A FAILED bid to bring boxing legend Mike Tyson to the Middle East has led to the region's first-ever unlimited full contact mixed martial arts event, which is set to take place as part of 'Raw Power Bahrain' from December 10 to 12 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis.

Event organiser and ITC Gulf vice-president Saleh Aldoub and his company had a deal in place to bring "Iron Mike" to Dubai for an exhibition fight in February, 2007. Tyson was set to take on an opponent of his camp's choosing, and the agreement was done and everything was in place.

Until December 29, 2006, that is. And then Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona in the US on suspicion of driving under the influence and felony drug possession.

"It was nearly done; we were only weeks away from bringing Mike Tyson to the region and showing him the huge fan base he has here," Aldoub recalls. "But it was ruined after his arrest. He could not leave the country, and as a business, we did not want to get involved in any legal proceedings to have him make it to our event." Dubai's loss would later become Bahrain's gain. With the fight called off, Aldoub and his team were left to search for alternative events. "That led us to Maurice Smith," remembers Aldoub.

Smith, a professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist, is a two-time heavyweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, more popularly known simply by its 'UFC' initials. He was approached about bringing a mixed martial arts event to the region, and he was quickly on board. Smith will be the top guest celebrity at 'Raw Power Bahrain'.

"Maurice is a great person. He's a living legend in the sport, and after a lot of studies and even more groundwork, and with his contacts, we were able to put something this big together. Now, we have 'Raw Power Bahrain'." Spearheaded by Aldoub's vision and commitment, 'Raw Power Bahrain' has been made possible by the united efforts of ITC Gulf, Muse Media Group and the Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation (BWBF).

'Raw Power Bahrain' brings together three popular disciplines that require discipline, strength, skill and supreme physical fitness. The first is unlimited full-contact mixed martial arts cage fighting which takes place on December 10, while the others are bodybuilding competitions and 'Men of Steel' contests, which will be held on December 11 and 12.

"An event like this, especially with mixed martial arts, has never happened here before," Aldoub stresses. "I love the sport, it has a huge following in the region, and since I am from here, it made complete sense for me to bring such an event to the Gulf and be the bridge between the East and the West.

"There's a huge demand for it not just in the Gulf, but also from people in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and other places - people who have already expressed their interest in coming to Bahrain for the event," says the Kuwaiti national, who now lives in the US and who also used to compete in bodybuilding.

'Raw Power Bahrain' will be held under the patronage of Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Aldoub says that without the support of Shaikh Nasser and BWBF president Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, the show would not have been possible.

"My idea started with just mixed martial arts, but they were also planning of doing something with bodybuilding and 'Men of Steel', so we came up with 'Raw Power Bahrain' to have it all under one event like a huge festival," Aldoub explains. "You could really see the passion that Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Abdulla had when we first thought of it. Their commitment and love for the sport was really number one for me, and from there we were not hesitant to do it here in Bahrain." Putting the event together had been a massive undertaking for Aldoub, ITC Gulf, Muse Media and the BWBF. All together, 'Raw Power Bahrain' is said to be the largest private investment for a single sporting occasion in the kingdom.

"We have put in close to $600,000 (BD226,200) for this, and that is no exaggeration," Aldoub reveals. "For the mixed martial arts event alone, a huge investment was needed. We had to build our own cage, or octagon, in the US and now have it shipped here. The transportation of the cage alone costs nearly $40,000 (BD15,000).

"Then we have the prize money for the fighters, bodybuilders and other contestants, which will all be paid in cash. And I know that the prize money is very generous.

"Every penny has come from us organisers. Unfortunately, we did not receive as much support from private companies as we were hoping, but we are certain that it will change the next time we hold this event after they see how grand this first one will be." Aldoub proudly states that the mixed martial arts fights, which will be eight in all on day one of 'Raw Power Bahrain', will be just as how fans have seen it on TV.

"The cage is exactly the same as the ones used in the States, in Japan and elsewhere. The referees are from the US, the emcee is from there, everything is just like a professional mixed martial arts event," he says.

"All our 16 fighters are professionals handpicked by Maurice, who himself will not be fighting. They are all some of the best in the sport, and it will no doubt be lots of high energy entertainment." Aldoub believes that the mixed martial arts fights in particular can send a positive message to local youth about controlling one's aggressiveness and not resorting to fighting or violence at times of conflict or inactivity.

"We intend for 'Raw Power Bahrain' to inform all young people that this sport does not intend to end up with people getting hurt. We want to educate them that it is a venue where you can go and release your feelings while being a more disciplined person," Aldoub says. "That's why it is called mixed martial arts; it is the art of fighting.

"We must show them that it is something you must respect and that it is not just about destroying the other person. If you've seen a match, at the end, each fighter goes to the other and shakes their hand." Aldoub also hopes that 'Raw Power Bahrain' can send a clearer and more accurate message to the West about the Middle East and its people.

"A lot of fighters and managers were afraid at first to come here, but I talked to them and told them it's not like what they see on TV. I want to send the message to the US that it is peaceful here, and to those involved in the sport that they have fans here who love them and that there is plenty of potential here for it to grow," Aldoub explains.

"Some people I've spoken to in Bahrain know even more about Maurice Smith than I do, and Maurice is my friend! Can you believe that?" Aldoub is pleased with the positive response on ticket sales so far, and he expects a packed house of more than 5,000 people each day at the venue.

"It's not just about making money," he says. "When you have a passion for it, you want to do whatever you can to get something like this done and give something to the community. That's what it's all about, and I am certain the fans will love what we will bring them." Tickets for 'Raw Power Bahrain' are now available at Virgin Megastores across the region, Aroma CafŽ, and at the customer service stations of BCC and Seef Mall. Tickets can also be bought online at rawpowerbh.com, where there is also further information about the event.