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Some of the strongest men in the world will fight it out in a caged arena in Bahrain as part of an international battle of the brawn.
This awesome display of 'raw power' will be one of the major attractions of a three-day extreme sporting contest held for the first time in the kingdom.
Held under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Raw Power show is set to thrill and excite with displays of mixed martial arts (MMA), bodybuilding and tests of strength by world renowned 'men of steel'.
Also known as no-holds-barred fighting, MMA is a combat sport that mixes techniques from different martial arts, Greco-Roman wrestling, boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
This ground-breaking project, organised by the International Trade Consultants (ITC Gulf), Muse Media and Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation (BWBF), will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) from December 10-12.
Bridging the gap between East and West, Kuwaiti Saleh Aldoub, vice president of ITC Gulf, an international business consulting firm based in Seattle, Washington, US, will be bringing 16 global fighters of different weight categories, an octagon arena and international referees to put on an intense, nail-biting show.
Legendary American UFC and Pride fighter, Maurice Smith, will also be present to hand-pick all the MMA fighters as well as carefully selecting the match-ups.
Aldoub told GulfWeekly that his aim is to put Bahrain on the entertainment map and create new devotees to combat sport.
He said: "Maurice and I had put together the idea in the US and we thought why not bring it to Bahrain once we heard that Shaikh Nasser was a huge fan of MMA and bodybuilding.
"I found a lot of support from Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, president of the BWBF and Mohammed Al Tawil the president of Muse Media, which made Bahrain the ideal venue for such an intense event.
"Our website alone has had 15,000 hits since we announced the event. Ultimate fighting has a huge fan base in the Middle East and all over the world. We are expecting a large turn-out and we will not disappoint.
"I want people to know that this part of the world is fun and peaceful. I want to destroy stereotypes and show that this region is filled with exciting entertainment and talented individuals. Let's harness it."
An agreement was also signed recently making Elite Hospitality the official hotelier for all who are involved in the full-contact cage fighting competition.
Eight contests will take place on day one of the tournament with doors opening at 3pm and the last fight will be staged at 11pm.
Aldoub added: "We were hoping to have a local fighter up against one of our American boys but we didn't think we had given them enough time to train.
"With the success of this event, we are hoping to make this an annual tournament - which will give the regional fighters a chance to compete in the future.
"We believe there is a lot of talent in the Gulf, so let's just build the proper facilities for them and bring them to centre stage. I would continue this event in Bahrain because I find the kingdom to be very friendly and business savvy."
Day two and three will feature the 'strongest man' competition, also known as 'Men of Steel' and the International Bodybuilding Championship.
It will consist of power house contenders participating in a series of heats of varying disciplines, displaying brute strength and skill by pulling small trucks, dead-lifting cars and carrying incredibly heavy objects.
Also, global and regional competitors will flex their perfectly toned physiques in an attempt to obtain the title of International Bodybuilding champion.
Men of Steel starts at 10am outside the BIECC ending at 3pm, followed by the bodybuilding show at 4pm that will carry on until 9.30pm.
Shaikh Abdulla said: "This is the first time an event of this magnitude is being staged in Bahrain. We wanted to bring something new to the kingdom and we are extremely happy with the fact that it will be held under the patronage of Shakih Nasser."
Tickets are now available at Virgin Megastores in City Centre, Aroma CafŽ in Seef, the Navy Base and online at www.rawpoerbh.com.
Ticket prices vary from BD5 to BD75. For further information, contact 17241717.
