MMA Grand Prix

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MMA Grand Prix
MMA Grand Prix logo.png
Sport Mixed martial arts
Founded2020;5 years ago (2020) [1]
FounderAbdel Khaznadji
Éric Konako Faubert [2] [3]
Owner(s)Fight Sport Management [4]
Headquarters Vitry-sur-Seine,
Val-de-Marne, France [1]
Broadcaster(s) Sport en France
RMC Sport
Official website mmagrandprix.com

MMA Grand Prix, often abbreviated MMA GP, is a professional mixed martial arts promotion based in Vitry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne, France. [1]

Contents

History

MMA Grand Prix was created in 2020, upon the legalization of MMA's internationally accepted rules (which include ground strikes) by the French government. Their first card was held on 8 October of that year, in presence of French Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu. [5] It was the first organization to present MMA in France under its complete ruleset. [4] It is sanctioned by the French Mixed Martial Arts Federation, a subsidiary of the French Boxing Federation, which has been accredited by the Ministry of Sports to regulate the activity. [6]

Co-founder Éric Konako Faubert is a London-based promoter for Muay Thai Grand Prix, an international thai boxing promotion, with whom MMA Grand Prix shares common branding. [2]

The promotion's first card held outside of the Paris region, The Last of the Kings in Le Havre, featured a comeback fight from veteran kickboxer turned mixed martial artist Jérome Le Banner. It served as a tribute to Le Banner's training partner and Le Havre mayor Édouard Philippe who, during his term as prime minister, was responsible for the legalization of French MMA. [7] [8] It was Le Banner's first MMA fight outside of Japan. [9]

Champions

Current MMA Grand Prix champions

Men's divisionUpper weight limitChampionSinceTitle Defenses
Light Heavyweight 205 lb (93.0 kg) Flag of Algeria.svg Mohamed Said MaalemSep 16, 20230
Lightweight 154 lb (69.9 kg) Flag of Brazil.svg Keweney LopesJan 27, 20240
Featherweight 145 lb (65.8 kg)VacantN/AN/A
Bantamweight 135 lb (61.2 kg) Flag of France.svg Alfan Rocher-LabesSep 16, 20230
Flyweight 125 lb (56.7 kg) Flag of France.svg Michael AljaroujMar 4, 20231

Light Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: 205 lb (93.0 kg)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Flag of Algeria.svg Mohamed Said Maalem
def. Yann Kouadja		MMA GP: Kouadja vs Maalem
Le Grand-Saconnex, France		Sep 16, 2023

Lightweight Championship

Weight limit: 154 lb (69.9 kg)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Flag of Brazil.svg Keweney Lopes
def. Mathias Poiron		JSC 1
Nimas, France		Jan 27, 2024

Featherweight Championship

Weight limit: 145 lb (65.8 kg)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Flag of France.svg Alioune Nahaye
def. Ariston França		MMA Grand Prix 4
Paris, France		Oct 14, 2021
Nahaye vacated.

Bantamweight Championship

Weight limit: 135 lb (61.2 kg)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Flag of France.svg Alfan Rocher-Labes
def. Deiby Tachon		MMA GP: Kouadja vs Maalem
Le Grand-Saconnex, France		Sep 16, 2023

Flyweight Championship

Weight limit: 125 lb (56.7 kg)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Flag of France.svg Michael Aljarouj
def. Ezzoubair Bouarsa		MMA GP: Doumbe vs Klimas
Paris, France		Mar 4, 2023

1. def. Liridon Ramani at JSC 1 on Jan 27, 2024

Notable fighters

Media

Select MMA GP shows, including the company's inaugural card, have aired on the UFC Fight Pass. [2] In May 2022, the promotion inked its first television deal with Sport en France. However, French media authority CSA still bans MMA broadcasts before 10:30 pm, forcing some fights to be shown on tape delay. [6] MMA GP made its premium TV debut with a 17 December 2022 card from Bordeaux, which was broadcast on RMC Sport 2. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fight Sport Management". pagesjaunes.fr. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Duseaux, Guillaume (8 October 2020). "Le MMA débarque en France : focus sur le premier événement à Vitry-sur-Seine". radiofrance.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Maître, Jean-Baptiste (8 October 2020). "MMA. Qui sont les deux hommes à l'origine de la première soirée officielle en France ?". ouest-france.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 Godefroy, Greg (15 September 2020). "MMA : les premiers combats officiels en France auront lieu en octobre". radiofrance.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  5. ↑ Lalanne, Gaspard (9 October 2020). "MMA GP : Le tout premier évènement de MMA en France". actumma.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  6. 1 2 Saison 4 : Les annonces (in French). Sport en France. 22 September 2022. Event occurs at 44m44s. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  7. ↑ Desaint, Benoît (3 June 2022). "Jérôme Le Banner fait des confidences sur 'la bonne droite' d'Édouard Philippe avant son combat au MMA GP". gentside.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. ↑ Le Coz, Yohann (3 June 2022). "Jérôme Le Banner : 'J'espère qu'il va bien me casser la gueule une bonne fois pour toutes'". eurosport.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  9. ↑ "'Geronimo' Jérome Le Banner". tapology.com. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mixed Martial Arts Grand Prix". tapology.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  11. ↑ Angelini, Olivier (15 December 2022). "MMA GP : Doumbe vs Burillon – Quelle heure, quelle chaine ?". boxemag.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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