ArabsMMA had the chance to sit and talk with Mohamad Al Hosani who shared his feedback on the second season of Desert Force Al Academiya. Al Hosani became known as the “Arab Joe Rogan” because he was the commentator for BJJ events on TV in addition to being the first to commentate the UFC in Arabic when it was held in Abu Dhabi. Al Hosani also commentated on most Desert Force events airing on MBC Action. His continuous support for MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has helped both sports grow drastically in the region. Al Hosani:

The Good:

• Fight Settings. This season was far better than the last when it came to showing off Jordan’s landmarks and historical destinations. Having the cage set up in different surroundings was something cool and visually stunning. Can’t wait to see the show branch out of Jordan and explore other Arab countries.
• 3x3min Rounds. It was great differentiating between the fighters on the show and the pros on the main DF cards. I think the show should act as an internal feeder system for DF and it worked very nicely this time.
• No Tolerance for Unprofessional Behavior. Case in point: missing weight. If you miss weight as an amateur fighter, it doesn’t speak well for how you will conduct yourself as a professional.

The Bad:

• The Fights. Aside from a couple or more fights, this wasn’t a strong season inside the cage. But then again, the expectation level should be lower when watching Amateur MMA.
• Lack of Character Development. The show felt rushed. By the end of it, I didn’t feel I knew the fighters really well (except for the ones I saw fight elsewhere before). This is a crucial miss in most MMA reality shows so far (I am yet to finish watching Al Batal Season 2). The first season did very well in developing characters but I felt this season took a step back on that front.
• Fighters dropping out from the show without any reason. Everyone knew why the fighter from the UK dropped out (he didn’t want to cut his hair), but what about the UAE and Kuwaiti fighter? It was very weird to reach this stage of a show with this many eyeballs watching you, and just decide to quit?!

We would like to hear your thoughts as well. Share your own opinions on Al Academiya 2 in the comments section below!