Amman, Nov. 15 (Petra) -- Jordan Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Week attracted nearly 5,000 spectators, including visitors representing 51 nationalities, and generated a digital reach exceeding 73 million users, boosting the Kingdom's tourism profile and its standing as a destination for international sporting events.
Organizers told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the event went beyond sporting competition, serving as a platform to promote Jordan's tourism and cultural heritage while demonstrating its logistical capabilities, security infrastructure and capacity to host major international events.
Tournament founder Zaid Mirza said the event generated direct economic and tourism benefits in Amman, increasing hotel occupancy through visiting delegations, fighters and guests, while boosting demand for transportation, restaurants, hospitality services and sightseeing tours.
He added that food, beverage and local product vendors at the Hashemite Plaza also benefited from increased activity during fight night.
Mirza said ticketing data showed that approximately 20% of the nearly 5,000 spectators came from outside Jordan, representing 51 nationalities. The tournament's cumulative social media reach exceeded 73 million users, while its videos recorded approximately 38 million views, extending its exposure well beyond Jordan.
On the sporting front, Mirza said the event created new opportunities for Jordanian fighters, with four competing on fight night and three securing victories.
Two fighters, Zaki Kayali and Abdullah Jawish, made their professional debuts, while international managers expressed interest in representing Jordanian athletes and helping them compete internationally.
Mirza also highlighted praise from internationally renowned coach Javier Mendez, who has trained world champions Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, for the enthusiasm of Jordanian children and young people for mixed martial arts.
Mendez viewed this early interest as a promising sign for the development of future champions, Mirza said.
The event also created direct employment opportunities for young Jordanians in event management, photography, video editing and digital content production, alongside indirect opportunities in hospitality and other service industries.
Abdulrahman Husseini, founder of Makana 360, one of the tournament's organizers, said selecting the Roman Theater in downtown Amman as the venue was intended to connect the sporting event with Jordan's historical and cultural identity.
The second-century landmark provided an archaeological setting for the international competition, complemented by traditional Jordanian performances, including dabke, dahiyya and Circassian folklore, as well as Nabataean and Roman costumes.
Husseini said the week's activities were designed to combine sports and tourism, beginning with open training sessions along the Dead Sea waterfront, followed by weigh-ins at the Amman Citadel and culminating in the fights at the Roman Theater.
The program aimed to introduce participants and international audiences to Jordan's archaeological and tourism attractions and encourage future visits.
He said the attendance of international celebrities, including boxing legend Mike Tyson, Brazilian football star Ronaldinho and Turkish actor Engin Duzyatan, helped expand the tournament's reach across the United States, Brazil, Europe, Türkiye, Russia, India, China and Gulf countries.
Jordanian photographers were assigned to document the celebrities' visits to attractions across the Kingdom, including Tyson's trip to Petra, generating additional international exposure for Jordan's tourism destinations.
The tournament was broadcast on Jordan Television, MBC Action and the Shahid streaming platform.
He added that staging 14 fights before nearly 5,000 spectators in central Amman, in coordination with security authorities, demonstrated Jordan's organizational capabilities and the effectiveness of its institutions in hosting and securing major international events.
//Petra// AJ
