MMA Grand Prix

Last updated

MMA Grand Prix
MMA Grand Prix logo.webp
Sport Mixed martial arts
Founded2020;3 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]
TV partner(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]

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]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Sefo</span> New Zealander kickboxer, boxer and mixed martial arts fighter

Ray Sefo is a New Zealand fight promoter and retired kickboxer, boxer, and mixed martial artist of Samoan descent. He was the K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 Runner Up, is a six-time Muay Thai World Champion, and was an eight time K-1 World Grand Prix Finals tournament participant. He is the president of MMA promotion Professional Fighters League. In kickboxing, he defeated world champions Jerome Le Banner, Peter Aerts, Stefan Leko, Mike Bernardo, and Mark Hunt. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers to have never won the K-1 World Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jérôme Le Banner</span> French kickboxer

Jérôme Philippe Le Banner is a French kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. Le Banner fought for most of his career in K-1 and became known for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power. He is a 2-time K-1 World Grand Prix runner up, a 2-time K-1 Preliminary Grand Prix champion, and is a multiple time world champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai. He holds notable victories over Ernesto Hoost (twice), Francisco Filho, Mark Hunt, Sam Greco, Mike Bernardo (twice), Peter Aerts, Rick Roufus, Remy Bonjasky, Tyrone Spong, Stefan Leko (twice), Masaaki Satake, Maurice Smith, Gary Goodridge (twice), Musashi (twice), Cyril Abidi and Choi Hong-man (twice).

Valentijn Overeem is a retired Dutch professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer currently signed with United Glory. A professional competitor since 1996, he has previously fought for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, RINGS, KSW, the World Fighting Alliance, K-1, M-1 Global, Its Showtime, World Victory Road, and Strikeforce. He is the older brother of fellow MMA Superstar Alistair Overeem. Overeem has notable wins over fighters such as Randy Couture and Renato Sobral.

Hideo Tokoro is a Japanese mixed martial artist who last competed in the Bantamweight division. A professional competitor since 2000, Tokoro has also formerly competed for Vale Tudo Japan, ZST, Shooto, Rings and K-1 Hero's. He is notable for holding the record for most weight divisions competed in by a professional MMA fighter, at seven, ranging from flyweight through to heavyweight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream 5</span> Dream mixed martial arts event in 2008

DREAM.5 Light Weight Grandprix 2008 Final Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion DREAM. The event took place on Monday July 21, 2008 at the Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan and hosted the final round of the promotion's Lightweight tournament.

Abner Lloveras Hernández is a Spanish professional mixed martial artist in the lightweight division. Abner received a gold medal in the Spanish Olympic boxing tournament in 2010. He also competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber.

The World Kickboxing Network (WKN) is an international Kickboxing governing body established in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karim Ghajji</span> French kickboxer

Karim Ghajji, is a Moroccan-French kickboxer and B-boy. He is a former Glory Welterweight Championship challenger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murthel Groenhart</span> Dutch-Surinamese mixed martial artist

Murthel Cyrill Dwyth Groenhart is a Dutch-Surinamese mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Groenhart is the 2012 K-1 World MAX World Championship Tournament Champion and former Glory Welterweight Champion.

Frank Muñoz is a Spanish heavyweight kickboxer fighting in the SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship where he is the 2013 SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix Tournament Champion. He is also the former WAKO-Pro K-1 European champion.

Rizin Fighting Federation is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cédric Doumbé</span> French mixed martial artist and former kickboxer

Cédric Doumbé is a Cameroonian-born French professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently fighting in the Welterweight division.

The year 2015 was the first year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan. 2015 started with Rizin World Grand-Prix 2015: Part 1 - Iza and ended with Rizin World Grand-Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba. It started broadcasting through a television agreement with Fuji Television.

The year 2016 was the second year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan. 2016 started with Rizin Fighting Federation 1. It started broadcasting through a television agreement with Fuji Television.

The year 2017 was the third year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan. 2017 started with Rizin Fighting Federation 5 in Yokohama. It started broadcasting through a television agreement with Fuji Television. In North America and Europe Rizin FF 5 was available on FITE TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magomed Ankalaev</span> Russian mixed martial arts fighter (born 1992)

Magomed Alibulatovich Ankalaev is a Russian professional mixed martial artist, who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of December 13, 2022, he is #3 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport en France</span> French television channel

Sport en France is a French free-to-air sports television channel. It was launched in 2019 and is headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris. In 2020, the channel signed on a content exchange program with France Televisions.

Roque Martinez is a Guamanian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division. He has formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Rizin Fighting Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa</span> Mixed martial arts event in 2022

UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 3, 2022, at Accor Arena in Paris, France.

Mansour Barnaoui is a Tunisian/French mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA.

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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.