Mounir Lazzez plans to celebrate his 25th birthday by pulverising his opponent at the Dubai Fighting Championship's Fight Night 2 this evening and propelling himself closer towards what he refers to as the "Olympic Games of mixed martial arts".
The Dubai-based Tunisian, like all serious fighters, harbours ambitions of competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Only here, he says, can you test yourself against the very best. Tonight's local bout in the octagonal cage against the Iranian Ashkhan Mehdrdadpor is merely the latest stepping stone to realising that dream.
"The UFC is where you really start to see a difference in your game; it's where the best of the best compete and I want to compete against them," said Lazzez, who won his first professional bout in June.
"I know I have to take small steps, but I know I want this and I will work harder, longer and be stronger to ensure I get there."
Lazzez is under no illusion that his hardest fight will not come in the octagon, but rather in gaining the exposure necessary as he tries to battle his way into the thoughts of Dana White, the president of UFC.
White has been to the Emirates several times and hosted UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, and Lazzez has several former training partners, befriended while living for three years in Montreal, who have gone to fight at the top level.
"I like to see my friends succeed and I want to be up there with them," he said. "That's big motivation for me. The UFC is the Olympics of MMA and I have the passion and the dedication.
"It's the only thing on my mind - to get there. But it's baby steps. I need to advance my skills and move at a level that I'm comfortable with."
His next step sees him headline tonight's 12-contest Fight Night 2 in Dubai. Although his quick defeat of Andy Cona, the British veteran, five months ago was Lazzez's first professional bout, he holds an undefeated record from his semi-professional bouts in Montreal.
"A lot of fighters try to jump before they can walk and that usually leads to failure on all aspects because they have beaten themselves mentally before they've even walked into the cage," he said. "I don't want to be a fighter with more losses than wins.
Nicknamed the Sniper, Lazzez was born in Sfax, a western port city of Tunisia, and raised by strict parents who taught him to never raise a hand in anger unless in self-defence.
People in his neighbourhood would refer to him as "a good boy" and he was rarely a young man looking for trouble. Aggression was not part of his character.
One afternoon however, he was walking home when he passed a kick-boxing academy run by Imed Mathlouthi, the former Tunisian world kick-boxing champion.
"I became mesmerised by the training," Lazzez said. "I ran home, grabbed my shorts, a T-shirt and some old boxing gloves that my dad had bought me a long time ago and went back that same day."
The response was not what Lazzez had expected. "The coach just chuckled at my gloves; they were really old," he said.
"He told me to come to the gym the next day at noon and I remember being so excited that night. I woke up very early and was the first one in the class. I fell in love with kick-boxing that very day and never stopped training."
After several amateur kick-boxing fights in his homeland, he made his professional debut in 2009 in Serbia, winning and qualifying for the world championships. A year later he was living in Montreal and fighting semi-professional MMA and by 2012 he was in the UAE working with Dubai Police and dreaming of a meeting with Dana White's representatives.
"I usually train anywhere between seven to 10 times each week: two or three sessions a day, a morning run or strength and conditioning and then in the evening I train either Muay Thai, wrestling or jiu-jitsu," he said.
The hard work is paying off. Since Lazzez's impressive victory over Cona, where he took him out with a knee to the face followed by a hammer fist while on the ground - "the most gratifying feeling ever" - he has taken silver at the Ramadan Games, gold at the Contender Grappling Challenge and gold in the Arab Grappling challenge. He also won bronze in the Asian Open Cup.
Such facts would indicate, on his 25th birthday, the passive "good boy" who grew up in Sfax, has developed into an angry and aggressive young man. Lazzez dismisses such an inference.
"I would never hurt someone intentionally. I don't like fighting in the streets or brawling for no reason. But in the cage … of course," he said. "When you step into the ring with me, you're in my backyard now and I will rip you apart in my backyard.
"I always see it like this. The guy on the other side of the cage is trying to take my job away. He's trying to take my dream from me and I can't let him do that."
Lazzez's dream continues tonight.
Fight Night 2 starts at 7pm at Habtoor Grand Hotel and features 12 bouts. The final hour of the event will be broadcast live on Dubai Sports. Lazzez fights last.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Event details
What: Twelve fights, including Mounir Lazzez v Ashkhan Mehdrdadpor
Where: Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai
When: Doors open at 6pm, action starts at 7pm
Tickets: Prices start at Dh200 and are available at Virgin Megastores.
Visit www.dubaifc.ae
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
%3Cp%3ECreated%20by%3A%20Darren%20Star%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Lily%20Collins%2C%20Philippine%20Leroy-Beaulieu%2C%20Ashley%20Park%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%202.75%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
