After hosting a spectacular inaugural event which made huge noise in Lebanon reaching international headlines, it looks like the already scheduled Phoenix 2 event has been put on hold until further MMA legislation.
Phoenix Fighting Championship, the first MMA and Muay Thai championship in Middle East, has shocked the combat sports world with their larger-than-life signings of some of the most notable and popular fighters in the world.
ArabsMMA was informed by Phoenix president, that the promotion will put its operations on hold until the issue related to legalization of MMA in lebanon is dealt with and the ban is lifted.
Phoenix President Chahe Yerevanian stated:
“It seems that the ministry of sport in Lebanon will ban all MMA events on Lebanese Territory. After the resignation of the former federation, with law suits against it, I have decided not to risk any illegal activities and not risk in investing more into the promotion.
Phoenix 2 will be postpoed until MMA is legalized again, either by an official ministerial decision or be re-activating a new MMA federation.”
Phoenix 2 was set to go down in April and mark the organization’s second fight night, topped by a Muay Thai fight between the legendary Saenchai and “The Magician” Azize Hlali. Other fighters were also announced on the card including local superstar Mohammad Ghorabi and Moise Rimbon, rumored to go up against a UFC veteran.
ArabsMMA will be reaching out to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Lebanon to get to the bottom of the facts behind this decision. Disorder and politics had always surrounded the Lebanese Mixed Martial Arts scene, but we will need to investigate and get more insight on what illegal activities resulted in the de-legalization, if so.
One thing is for sure, the Lebanese MMA market will not be happy if this takes time.
For now, Phoenix promotion is on hold until a legal MMA federation is created.
