Following the official press conference announcing QUINTET 5 in Dubai this October, regional promoter and MMA veteran Tarek Suleiman shared his thoughts on the event, the format, and why the UAE is the perfect launchpad for a new chapter in team-based grappling.

“We’re expecting a new era for grappling — a new format, a new flavor of team competition,” Suleiman told reporters after the event. “It’s 5 vs 5. Twenty athletes split across four teams. The matches are going to be epic.”

Unlike traditional grappling formats, QUINTET emphasizes fast-paced action and team strategy. One of the most unique rules that stood out to Suleiman during his own experience competing in the format? You can’t close your guard for more than three seconds.

“That one rule changes everything,” he said. “There’s no stalling in Quintet. You’re always hunting for the submission. If you don’t tap your opponent, you’re both out. That kind of pressure forces non-stop action and smarter tactics from both fighters and coaches.”

Describing the competition as “a chess match for both the athletes and the coaches,” Suleiman emphasized the level of preparation and team structuring required to succeed.

“You need to plan every step. Who goes first, who anchors, what matchups work in your favor — it’s strategy on another level.”

Why the UAE?

Suleiman also spoke at length about why the United Arab Emirates was chosen as the starting point for QUINTET’s expansion into the Middle East and North Africa.

“The UAE has built an incredible ecosystem for athletes to train and compete,” he explained. “But it’s also a fertile ground for entrepreneurship and global growth. You have government support, top-level infrastructure, and jiu-jitsu is literally part of the national fabric. There are gyms in every neighborhood. Grappling lives here.”

He pointed out that the synergy between Japan’s martial arts heritage and the UAE’s forward-thinking environment made the region a natural fit for the innovative QUINTET format.

“We’re building a bridge between tradition and the future — the legacy of Japanese grappling, and the visionary sports culture of the UAE.”

QUINTET 5 will take place on October 23, 2025, in Dubai, featuring teams from across the region. It will mark the first official QUINTET event in the MENA region, with plans already underway to expand into a full-fledged league.