Global ONE Championship Features Moroccan Sniper Mehdi Jemari
Moroccan champion Mehdi Jemari is preparing for his return to the spotlight at the ONE Championship, where he will participate in his second fight within the world’s largest mixed martial arts organization. Jemari will face Thai opponent Aleef Surdisapan in an explosive matchup in the strawweight category of Muay Thai during "ONE Fight Night 32," set to take place on June 6 at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
After a standout debut last month that resulted in a decisive victory, Jemari is eager to build on this momentum and assert his claim to contend for the world title. He is also motivated to avenge his older brother Zakaria, who suffered a crushing knockout defeat to the same opponent last year.
Mehdi comes from a close-knit Moroccan family that instilled in him the values of mutual support and family loyalty. His father was the sole provider for the family, while his mother managed the household.
What sets the Jemari family apart is their deep passion for martial arts, with older brother Mohamed guiding his younger siblings towards this path after he had to stop training due to an injury. Over time, Zakaria passed the torch to Mehdi, who began his initial training at home at the age of eight.
Mehdi recounts a funny incident that changed the course of his career. When Zakaria took him to the training hall to watch, he found himself wearing gloves and sparring with another child. When the coach returned from a break and noticed Mehdi’s impressive performance, he insisted on having the young boy join the daily training.
From that moment on, Jemari became a fixture at the gym, honing his skills until he emerged as one of the most promising talents in Muay Thai.
For Mehdi, martial arts were more than just a sport or hobby; they provided an escape from a life surrounded by crime and drugs. Speaking to onefc.com, he said: “Martial arts saved me from a lot. I lived in a dangerous neighborhood filled with drugs; the sport kept me away from bad company and delinquency.”
Due to his discipline, Jemari participated in over 100 amateur fights, capturing local and continental titles, including the Moroccan Muay Thai champion title seven times, African champion twice, and Arab champion twice.
After obtaining his high school diploma, Mehdi enrolled in an economics college but later decided to drop out and travel to the United Arab Emirates to focus on his professional career.
His greatest reward came last April when he received an invitation to compete in ONE Championship, achieving a stunning knockout victory against Thai fighter Tongbun at Lumpinee Stadium—the very place he had always dreamed of fighting.
Reflecting on that moment, he said: “The biggest moment of my career was my first fight in ONE Championship. I had dreamed of participating in a bout at Lumpinee since childhood, and I used to watch its matches on YouTube. Walking towards the ring there was the most amazing moment of my life.”
Today, Mehdi Jemari stands on the brink of a new battle, driven by a legitimate ambition to claim a world title and a deep desire to redeem his brother Zakaria. Balancing nostalgia for the past with a focus on the future, the Moroccan sniper continues his path confidently towards the top, representing his country and people on the highest platforms of glory in the world of martial arts.
