{"id":2337,"date":"2016-12-20T00:39:12","date_gmt":"2016-12-20T00:39:12","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2016-12-20T00:39:12","modified_gmt":"2016-12-20T00:39:12","slug":"watch-this-south-asian-wrestling-competition-for-free-in-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/en\/feature\/watch-this-south-asian-wrestling-competition-for-free-in-dubai\/","title":{"rendered":"You Can Watch This South Asian Wrestling Competition For Free In Dubai"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ever driven past the Deira fish market towards the Hyatt Regency Dubai on a Friday evening and wondered what the crowd (and commotion) was all about? We\u2019ll tell you.<\/p>\n

Just before sunset, the empty patch of land is used as a wrestling rink for traditional Kushti fighters (the sub-continent\u2019s equal of MMA fighters), many of whom have come to Dubai to work as labourers.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d be surprised to know these weekly competitions, which can be watched FOC, gather an audience of around a few hundred men, with some travelling a long way to witness the action.<\/p>\n

The sandy arena sets the stage for the fight which begins with an old man summoning participants to come forward. Crowds cheer as contestants are matched to their partners. They then\u00a0change into bright coloured underwear before the referee signals for the match to begin. Claps and the\u00a0bagpiper’s tunes set the background score. Locks, throws, submission holds follow for the next few minutes until one partner is pinned down and the winner is announced.<\/p>\n