Anton Kuivanen says he is ‘one step ahead’ of Dan Moret ‘in every aspect’, ahead of UAE Warriors 9 bout

Finnish fighter confident of success against American in headline fight at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi

Dan Moret, left, and Anton Kuivanen ahead of their UAE Warriors bout on Friday at the Mubadala Arena. Pawan Singh / The National

FIGHT CARD

From 5.30pm in the following order:

Featherweight

Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 90kg

Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)

Welterweight

Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)

Flyweight (women)

Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)

Lightweight

Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)

Catchweight 100kg

Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)

Featherweight

James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)

Welterweight

Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)

Middleweight

Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)

Bantamweight:

Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)

Welterweight

Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)

Bantamweight

Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)

Lightweight

Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)

Middleweight

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)

Lightweight

Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)

Dan Moret and Anton Kuivanen are both aiming for their UAE Warriors debuts to boost their profiles when they headline the 15-fight card at the Mubadala Arena on Friday.

Moret is returning from three UFC defeats but a professional fight record of 13-6-0 (win, loss, draw) for a first time meeting with Kuivanen (26-11-0) in the lightweight category on the Warriors 9 card.

“It’s awesome to be here, and it’s an incredible place and I’m looking forward to fighting him and put up a show for the people here,” Moret, 33, said at the pre-fight press conference on Wednesday.