Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. The first documented use of the term mixed martial arts was in a review of UFC 1 by television critic Howard Rosenberg in 1993.
Sanda, formerly Sanshou, also known as Chinese boxing or Chinese kickboxing, is the official Chinese kickboxing full-contact combat sport. Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Chinese martial arts and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines boxing and full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment. The network broadcasts programming related to combat sports, including mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, and professional wrestling.
Bertrand Amoussou-Guenou is a retired French mixed martial artist and judoka. He is a trainer for his younger brother Karl of Team Amoussou and, following official recognition of mixed martial arts in France, became the president of the national sanctioning body, the Commission National de Mixed Martial Arts, in January 2008. On 1 October 2013, Amoussou assumed the position of president of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF).
Mixed martial arts (MMA) has developed in Australia from a wide cross-section of sporting and martial arts disciplines to become the most popular combat sport in Australia.
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 organization 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. IMMAF launched with support of market leader, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The UFC is among promotions sanctioned by federations under the IMMAF umbrella in countries that include Brazil and Sweden.
João Carvalho was a Portuguese mixed martial arts fighter under the Total Extreme Fighting promotion. He represented Portuguese club Team Nobrega as a welterweight fighter.
BRAVE Combat Federation is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Bahrain. The organization was established on 23 September 2016 by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. BRAVE Combat Federation features mixed martial artists from more than 80 nations located in five continents. BRAVE Combat Federation events are aired though multiple media partners including El Rey Network, Combate, Myx TV, S+A ESPN 5 and Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation. BRAVE Combat Federation produced six pay-per-view events apart from announcing events in Abu Dhabi and Brazil. In 2023, BRAVE Combat Federation set a new record for an MMA promotion hosting events in most number of nations after organizing events in 30 nations worldwide.
The Albanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation is the head governing body for the sport of professional MMA and promotion of this sport in Albania.
The Italian Federation of Judo, Wrestling, Karate and Martial Arts (Italian: Federazione Italiana Judo Lotta Karate Arti Marziali a sports organization affiliated to the Italian National Olympic Committee.
Julia Dorny, is a German athlete, media scientist, journalist and television presenter who has won various World and European Championships in three martial arts disciplines. She is the only female athlete in the world who has won championships in judo, mixed martial arts and sumo wrestling. She was the first German woman to become MMA European Champion and MMA World Champion in featherweight within the IMMAF amateurs. In her professional career she was an undefeated fighter until her first loss in March 2022. She fought for the German Mixed Martial Arts Championship (GMC) and was under contract with PFL. In May 2023, she signed a multiple fight contract in the women's league Invicta FC. Julia Dorny holds a black belt in three sports and a BJJ purple belt.
Micol Di Segni is an Italian professional Mixed martial artist and Alternative model for the website SuicideGirls since 2007.
Brendan Allen is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2015, he has also competed for the Legacy Fighting Alliance where he is the former Middleweight Champion. As of October 24, 2023, he is #10 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Radmir Gabdullin is a Russian athlete and sports functionary, President of the All-Russian public organization "Union of Mixed Martial Arts "MMA" of Russia".
Manon Fiorot is a French mixed martial artist, currently competing in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of September 19, 2023, she is #3 in the UFC women's flyweight rankings, and as of September 5, 2023, she is #6 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
Union of Mixed Martial Arts "MMA" of Russia is an all-Russian public organization, a sports federation engaged in the popularization and development of mixed martial arts as a kind of sport. It is the main regulator for MMA in the Russian Federation. Founded in 2012. In the first year of its existence, the Russian MMA Union held the national mixed martial arts championship in Chekhov, Moscow Oblast, became a permanent member of the World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) and held the European mixed martial arts Championship in St. Petersburg under WMMAA auspices. As of 2021, the Russian MMA Union included 80 accredited regional federations in its structure, ensures the holding of the national championships and cups, forms Russian national teams to participate in the World and European championships, represents Russia in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), provides refereeing and organizational support for professional MMA tournaments spent in Russia.
Sofiane Aïssaoui nicknamed "The Lion", is an Algerian-French mixed martial artist competing in the Welterweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2017, he was also a French champion of Pancrase.
Bianca Barbosa Basílio also known as Bia Basílio is a submission grappler, mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete.
Zambian National Amateur League ZNAL is a Zambian Mixed Martial Arts League Founded by Mixed Martial Arts Zambia in 2022. It is the first ever MMA League in Zambia where individual Athletes compete to gain Amateur experience before turning professional. The ZNAL was introduced to help Zambian athletes qualify to the elite level and to help MMA Zambia come up with a team to represent Zambia at World Championships. IMMAF suggests that each athlete has to win at least 10 fights to qualify to the elite level.
