Cork's Flobater Fares set to make his professional MMA debut this week in Abu Dhabi

Cork's Flobater Fares has just recently signed a professional MMA contract with a promotion in Abu Dhabi.

He will be making his professional debut on June 12th at UAE Warriors against a Moroccan fighter live on UFC Fight Pass, and he is really looking forward to be making his debut on the biggest stage of his career to date.

Elobater is two-time Irish MMA champion.

He is a 2024 IMMAF European gold medalist, the IMMAF 2024 world bronze medalist and the Four Nations gold medalist, all at amateur level. 

He also became the first Irish MMA athlete to receive a sports scholarship at Munster Technological University (MTU) in 2022.

Fares, whose parents Samir and Sohair are originally from Egypt, moved to Ireland to start a new life for themselves over 20 years ago. 

They lived in Dublin for a few years before they moved to Leeside and that is where a new life for themselves and Flobater and his brother Abanoub.

The 21 year-old started out in the MMA when he joined a club as a 11 year-old boy, and now trains out of the Straight Blast Mixed Martial Arts Gym, Cork, which is based in the North Point Business Park. 

It is there that Flobater works under coaches Liam Og Griffin and his brother Abanoub, as he prepares for the biggest fight and the biggest moment of his career. 

He has been training hard for the last few months and is excited to represent Ireland and Cork on the biggest stage.

“I got into MMA when I was 11 years-old as I did not have a sports background and was just a shy kid from Cork City,” Flobater said.

“My parents came over from Egypt over 20 years ago and although I was born in Dublin, after a for a couple of years we moved to Cork, where I have now lived all my life since then.

“I have represented Team Ireland around the world since I have been 15 years old, and had some great success by winning two Irish championships, a Four Nations Championship, the 2024 IMMAF European gold medal, and also in 2024 the IMMAF world bronze medal. 

"I was the first MMA athlete in Ireland to receive Sport Scholarship MTU.

“My club SBG Cork is the key asset to my progress and achievements.

"My head coach Liam Og Griffin and my coach/brother Abanoub Fares help me try to achieve my goals and I am very grateful for their hard work and dedication to help me make my dreams come through.

“After achieving so much in the amateur game it was time to make this a full time career and my next fight will be my professional debut in Abu Dhabi on UAE Warriors live on UFC fight pass.

"For me, this is a dream come true. 

"I live for moments like these as a kid I always wanted to become a professional athlete. 

"Now I am."

Flobater has now being in training camp for the last few weeks where he has been training twice a day, six days a week. 

The biggest challenge for him is being without his family and friends, however, he knows it will be all worth it if he gets that all-important win in Abu Dhabi and kick starts his professional career in style.

“Some minor challenges going through fight camp would be that I train twice a day, six days a week and like not having time for friends and family is tough, but this is what I signed for and I would not change it.

“This will be my first professional fight on a big stage in an arena holding 3,000 people and it will be also live on UFC fight pass, so it is great that all my family and friends will be able to watch me on my big night.

“My short term goal at the moment is to slowly but surely keep fighting under UAE Warriors the promotion, and step by step take over the MMA in the Middle East winning titles and then my long term goal is to fight in the UFC.

“One of the driving forces behind me is my brother Abanoub.

"He has always helped me, both inside and outside of the cage and I would not be half the person I am today without him, and of course, my friends and family and team SBG Cork.

“My plan is to be the first Cork man to make the UFC, win a UFC Championship and my dream would be someday headline a UFC event in Cork City,” Fares added.