While the UFC made its first trip to the United Arab Emirates all the way back in 2010, it has only been within the last decade that the Persian Gulf region has become a hot bed for mixed martial arts activities, with the Kingdom of Bahrain quickly establishing itself as one of the leaders in this expansion and growth.
From establishing the KHK Fight Team and forging an amateur system designed to cultivate talent to running events under the Brave Combat Federation banner, Bahrain has been building towards being a powerhouse on the MMA landscape for a number of years, and now individuals developed through that infrastructure are beginning to turn up on the biggest stages in the sport, including the UFC Octagon.