The UAE Wrestling Federation’s maiden event was a shoutout to the future wrestling champions
Come, try,” says Hamad Al Jallaf, a 24-year-old Emirati who’s standing at a stall located at the recently held Al Hosn Festival where Emirati culture in all its guises is under the spotlight.
His stall is lodged between Salukis and falcons, two of the UAE’s symbols of heritage on display.
Wearing his traditional sportswear attire and noting my curiosity, Hamad explains the fundamentals of Motaraha, the sport he is representing, and lays the gauntlet down, challenging me, a 58-year-old, to wrestle him.
Arms across each other’s shoulders, our eyes meet and with feet firmly anchored in the sand, we go head-to-head, pushing each other with all our might, with the aim of ejecting one’s opponent beyond the lines of the circle drawn in sand.
Victoriously ousting Hamad, glory ensues – albeit short-lived.
After a short introduction to Motaraha, traditional Emirati wrestling that pays homage to the UAE’s rich culture and heritage, Hamad shares how the inaugural Union Wrestling Cup is to be held the very next day at Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arena, all under the watchful eye of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I vow to attend.
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The following morning, I am greeted at Mubadala Arena by officials who thrust the Motaraha kit into my arms, pointing to the changing rooms where I meet other wrestling hopefuls all decked out in ghutra, meggassar and wizar.
Still on a glorious high from my win the previous day, Hamad lets out a secret that temporarily bursts my bubble.
“I allowed you to win,” he reveals. “I wanted you to feel good and hoped it would coax you to come to the Union Wrestling Cup.”
Slightly deflated on hearing such a revelation, I remain undeterred.
Facing my opponent, an experienced 60-year-old, we stand with our feet firmly placed within the circle in the sand; arms locked over each other’s shoulders with one hand grabbing the meggassar.
Our eyes meet as we await the referee’s signal to commence. Slightly bruised, I lose 2:1, yet simultaneously feel honoured to have been part of the UAE’s sporting legacy through the first ever official Motaraha competition.
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“I was proud to introduce this heritage sport at Al Hosn Festival to festival goers such as you,” says Hamad, a recent engineering graduate. Also a professional fencer, he found his way to the UAE wrestling scene through his brother, whom he considers an athlete overall.
“Motaraha is a traditional sport that goes back in time,” Hamad says. “Initially it was a game that people enjoyed when gathering, using their ghutra tied around their waist to grab hold of their opponent, and push him out of the circle or down into the sand.”
The UAE Wrestling Federation’s maiden event was not just about the country’s seasoned wrestling professionals, but also a shoutout to the future wrestling champions, with the Federation turning the spotlight on youth empowerment and development, welcoming participants from all walks of life and nationalities.
Many of the competitors were representing Abu Dhabi Police and were competing for the first time, such as Omar Ali. “I have competed in boxing matches but never traditional wrestling, which I think is really unique,” says Omar.”
Also representing Abu Dhabi Police, Matar Almehairi, a keen sportsman, was hopeful to be part of the winning team, saying he thought that the actual wrestling would be easy. Meanwhile, Ali Al Zaabi was competing on recommendation from a good friend.
“He told me to come and try this sport. I’m really excited and, Insha’Allah, I will win today.”
Motaraha, which is strongly linked to Emirati heritage, was officially recognised by the United World Wrestling as one of the types of heritage wrestling.
The Union Wrestling Cup competitions witnessed good participation and received remarkable attendance from the public, especially school students looking to attend and explore the fights closely.
The Motaraha bouts showcased thrilling performances, with Ibrahim Rashid Suleiman Al Shamsi and Hazza Jaafar Abdulaziz Al-Jallaf dominating their respective categories. The Union Wrestling Cup not only celebrated athleticism but also highlighted the rich cultural tapestry of Emirati legacy.
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