Seyamand Rida is a 25-year-old professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter currently ranked #530 among pro men’s lightweights in Europe. Born in Norway with roots in Kalar, Kurdistan Region, he recently competed in the MEFC 6 Middleweight Championship in the UAE.

During the championship, Rida beat Turkish fighter Kemal Salih on July 3 at the Baynounah Club, Al Dhannah City in the UAE.

“My last match at MEFC was a professional bout – my second one – and I’m now 2-0. I won by technical knockout in the first round, finishing the fight in under two minutes. My opponent was a Turkish fighter who had been talking a lot of trash before the match. I didn’t say much in response – I just told him, ‘I’ll show you in the ring’,” he told Kurdistan Chronicle.

Rida started training in jiu-jitsu when he was 16 years old. “I fell in love with the sport right away. I had a lot of energy growing up and used to get into fights, so martial arts gave me the discipline and focus I needed. I began competing in grappling and had over 150 matches, winning many championships. In 2021, I made the switch to MMA and had my first official fight.

“I plan to fight again in September and will stay active, aiming to reach a major organization in a short time. I’m 100% committed to bringing the Kurdish flag to the biggest stage and letting the whole world know who we are.”

Recently, there has been a surge in the number of Kurdish boxers making their mark internationally – most notably German-Kurdish boxer Agit Kabayel, who won the WBC Interim World Heavyweight title in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“We Kurds have lived through war our whole lives, and as mountain people, fighting is in our blood,” Rida explained. “We are natural fighters, we just need the opportunity. And believe me, more is coming.”