We Love MMA

We Love MMA is a mixed martial arts event series in the German-speaking area organized by together Promotion GmbH.[1] Since 2010, the organization has held 48 events.

Fighters, referee, and announcer before an MMA fight
together Promotion GmbH
TypePrivate
IndustryMixed martial arts promotion
Founded2010
Headquarters
Germany
Key people
Marcus Wortmeier

History

We Love MMA was founded by Marcus Wortmeier (organizer) and Frank Burczinsky (matchmaker)[2][3] The event series started in co-operation with the now-defunct German Free Fight Association (FFA). For that reason Sherdog still lists FFA and We Love MMA together in their fight database, counting 63 events and more than 500 matches.[4] The first six We Love MMA events were all held between 2010 and 2013 in Berlin’s Universal Hall. 2014 saw the first events taking place outside Berlin, in Oberhausen,[5] Hamburg, and Stuttgart. After six meetings in Germany in 2015, the series expanded to Austria (Vienna) and Switzerland (Basel) in 2016. Regular venues include arenas in Ludwigshafen, Dresden,[6] Hanover and Munich.[7][8][9] In 2019, We Love MMA premiered at the Castello in Dusseldorf and in the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken. There have been 48 events so far, with more planned for 2019 and already for 2020.[10]

Two fighters during a bout

Rules and weight divisions

We Love MMA events are regulated by the Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts Association e.V. (GAMMA²). The rules are aligned with the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which are also used by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Fights normally consist of two 5-minute rounds.

The series features both fights between male[11] and female fighters.[12]

The first men's title fight in the middleweight class was between Dustin Stoltzfus and Mario Wittmann,[13] with Dustin Stoltzfus emerging victorious to become the first We Love MMA champion.[14] The current welterweight champion is Adrian Zeitner,[15] while Kam Gairbekov is holding the lightweight title[16]

Dustin Stoltzfus wins the middleweight title in Ludwigshafen (April 2017)

Live stream and archive

Since 2017 We Love MMA has provided a live stream with German and English commentators, which is hosted worldwide on various platforms (including German tabloid newspaper Bild's website[17]) and TV channels as well as the We Love MMA website. The archive now contains over 450 videos.

References
  1. "Impressum". Welovemma.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. Pickert, Bernd (28 May 2014). "Mixed Martial Arts in Berlin: Die NBA der gemischten Kampfkünste". Taz.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  3. "Blutiger Kampfsport: "Mixed Martial Arts ist keine Schlägerei"". Berliner Zeitung. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  4. Sherdog.com. "We Love MMA (Free Fight Association Germany) Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more". Sherdog.
  5. Pickert, Bernd (30 January 2014). "Mixed Martial Arts in Deutschland: Ein Sport kämpft um Anerkennung". Taz.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  6. "Kampfsport - Live auf ranFIGHTING.de: We Love MMA erobert Dresden". Ran.de. 27 October 2017.
  7. Overath, Andreas (21 March 2019). "Blutige Liebe". Sueddeutsche.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  8. Kraus, Jonas (23 February 2018). "In Käfigen vom Olymp". Sueddeutsche.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  9. München, Moritz von Laer (22 February 2019). "Gewürge im Käfig". Retrieved 21 March 2019 – via Sueddeutsche.de.
  10. "Vorverkaufsstart für neue We Love MMA Saison 2018/19 - Boxen - Alle News, Tickets, Termine und Ergebnisse aus dem Boxsport". Boxen.de.
  11. ""We Love MMA 44" live bei BILD: WIR sind die BILD-Käfig-Fighter!". bild.de. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  12. "Mixed Martial Arts – diese Frauen kämpfen in Hannover". NP - Neue Presse. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  13. "Boxen - We love MMA präsentiert erstmals einen Titelkampf". Ran.de. 27 February 2017.
  14. "Kampfsport - We Love MMA: Dustin Stoltzfus schreibt Geschichte". Ran.de. 23 April 2017.
  15. KG, VRM GmbH & Co. "MMA: Mainzer Adrian Zeitner holt Titel im Weltergewicht, muss auf Trophäe aber noch warten". www.allgemeine-zeitung.de.
  16. "We Love MMA 41: Kam Gairbekov krönt sich zum Champion".
  17. "Warum sehe ich Bild.de nicht". Bild.de.
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