International Mixed Martial Arts Federation
The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) was founded on 29 February 2012 as the international governing body for amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Registered as a non-profit organisation under Swedish law, IMMAF serves as a democratic hub for national MMA federations and supports the growth of regulation and sport safety globally by aiding countries in the formation of federations where none exist.[3] IMMAF launched with support of market leader, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[4][5][6] The UFC is among promotions sanctioned by federations under the IMMAF umbrella in countries that include Brazil and Sweden.[7][8][9][10]
 | |
| Abbreviation | IMMAF |
|---|---|
| Formation | February 29th 2012 |
| Purpose | Mixed martial arts sanctioning organization |
Region served | Worldwide |
President | Kerrith Brown[1][2] |
| Website | www |
Amateur vs. professional level athletes
The IMMAF considers an athlete to be on a professional level and thus not eligible for participation if he or she meets any one of the following criteria:
- holds a Pro MMA or professional combat sports license issued by any sanctioning body
- is under contract with a professional MMA or professional combat sport promotion
- has received a fee for participating in an MMA or professional combat sports match
- has participated in a professional MMA match under the Unified Rules of MMA or equivalent in the country where the bout took place
- has competed against an opponent with a Pro MMA record at the time the bout took place
- has a professional MMA fight record published anywhere
- National amateur criteria do not hold for IMMAF international competition if it does not conform to the above stipulations
Amateur MMA rules
Compulsory equipment
- Competition gloves
- Competition shin guards
- Competition shorts made in a durable material and designed in such a way that they can't inflict injury on either one of the contestants
- Mouthpiece
- Competition top or rashguard (women only)
- Protective groin cup (optional for women, compulsory for men)
- Protective chest gear (optional for women, not applicable for men)
- Knee protection (optional)
- Ankle protection (optional)
Unauthorized techniques
The same from the Unified Rules of MMA plus:
- Elbow and forearm strikes of any kind
- Heel hook
- Twisters/Sit through crucifix and/or any submission deemed as applying pressure to the spine
- Knees to the head at any point
Length of the match
- A match shall contain three (3) rounds.
- A round shall last three (3) minutes.
- The round break shall last sixty (60) seconds
Suspension
A contestant who was knocked out as a result of a blow to the head, or whose match was stopped by the judge because of several tough blows to the head which have made him/her defenseless and unable to continue, shall be suspended from competition and sparring matches.
Suspension periods starting from the day of the latest match:
- One (1) knockout: Minimum four (4) weeks suspension
- (2) knockouts during a period of three (3) months: Minimum three (3) months suspension.
- Three (3) knockouts during a period of twelve (12) months: Minimum twelve (12) months suspension.
Listed suspension periods are minimum periods and can be extended at the physician's discretion.
In the event that a match was not stopped the physician still has the right to decide on a suspension if he/she deems it necessary due to the contestant having received many tough blows to the head
Members
PAN AMERICA[11]
- Bahamas - Empire Mixed Martial Arts Bahamas
- Brazil - Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission / Comissão Atlética Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA)
- Canada - Canadian Combat Alliance
- Colombia - Asociación Colombiana de Artes Marciales Mixtas OCAMM
- El Salvador - Federacion Salvadoreña de Kickboxing & MMA / Salvadorean Kickboxing & MMA Federation (presiding over Commission Salvadoreña de Artes Marciales Mixtas / Salvadorean Mixed Martial Arts Commission)
- Mexico - Federacion de Artes Marciales Mixtas Equidad y Juego Limpio
- Paraguay - Federacion Paraguaya de Kick Boxing Muay Thai & MMA
- Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad and Tobago Mixed Martial Arts Federation (TNT MMAF)
- United States of America - USA Mixed Martial Arts Federation
ASIA
- IRAN - IRAN MMA Association
- The Kingdom of Bahrain - Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- China - China International Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- India - MMA India[12]
- Japan - Japan MMA Federation JMMAF (pending formal name change from Japan MMA License JML)
- The Hasemite Kingdom of Jordan - The Jordan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (undergoing formal separation of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu & Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Jordan)
- Kazakhstan - Kazakhstan Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Lebanon - Lebanese MMA Committee
- Malaysia - Malaysia Mixed Martial Arts Association MASMMAA
- Nepal - Nepal National Martial Art Games Confederation (pending registration of subsidiary National MMA federation)
- Pakistan - Mixed Martial Arts Pakistan (PAKMMA)
- Singapore - Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Singapore (MMAFS)
- Tajikistan - Mixed Martial Arts Federation of the Republic of Tajikistan
- Thailand - Thai Mixed Martial Art's Federation (TMMAF)
EUROPE
- Austria - Austrian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Albania - Albanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan Mixed Martial Arts League
- Belgium - Belgian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Bulgaria - Bulgarian Federation of Mixed Martial Arts
- Czech Republic - Mixed Martial Arts Association Czech Republic
- Denmark - Danish Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Estonia - Estonian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Finland - Finnish Mixed Martial Arts Federation / Suomen Vapaaotteluliitto ry
- France - Commission Française de Mixed Martial Arts (pending name change from Commission National de Mixed Martial Arts)
- Germany - German Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Georgia - National Federation of MMA Georgia
- Greece - Panhellenic Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PMMAF) / Πανελλήνια Ομοσπονδία ΜΜΑ (Π.Ο.ΜΜΑ)
- Hungary - Hungarian Premium MMA League
- Iceland - Individual Member (pending formation of a federation)
- Ireland (Northern Ireland) - Ulster Amateur MMA Association
- Ireland (Republic of Ireland) - Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association (IMMAA)
- Italy - Federazione Italiana Grappling Mixed Martial Arts / Italian Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts Federation (FIGMMA)
- Lithuania - Lithuanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation / Lietuvos MMA Federacija (pending registration)
- Luxembourg - Fédération Luxembourgeoise de MMA (FLMMA)
- Norway - Norwegian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Poland - Polish Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PLMMAF)
- Portugal - Portuguese MMA Athletic Commission / Comissão Atlética Portuguesa de MMA (CAPMMA)
- Romania - Romanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation (pending registration by board members of club AGON)
- Russia - MMA Federation of Russia (MMAFR)
- Spain - Spanish Federation of Olympic Wrestling and Associated Disciplines /Federación Española de Luchas Olímpicas y Disciplinas Asociadas
- Sweden - Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Switzerland - Swiss Mixed Martial Arts Federation
- Turkey - Turkey Martial Arts & Self Defence Federation
- Ukraine - All Ukrainian Federation of Free-fight, Single Combat and Mixed Martial Arts
- United Kingdom - UK MMA Federation
OCEANIA
- Australia - International Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Australia
- New Zealand - New Zealand Mixed Martial Arts Federation
AFRICA
- Cameroon - National League Mixed Martial Arts Cameroon (NLMMAC)
- Egypt - The Egyptian MMA Committee
- Ghana - Ghana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GHAMMAF)
- Mauritius - Mixed Martial Arts Federation Mauritius
- Nigeria - Dynamite Fighting Championship Africa (DFC Africa)
- The Seychelles - The Seychelles Mixed Martial Arts Association
- South Africa - Mixed Martial Arts South Africa
Championships
2014 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA
The first IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA were held between 29 June and 5 July 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada (U.S.).[13] The tournament took place over four days at Cox Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with the finals taking place inside the UFC Fan Expo at Mandalay Bay on 5 July.[13][14]
Medalists
Men
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Heavyweight | Wessel Mostert South Africa |
Nicolo Bonati Romania |
Leroy Johnson.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Canada |
N/A |
| Heavyweight | Hans Lackner Austria |
Marcin Kalata Poland |
Riini Apo New Zealand |
Alexander Pärleros Sweden |
| Light Heavyweight | Alessio Di Chirico Italy |
Eivind D. S. Kjonsvik Norway |
Aaron Wallace Ireland |
Karol Linowski Poland |
| Middleweight | Mikkel Kasper Denmark |
Gard Olve Sagen Norway |
Raymond Gray United States |
Daniel Cassell United Kingdom |
| Welterweight | Aleksi Nurminen Finland |
Josh Stacey Mcmanus United Kingdom |
Joachim Tollefsen Norway |
Zach Fears United States |
| Lightweight | Jose Mariscal United States |
Jimmie Jensen Sweden |
Charlie Day United Kingdom |
Guillaume Bletio France |
| Featherweight | Jari Illikainen Finland |
Joel Moya Sweden |
Jordan Chester United Kingdom |
Salvatore Liga.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium |
| Bantamweight | Jose Torres United States |
Bohdan Holovatyi Ukraine |
Carl Burton United Kingdom |
Liridon Ramani Belgium |
| Flyweight | Carlos Hernandez United States |
Kristian Lindstrøm Skogmo Norway |
Saku Ronkainen Finland |
Petko Italy |
Women
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight | Amanda Lino South Africa |
Jill Holmström Sweden |
Andrea Whitney United States |
Florence Bethert France |
| Bantamweight | Sarah Jamila Denmark |
Aleksandra Milczarek Poland |
Lucrezia Ria Italy |
Nicole Brown United States |
| Flyweight | Amanda Ribas Brazil |
Gabriella Ringblom Sweden |
Micol Di Segni Italy |
N/A |
| Strawweight | Daniela Kortmann Germany |
Rachelle Abou Abdallah Lebanon |
N/A | N/A |
2015 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA
The 2015 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA took place at Las Vegas, Nevada (USA), as the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) returned for the tournament's second year.
The 2015 Championships took place during the fourth annual UFC International Fight Week, from Monday, July 6 to Saturday, July 11, 2015. The fan experience was billed as the world's largest mixed martial arts celebration, guaranteeing high-energy, all-star entertainment and concluding with a weekend of action-packed fights including UFC 189 on July 11.
Medalists
Men
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Heavyweight | Kevin Szaflarski Poland |
Mokhammad Malagov Kazakhstan |
Vlad Mavrodin Romania |
N/A |
| Heavyweight | Zdenek Ledvina Czech Republic |
Travis Edwards United States |
Marcin Kalata Poland |
Allan Guichard France |
| Light Heavyweight | Saeid Mirazaei Canada |
Tencho Karaenev Bulgaria |
Paolo Anastasi Italy |
Denis Perry Northern Ireland |
| Middleweight | Brendan Allen United States |
James Duckett United Kingdom |
Imad Alhowayeck Lebanon |
Juho Laitinen Finland |
| Welterweight | William Starks United States |
Alexander Martinez Canada |
Patryk Ruta Poland |
Jake Constantinou United Kingdom |
| Lightweight | Josh Ellis United Kingdom |
Tuukka Repo Finland |
Davide Gregorio La Torre Italy |
Joeshwa Mortada Lebanon |
| Featherweight | Frans Mlambo Ireland |
Joel Moya Sweden |
Yurii Bosyi Ukraine |
Nicolas Ott France |
| Bantamweight | Jose Torres United States |
Nurtilek Konashov Kazakhstan |
Carl McNally Northern Ireland |
Marco Zannetti Italy |
| Flyweight | Iurie Bejenari France |
Sedar Altas Sweden |
Braydan Graham New Zealand |
Sambath Khun Canada |
Women
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight | Jamie Herrington Canada |
Sinead Kavanagh Ireland |
Julia Dorny Germany |
Lindsay Lawrence United States |
| Bantamweight | Lucrezia Ria Italy |
Lucie Bertaud France |
Kimberley Defiori United States |
Lisa Engelke Sweden |
| Flyweight | Micol Disegni Italy |
Anja Saxmark Sweden |
Natalie Jean Ausmeier South Africa |
Michaela Dostalova Czech Republic |
| Strawweight | Minna Grusander Finland |
Maria Vittoria Colonna Italy |
Sarah Archer New Zealand |
Codie Wareham United States |
2015 IMMAF European Open Championships of Amateur MMA
The 2015 IMMAF European Open Championships of Amateur MMA took place at Birmingham, England, United Kingdom from the 19 to 22 November 2015.
The foundational European event took place in Birmingham at the Walsall Sports Centre at the University of Wolverhampton and was broadcast post-event on UFC Fight Pass and international television.
Medalists
Men
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Daniel Galabarov Bulgaria |
Iman Smajic Sweden |
Petur Oskarsson Iceland |
Ryan Spillane Ireland |
| Light Heavyweight | Ben Forsyth Ireland |
Balaze Kiss Hungary |
Tencho Karaenev Bulgaria |
Paolo Anastasi Italy |
| Middleweight | Rostem Akman Sweden |
Marius Hakonsev Norway |
James Duckett United Kingdom |
Asterio Lucchesini Italy |
| Welterweight | Bjarki Palsson Iceland |
Dorian Dermendzhiev Bulgaria |
Jorden Indsetviken Norway |
Hardeep Rai United Kingdom |
| Lightweight | Jack Shore United Kingdom |
Geir Kare Cemsoylu Norway |
Thomas Martin Ireland |
Lee Hammond Ireland |
| Featherweight | Joel Moya Schondorff Sweden |
Ross McCorriston Northern Ireland |
Ante Ageneby Sweden |
Connor Hitchens United Kingdom |
| Bantamweight | Abdul Hussein Finland |
Marco Zannetti Italy |
Alexis Guilleux France |
Renato Vidovic Sweden |
| Flyweight | Jake Bond United Kingdom |
Warren Mason United Kingdom |
Hussain Haki Mahdi Bahrain |
David Forgarty Ireland |
Women
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Leah McCourt Northern Ireland |
Mia Isola Finland |
Sini Koivunen Finland |
N/A |
| Featherweight | Sanna Merta Finland |
Cornelia Holm Sweden |
Julia Dorny Germany |
Celine Provost France |
| Bantamweight | Varpu Rinne Finland |
Gabriella Ringblom Sweden |
Camilla Mannes Norway |
Eloise Picard Canada |
| Flyweight | Sunna Rannveig Iceland |
Anja Saxmark Sweden |
Inka Auvinen Finland |
Michaela Dostalova Czech Republic |
| Strawweight | Aleksandra Toncheva Bulgaria |
Raluca Dinescu Romania |
Amy Omara United Kingdom |
Lyudmila Sadirina Azerbaijan |
2016 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA
The IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA returns to Las Vegas as part of the 5th Annual UFC International Fight Week™, the world's largest celebration of combat sports, taking place from Tuesday, July 5 – Sunday, July 10.
The 2016 IMMAF World Championships will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the week, with the championships featured on July 10 at the UFC Fan Expo®.
Hosted by the global governing body for amateur MMA, the IMMAF's third iteration of its five-day tournament, will air its post-event highlights on UFC FIGHT PASS®, along with other international television platforms.
2016 IMMAF Africa Open Championships
The 2016 IMMAF Africa Open Championships commence on Tuesday 30 August and run until the 4 September 2016 at the Brakpan Indoor Sports Centre in Johannesburg.
Hosted by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) in association with Mixed Martial Arts South Africa (MMASA) the tournament is Amateur MMA competitors from IMMAF member countries from all across the world. The Africa Open Championships permits 2 representatives per country for each weight class and 4 for the host country, spanning Strawweight to Lightweight for women and Flyweight to Super Heavyweight for men.
The 2016 IMMAF Africa Open Championships will feature on UFC FIGHT PASS and international broadcast channels, post-event.
2016 IMMAF European Open Championships of Amateur MMA
2016 IMMAF European Open Championships of Amateur MMA, which take place in Prague from 22 to 26 November.
Hosted by the Czech Mixed Martial Arts Association (MMAA), the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation's nation vs. nation tournament plays out in 2 rings across 5 days and features more than 170 Athletes from 30 countries worldwide.
The 2016 IMMAF European Open Championships of Amateur MMA will feature on UFC FIGHT PASS and international broadcast channels, post-event.
2017 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA
The 2017 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA took place in Manama, Bahrain at Khalifa Sports City Arena from 12 to 19 November.[15][16][17]
Medalists
Men
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Heavyweight | Atanas Krastanov Bulgaria |
Marcin Kalata Poland |
Tolga Polat Turkey |
Damian Visenja Austria |
| Heavyweight | Irman Smajic Sweden |
Lev Vins Kazakhstan |
Cameron Dempsey.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia |
Ryan Spillane Ireland |
| Light Heavyweight | Murtaza Talha Ali Bahrain |
Pavel Pahomenko Belarus |
Anton Turkalj Sweden |
Pawel Zaikrzewski Poland |
| Middleweight | Khaled Laallam Sweden |
Mohammad Munir United States |
Joseph Luciano Australia |
Christian Leroy Duncan United Kingdom |
| Welterweight | Benjamin Bennet United States |
Sola Axel France |
Cody Barnwell Australia |
Isakov Issa Belgium |
| Lightweight | Quitin Thomas United States |
Vitali Andruhovich Belarus |
Jose Teixeira Luxembourg |
Ermal Hadribeaj Albania |
| Featherweight | Delyan Georgiev Bulgaria |
Joel Arolainen Finland |
Abdulmanap Magomedov Bahrain |
David Evans United States |
| Bantamweight | Gamzat Magomedov Bahrain |
Olzhas Moldagaliyev Kazakhstan |
Florian Doskja Albania |
Dinislam Jetpissov Kazakhstan |
| Flyweight | Serdar Altas Sweden |
Yernaz Mussabek Kazakhstan |
Hussain Abdulla Bahrain |
Sean Stebbins United States |
Women
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Gase Sanita New Zealand |
Kaycee Blake United Kingdom |
Fatena Bureshaid Bahrain |
Julia Dorny Germany |
| Featherweight | Fabiana Giampa Italy |
Courtney McCrudden Northern Ireland |
Nicole Schnalzer Austria |
Nora Nagy Hungary |
| Bantamweight | Manon Fiorot France |
Chamia Chabbi Finland |
Karoline Hulkko Finland |
Joanne Doyle United Kingdom |
| Flyweight | Michele Oliveira Brazil |
Danni Neilan Ireland |
Alexandra Kovacs Hungary |
Anette Osterberg Finland |
| Strawweight | Anna Astvik Sweden |
Hannah Dawson New Zealand |
Ayan Tursyn Kazakhstan |
Sara Cova Mexico |
Overall Medals Standing (World Championships)
Totals do not include medals from the 2016 or 2017 World Championships.
| Ranking | Country | Gold  |
Silver  |
Bronze  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States of America |
6 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | Sweden |
0 | 7 | 2 |
| 3 | United Kingdom |
1 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Italy |
1 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Finland |
3 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Canada |
2 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Poland |
1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Norway |
0 | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | France |
0 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | South Africa |
2 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Ireland |
1 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | New Zealand |
0 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | Denmark |
2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Czech Republic |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Germany |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Kazakhstan |
0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | Lebanon |
0 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Romania |
0 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Ukraine |
0 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | Belgium |
0 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | Northern Ireland |
0 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Austria |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Brazil |
1 | 0 | 0 |
References
- http://www.sportspromedia.com/movers-and-shakers/former_british_judo_association_president_to_lead_mma_body
- http://www.100judo.com/post/kerrith-brown-elected-as-president-of-immaf
- "ESPN". ESPN. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "UFC backs creation of International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF)". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "Dana White Discusses UFC's Support of IMMAF »". Fightersource.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "UFC Supports Creation of International MMA Federation". UFC. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- Ben Szwediuk (17 October 2014). "Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation: an exclusive in-depth interview with President Johan Halldin". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "SMMAF explains why Lapilus was denied, Rosa approved for UFC Fight Night 53". MMAjunkie. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "CABMMA official responds to Piotr Hallmann's UFC drug test denials". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "Piotr Hallman Says UFC Brazil Drug Testing was Unprofessional; Commission Responds". Yahoo Sports. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "Members". IMMAF. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- https://www.mmaindia.com/mma-india-national-sports-federation-becomes-recognised-mma-governing-body-india/
- "IMMAF and Tuff-N-Uff to Run First-Ever Amateur MMA World Championships Next Week in Vegas - MMAWeekly.com". MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "IMMAF Announces 2014 World Championships in Conjunction with UFC Las Vegas Fight Week". Yahoo Sports. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- "2017 IMMAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS". immaf.org. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- "2017 World Championships Results". immaf.org. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- "2017 World Championships Medallists". immaf.org. Retrieved 14 July 2020.