‘I’ll finish him in the first round’
A Cork MMA fighter making his professional debut in Abu Dhabi today has said he doesn’t expect his opponent to last a single round.
Flobater Fares, 21, will step into the cage with Moroccan fighter Hafid Bendari shortly after 5pm Irish time on Thursday.
The fight is part of a UAE Warriors event and will be aired live on UFC Fight Pass.
Fares, who is from the Turner’s Cross area of Cork city and studies business at MTU, is a two-time Irish MMA (mixed martial arts) champion and the first ever Irish MMA athlete to receive a sports scholarship to a university.
In 2024, he took gold at the IMMAF European Championships and bronze at the IMMAF World Championships.
“This is something that I've dreamed of as a kid,” said Fares who took up MMA in Cork city ten years ago in the footsteps of his big brother, Abanoub.
“Having the opportunity to fly around the world and make my professional debut is something that I'm really grateful to do.
“It's not that it's been a six or ten week camp that I've been doing for this professional fight; I've been training my whole life for this,” he said.
Fares describes his opponent as “well-rounded”, but the Cork man is confident that he is the better fighter and that the fight won’t see a second round.
“I just feel that wherever this fight goes, I'm just much better, and every second of this fight I'll be looking to finish him, and I believe I will finish him in the first round,” he said.
With such an important fight looming, Fares said he is able to stay calm and focused thanks to the amazing team he has around him, including Liam Og Griffin at his home gym SBG Cork, and his manager Wissam Abi Nader of SMP Management. The biggest figure of inspiration in his life, however, is his brother Abanoub.
He said: “My big brother Abanoub Fares Is such a big aspect for my whole career. He's been pushing me for all of my life whether it's inside or outside the cage.
“When I was 11 years old, I was a shy kid from Cork city. I wouldn't speak to anyone, I was just very shy, no confidence. My brother was doing MMA at the time and I just followed into his footsteps and ever since I stepped into SBG Cork, I just really enjoy the environment. I just love the sport, even when it breaks me and I lose some fights, I still love the sport,” added Fares.
Fares will graduate from MTU this year and said it was difficult to balance his studies with his training and social life.
“Something I always say to myself is that I've chosen this life; I've chosen to be a professional athlete. If I can't meet up with friends – it is what it is. I've chosen this life,” he said.
A win this evening would be a huge boost for Fares’ professional ambitions and his family and friends will all be watching on from Kelly’s Bar in Cobh this evening where the fight will be shown.
“I'm really grateful for the team I have, the friends and family I have. I wouldn't be anywhere without the people I have around me,” he said.
Flobater Fares makes his professional MMA debut this evening at UAE Warriors live on UFC Fight Pass from 5pm.