Wazzup Pilipinas!
Let's start this article with a well-known fact: Dubai is a great city to live in. As one of the best and largest cities in the UAE, it provides its residents with an awesome standard of living, which is why so many people move here. But, let's follow up on this statement with a lesser-known one. And that is that Dubai is one of the most important cities in the UAE, if not the entire Middle East, when it comes to sports. Many important sporting events are held in Dubai that, unfortunately, don't get a lot of media coverage in the rest of the world. So, to battle this fact, let us take a closer look at some of Dubai's biggest sporting events.
Notable Dubai's sporting events in history
To get a better understanding of the importance and development of sport in Dubai and the UAE, we'll start off by checking out some of the more important Dubai's sporting events in history. Their legacy should give you a better idea of how different sports influenced Dubai. And how, in certain periods, Dubai played a major role in the international sports scene.
2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup
People are often surprised to hear that cricket is a big sport in the UAE. Well, it is true. Even though people from Western countries don't play a lot of cricket, people from Asia seem to love it. One of the biggest events held in cricket was the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. This event hosted sixteen international teams that played terrific games throughout the cup. In the end, South Africa beat Pakistan and the Man of the Series was awarded to captain Aiden Markram. The event sparked a larger interest for cricket in the UAE, which still holds strong to this day.
Some of the world's best cricket is played in Dubai.
Alt: Cricket players during a game.
2013 DP World Tour Championship
When thinking about golfing, Dubai usually isn't the first city that comes to mind. Well, that is if you are unaware of the 2013 DP World Tour Championship. Every golfing fan is aware of the European Tour that ends with a championship at Jumeriah Golf Estates in Dubai. Although the tournament originally began in 2009, it didn't take its true form for a couple of years. This is why 2013 is so important for golf in the UAE. It is the year in which DP World Tour Championship was truly set in motion.
2014 ONE Fighting Championship 19: Reign of Champions
Even though ONE FC is experiencing exponential growth in the MMA world, this was not always so. Not so long ago, ONE FC was still a developing organization, struggling to compete with giants like the UFC and Bellator. Luckily, they decided to focus their attention on Asia, and they soon found fans in almost every Asian country. So, the 2014 ONE Fighting Championship 19 was a big event. Both established fans and newcomers to MMA welcomed the first ONE FC fighting championship in Dubai and enjoyed some thrilling fights. Our favorite is the debut of Bellator Champion Ben Asker vs Nobutatsu Suzuki.
MMA is becoming bigger and bigger, especially in the UAE.
Alt: MMA fighters grappling in Dubai showing that the next ONE FC will be one of Dubai's biggest sporting events.
1981 Dubai Grand Prix
It is hard to describe the true importance of the 1981 Dubai Grad Prix. By today's standards, this pioneering event may look small and irrelevant. After all, almost all of the drivers were British and with a token Belgian driver that was brought in. So you can hardly call this an international event. But, it was precisely so. The coverage that the British televisions brought to the Grand Prix helped Dubai become a known phenomenon in the western world. Mind you, this was 1981. Even a brief study of Dubai history will show you that a lot has changed since then. And, by our estimate, this change was in no small part due to the 1981 Dubai Grand Prix. Which is why we mark it as one of Dubai's biggest sporting events.
Upcoming Dubai's biggest sporting events
Now that we are aware of some of Dubai's biggest sporting events, let us take a look at what is coming in the near future. Keep in mind that the sports scene and venues are constantly growing in Dubai, which is why this list should soon become bigger and bigger.
Dubai International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019
There is hardly a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fan that is unaware of the following that BJJ has in Dubai. It is truly a phenomenon of how this Brazilian sport became such a big deal in Dubai. So much so that there are thousands of both kids and adults that practice it regularly. This is why the Dubai International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship in December 2019 is going to be a big deal. Hundreds, if not thousands of competitors come every year. Due to this, there are usually some excellent matches, as the average skill level of competitors ends up being pretty high. And, who knows, we may even witness a future ONE FC champion trying their BJJ skills. The only thing we know is that the bigger ONE FC becomes, the more great athletes we are going to have in Dubai.
The Dubai International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship in December 2019 is bound to be one of Dubai's biggest sporting events.
Alt: Two BJJ fighters grappling on the ground.
Desert Warrior Challenge in Dubai 2020
Desert Warrior Challenge in Dubai is an event like no other. Dubai Warriors test their physical strengths, teamwork, and mental strength on various obstacle courses. And, as the organizers see it, Warriors can range from enthusiastic kids to hardcore athletes. So, if you are a fan of difficult obstacle courses, teamwork, and overall badassery, this is definitely an event you should check out.
Dubai World Cup 2020 (Horse racing)
The Dubai World Cup holds the record as having the biggest prize pool in the world with $35 million. This gorgeous event first has a carnival that has 10 meetings between January and March. Then, on March 28, the running of the Dubai World Cup starts. If you are a fan of horse racing or would like to see the true beauty of this ancient sport, you should book a ticket as soon as possible. This is truly one of Dubai's biggest sporting events to this day.
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Author bio:
Robert Hooker is a BJJ and fitness trainer, helping people grow both their martial arts skills and overall fitness. After working as one of the Dubai Personal Trainers for many years, he is more than capable of providing helpful input in all things regarding martial arts and sports.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
Oh wow, there are really many events to visit. I don't know why but I don't feel the true interest to anything of it. Of course, I watch some sports games but this is a rare occurrence. Even when I make bets, I prefer to have a look at https://www.horsetipstersreview.com/platform/tipstrr/ but not watch the games
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