On Monday July 13th, Tayyar California had the great honor of hosting the Lebanese MMA delegation that participated in the 2015 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA in Las Vegas, Nevada, under the leadership of Coach Wissam Abi Nader from Tristar gym in Lebanon. On their way back from Las Vegas, the athletes spent one night in the Los Angeles area and discussed the tournament with the local Tayyar CA team who has many questions for them and was eager to hear about the event. They go back home to with two bronze medals for Lebanon and a healthy sense of achievement and pride for making sure that Lebanon’s name took center stage in an event that included 29 participating countries.
Lebanese team in McCarran Las Vegas airport
Under the patronage of the FPM and the Intishar committee, Lebanon initially sent 4 fighters to compete in the 2015 tournament in 4 weight classes:
Joeshwa Mortada (Men’s Lightweight: -70.3 kg /155 lbs)
Imad Alhowayeck (Men’s Middleweight: -83.9 kg /185 lbs)
Fahed Dandach (Men’s Light Heavyweight: -93.0 kg /205 lbs)
Both Joeshwa Mortada and Imad Alhowayeck walked away with third place and bronze medals after undergoing heated fights over 3 days!
As MMA is a recent sport to Lebanon, the achievment of these young men is not to be taken lightly! On the same week of their competiton, Las Vegas was hosting UFC 189, one of the largest grossing fights in recent years, pitting Mendes vs. McGregor, both extremly popular fighers. The IMMAF finale coincided a few hours before the UFC fight, and the contenders got to meet McGregor, who ultimatley won.
In parralel to the success of Fighters Mortada and Alhowayeck, Lebanon scored another achievement with the election of coach Wissam Abi Nader to the board of the IMAAF, making him the first Lebanese and Arab/Asian to be a board member in this international federation, which shows great recogniztion to the level of skill coming out of our homeland.
Joeshwa and Imad are both members of the Tristar Gym, operated by Coach Abi Nader.
Tayyar CA would like to extend the warmest congraturaltions to the team and all the athelets that participated in this event which will turn out to be a historic milestone for the sport of MMA in Lebanon. For the first time ever, we see a young Lebanese team of fighters recognized on the international scene and scoring substatial wins against skilled fighters from other countries. We congratulate the FPM, and Lebanon for the wins and hope to see the team again next year at the same tournament in Las Vegas, and in more MAA championships across the world.
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