DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇵 Nepal /Sports

How Youssef Wehbe and Soma Fight Club are pushing Rabindra Dhant and Yuki Angdembe to the pinnacle of MMA

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Elite Nepali MMA fighters Rabindra Dhant and Yuki Angdembe train at Bali's Soma Fight Club under the guidance of coach Youssef Wehbe.
  • Wehbe is selective about who trains at Soma, but has played a key role in shaping both fighters' careers.
  • Dhant's journey from construction laborer to top MMA fighter is highlighted as a remarkable success story, with Wehbe emphasizing his potential.

Soma Fight Club in Bali, Indonesia, is a highly selective training facility, and its head MMA coach, Youssef Wehbe, is known for being particular about the fighters he accepts. This selectivity is precisely why two of Nepal's elite MMA fighters, Rabindra Dhant and Yuki Angdembe, frequently credit Soma and Wehbe for their development both before and after their fights.

If you wanna try me, MF, I am gonna smash you. I whipped his ass.

— Youssef WehbeRecounting his initial rigorous training session with Yuki Angdembe.

When Angdembe and Dhant first arrived at Soma, they were immediately put through rigorous training. Wehbe recounted how Angdembe initially sought a different gym but decided to try Soma. Wehbe, in turn, pushed him hard, stating, 'If you wanna try me, MF, I am gonna smash you. I whipped his ass.' Now, five years after its opening, Soma has become a sought-after destination for MMA training globally and holds a special place among Nepali combat sports fans.

Now, I can’t get rid of him [Yuki].

— Youssef WehbeExpressing his continued involvement with Yuki Angdembe's training.

Wehbe, a former fighter known as 'The Silverback,' hails from Lebanon. He met Gianni Subba and Mike Ikilei, Soma's co-founders, while training at Bali MMA. Subba, of Nepali and Malaysian heritage, is a prominent flyweight martial artist. Subba first introduced Dhant to Wehbe, mentioning him to Wehbe while Dhant was fighting at ONE Championship.

Rabi was then fighting at ONE when Gianni told me about him.

— Youssef WehbeRecalling how he first heard about Rabindra Dhant.

Initially, Wehbe and Ikilei considered Dhant an average fighter. However, as Dhant progressed and proved himself in training and competition, Wehbe became increasingly impressed. He noted Dhant's significant improvement, stating, 'There is a guy, I won’t say the name, who beat Rabi to a pulp in the initial days. Now, Rabi goes toe to toe with him.' Dhant's inspiring journey from a construction laborer to Nepal's top MMA fighter is a testament to his dedication, with Wehbe urging him to seize the opportunities his life choices have presented.

Mike used to say he [Rabindra] is good. Okay. Average.

— Youssef WehbeDescribing the initial assessment of Rabindra Dhant's fighting skills.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog