So, what happened to the Desert Force Al Academia Season 1 participants?
As the Desert Force Al Academia Season 2 reality fight show is coming to an end on MBC Action, the hardcore fans of the show cannot help, but wonder about the first season as well! What ever happened to those guys who also gave a good performance and some entertaining fights in the first season ? Will they be fighting again in Desert Force anytime soon?
Al Academia season 1’s winners graduated from the show at both the welterweight and lightweight divisions to go on and dominate the Desert Force championship. Tarek Hamdi, the lightweight Al Academia show winner, went on to win the Desert Force 70 KG titles, beating Haider Rasheed in his own game via a rear-naked choke. Also, Mohammad Ghorabi has had 2 consecutive wins that have put him in perfect frame for his title shot on December 15 against the 77 KG champ, Aniss Hajajy.
However, Al Academia season 1 also made it’s mark with several other well-rounded fighters who also put on a great show, fighting with impressive technique and heart.
Elie El Rayess, who was favorite and the other Al Academia finalist at the lightweight 70 KG division, lost his match-up against Tarek Hamdi in the Al Academia finals, after actually delivering an eye-catching performance that showed the fight going his way before getting caught in a vicious armbar by Hamdi that caused El Rayess to tap.
Mohammad Ghorabi, who was one of the shows favorites at the welterweight 77 KG division as well who fought a back and forth fight against Izz Eldeen Belharchl. Though Izz had a series of fights that showed he was on a different platform and level, his intense Al Academia finals bout with Ghorabi ended in a TKO loss for the Moroccan.
Despite their loss, both these fighters made a memorable mark. Elie El Rayess is still arguably one of the top 5 lightweights to ever compete in Desert Force. Izz Eldeen Belharch was probably the most talented and scariest guy to fight on the show, ask anyone who was on it!
It will be good to see these guys in action once again. What do you think? Elie El Rayess versus the likes of Mohammad Yahya, for example? Izz Eldeen Belharch versus Bachir Mejri ? For any hardcore mixed martial arts fan, these are the kinds of high caliber fights that make you scratch your head and look forward for the battle.
We need to see izz vs majri !! It would one of the most intense fights of dfc !!