MMA fighter Mostafa Neda ‘proud’ to represent Saudi Arabia, Arabs in New York

Ahead of his highly anticipated fight in New York’s Madison Square Garden, Saudi MMA fighter Mostafa Rashed Neda said he was most excited about representing the Kingdom internationally.

Neda will go head-to-head with American fighter Korey Kuppe on August 23 at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Playoffs.

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“I am most excited about representing Saudi Arabia in the PFL. I’m proud to represent Saudi Arabia and all Arabs in a league this big,” Neda told Al Arabiya English.

The PFL is the fastest growing MMA company and the second biggest MMA company on a global scale – only second to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The league sees fighters from over 20 countries face off against one another.

Fighting in the PFL brings its own set of experiences and challenges, said the fighter, who has been training up to three times a day in preparation for his big fight.

“I train differently than most fighters. I like to train with my own team in Saudi Arabia. I know my strengths and weakness, and they know them too,” he shared.

Saudi MMA fighter Mostafa Rashed Neda. (Supplied)

“MMA fighting is not just about being physically strong. It needs skills. It needs someone who is sly. It needs an incredible amount of intelligence,” he explained, adding that the sport requires just as much mental strength as physical strength.

The pressure is on Neda, who is not only a fighter but also the founder of and a trainer at Jeddah MMA.

Neda’s professional record and wins

As one of the most-recognized MMA fighters to come out of Saudi Arabia, the athlete also has a 7-2 professional record and a three-fight winning streak. The heavy-handed striker out of Jeddah has won four of his seven wins by way of knockout and has competed in BRAVE CF and UAE Warriors, two of the Middle East’s biggest promotions.

In the span of his career, the 34-year-old said he has seen a drastic change not only in the Kingdom’s investment in the sport, but also in its popularity among the public.

“Previously, people did not know much about MMA. There were no clubs that specifically focused on it, so the few fighters that existed had to fight with different clubs.”

Under the Ministry of Sport and the founding of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation, interest and investment in the sport has grown exponentially, Neda said.

He aims to open several branches of his club across the country and around the region to encourage more young athletes to pursue the sport.

“I hope to… there is not just one or two champions coming out of each Arab country. Right now, I can count them all on one hand, but I want to see more fighters representing the Arab world.”

“I am optimistic that, with the way things are going, we will have so many champions from different Arab countries.”

Neda said that young fighters who want to get into MMA must always focus on their goals and not succumb to challenges or injuries.

“You must have confidence in your ability. Today you may lose, but tomorrow you may win. Nothing is impossible,” he added.

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