be honest, it’s a big responsibility,’ Al Hammadi revealed about her PFL achievement.
‘But I’m ready for it, Inshallah, I’m still at a young age but that will not stop me because I always aim to break barriers and prove to the world that Emirati women can do what other women can do’.
With just over a month to go, Al Hammadi is eagerly anticipating making history as the first Emirati woman to make a PFL debut. Held at the Coca Cola Arena, PFL MENA 9: Pride of Arabia will mark the first PFL event in the Middle East held outside Saudi Arabia.
Fittingly, alongside Al Hammadi will be fellow Emirati fighter Mohammed Yahya, who was signed to the PFL in February after the conclusion of his three year United Fighting Championship (UFC) fight deal last summer. A pioneer himself, Yahya was the first Emirati in the UFC.
Yahya will be facing Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi in a Featherweight Quarterfinal bout, while Al Hammadi’s opponent is yet to be determined.
‘Being able to represent the UAE in the PFL means everything to me,’ she affirms.
‘It’s a huge honour, especially at my age because I know I am not just fighting for myself. I am carrying my country with me every time I step in there’.
‘The UAE has given me so many opportunities to grow in this sport, so this is my way of giving something back and showing what we’re capable of on a global stage.’
Al Hammadi believes the UAE’s growing MMA scene has played an integral part in her development as an athlete and, according to her, is full of like-minded individuals with mutual respect, support, and a hunger to succeed.
While popular in the Middle East, MMA is still widely misunderstood as being purely physical. Al Hammadi wants to challenge this stereotype.
‘They don’t see how technical and mental it really is,’ she says regarding her chosen sport.
‘There’s so much strategy involved like timing, distance, and reading your opponent. It’s almost like chess, just faster and more physical. Most fighters are actually really respected outside the cage, which surprises people.’
Expanding on the mental aspect of MMA, Al Hammadi offers insight into what goes through her mind in the seconds leading up to a fight.
‘I’m always trying to prove that I can push my limits. It’s not really about proving anything to other people, it’s about showing myself that I can stay focused, disciplined, and not give up, even when it gets tough’.
Though MMA has largely been the young fighter’s focus this year, she is also keen to cling to her Jiu Jitsu roots with the 18-year-old getting gold at the Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu Jitsu Championship on 3 April.
‘In this competition I was testing myself,’ Al Hammadi recounts.
‘I was like “let me go on the mat, go back, especially after only doing MMA.” I started to go back to Jiu Jitsu only a month ago so I was like “let me go back.”’
‘In the competition, I was testing myself and I didn’t imagine it going that way especially because I was fighting with some tough opponents and I really respect them. The fight was so close, so technical, so nice but I’m happy that the gold is here in the house.’
Given her impressive track record, the young Emirati has not ruled out the possibility of making an Olympic appearance for the UAE in Jiu Jitsu.
‘This is what my dream is, being an Olympic champion, I just need the opportunity Inshallah. Why not? Go for it.’
Her love for the martial arts has also transferred to her younger siblings. Her sister, Ghala became the first Emirati to secure gold at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Youth Championship in 2023. Additionally, her brother, Zayed is on the UAE’s youth Jiu Jitsu team.
But there is more to the young Emirati that meets the eye. Outside of the gym, Al Hammadi is a full-time university student undertaking a degree in International Relations. She shared some insight into how her academic pursuits go hand-in-hand with her training schedule.
‘Now that I’m in university it’s a bit lighter than previous years’.
‘When I was in school, it was strict hours but now that I’m in university, it’s a bit lighter. I still manage to do three training sessions a day, cardio, Jiu Jitsu and martial arts for sure’.
In regards to long-term goals off of the mat, Al Hammadi wishes to use her degree to become a diplomat of sorts.
‘To be honest, my dream is to be an ambassador,’ she expresses.
‘But because of my field, I want to be a sports ambassador, I want to represent the UAE in sports.’
It seems a fitting choice for the teenager given that she will undoubtedly be representing the UAE on the world stage in the years to come.
Gina Bagnulo is an Emirati-American sports journalist specialising in covering sport in the Middle East. Her work has appeared in The Telegraph, The National, RTE and more.
