Origins as Abu Dhabi Warriors (2012-2018)
The promotion was established in 2012 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, under the name Abu Dhabi Warriors. Its inaugural event, Abu Dhabi Warriors 1, took place on November 2, 2012, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. In its early years the organization staged a limited number of cards in the UAE and pursued international exposure through a series of "Road to Abu Dhabi Warriors" qualifier and showcase events held abroad, including in Thailand (2015 and 2016), Bulgaria (2016), Malaysia (2016), and Brazil (2016). This period laid the groundwork for the promotion's later regional ambitions while the brand remained relatively small in scale.
Relaunch and rebranding under Palms Sports (2019)
In January 2019 the promotion was relaunched under the management of Palms Sports, an Abu Dhabi-based sports and services company whose broader portfolio spans jiu-jitsu development, education, security, and fitness. After a successful fifth edition of the Abu Dhabi Warriors series, Palms Sports rebranded the championship as "UAE Warriors" in March 2019, citing a desire for a more inclusive, national identity and growing popularity. Fouad Darwish, CEO and managing director of Palms Sports, took on leadership of the promotion. The relaunch coincided with a period of rapid growth for combat sports in Abu Dhabi, which would go on to host the UFC's "Fight Island" events in 2020 and 2021, raising the emirate's international profile as an MMA destination.
Regional growth and the divisional era (2019-2023)
Following the rebrand, UAE Warriors expanded into one of the most active MMA organizations in the Middle East, hosting events frequently throughout each year and drawing fighters from more than 100 countries. To broaden its talent base and regional appeal, the promotion introduced dedicated championship divisions: the UAE Warriors Arabia series, focused on fighters from the Arab world, began in 2021, and the UAE Warriors Africa series launched in February 2022. Cards were frequently staged as multi-night double-headers, allowing the organization to crown titles across numerous men's and women's weight classes from flyweight up to heavyweight.
Modern era and global expansion plans (2024-present)
By the mid-2020s UAE Warriors had positioned itself as the largest MMA promotion in the region, holding dozens of numbered events and continuing to run regular cards in Abu Dhabi, including at venues such as the Space42 Arena. In January 2025 the organization announced a five-year expansion strategy, with CEO Fouad Darwish outlining plans to host overseas events in other Arab cities before broadening into Europe and potentially the United States by 2030. The promotion has functioned as a regional proving ground and feeder circuit, with several of its competitors and Middle Eastern prospects progressing to larger international organizations, including the UFC.