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Conor McGregor Donates €10,000 To Wexford Twins Ahead Of IMMAF World Championships

Former two-weight UFC champion, Conor McGregor has made a donation of €10,000 to Wexford twins, Dylan and Adam Duffy – as the Ballycanew teenagers prepare to travel to Abu Dhabi, UAE for the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) Youth World Championships. McGregor, a former two-weight UFC champion, managed to strike both undisputed lightweight and […]

McGregor, a former two-weight UFC champion, managed to strike both undisputed lightweight and featherweight gold during his Octagon tenure, however, has yet to return to active competition since July of last year.

Headlining UFC 264 against former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier in the pair’s trilogy rubber match at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, McGregor suffered a fractured left tibia in the closing stages of the opening round, resulting in a doctor’s stoppage TKO defeat to the Lafayette native.

Conor McGregor is expected to return to the Octagon by the turn of 2023

Expected to return to the Octagon at the beginning of next year, McGregor recently pledged and donated a sum of €10,000 to both Dyan and Adam Duffy – with the Wexford-born teenagers now set to compete at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Youth World Championships this year.

“I was training when I found out and my coach told me about it so calmly,” Adam Duffy told The Independent. “I was going insane. I thought he was joking until he showed me the comments. I feel like I have to win now because he (Conor McGregor) donated all that money.”

“We might not have been able to go (to Abu Dhabi) without his (Conor McGregor’s) help,” Adam’s twin brother, Dylan Duffy said. “There are so many gyms out there and he donated to us, which is insane.” (Transcribed by Talksport)

Over the course of the last year, McGregor also issued a notable donation in the region of $500,000 to the Girls & Boys Club of Acadiana in Lafayette, Louisiana – following a charitable donation dispute with the aforenoted, Poirier following the pair’s ‘Fight Island’ rematch.

IMMAF World Champion Julia Dorny Featured In Women Empowerment Promotion Film

Julia Dorny is looking to inspire other female fighters in the world by showing her strengths. The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation has created a short film to inspire strong women around the world. The IMMAF and World Champion Julia Dorny came together to put out a short 90-second film called “You Are Strong.” This…

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Julia Dorny is looking to inspire other female fighters in the world by showing her strengths.

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation has created a short film to inspire strong women around the world. The IMMAF and World Champion Julia Dorny came together to put out a short 90-second film called “You Are Strong.” This film shows Dorny speaking right to the people with a motivational, and inspiring message that people should be themselves and not listen to the hate or comments of others.

In this short film, directed by Berlin-based director Lasse Buchhop Dorny is speaking directly to the audience. She explains different scenarios where outside opinions of her might have steered her life in a different direction other than fighting but encouraged people to follow their own dream, as she did in fighting.

Dorny had a long history of fighting in the IMMAF World Championships as an amateur and her most recent fight was a loss to Jeslen Mishelle in the PFL Challenger Series. She is currently the number one ranked fighter in her division out of her home country of Germany and has a background in judo, MMA, and sumo wrestling.

“I like to think of myself as a catalyst. It fulfills me to devote every aspect of my life to inspire and strengthen people, especially women.” Dorny said via the IMMAF.

The purpose of the film is to inspire and empower women not only in MMA but in their everyday lives. IMMAF president Kerrith Brown spoke about what this project and women’s MMA mean to the organization as a whole.

“IMMAF is proud to present this unique film driven by IMMAF veteran Julia Dorny, as an organization committed to the advancement of women’s sport. Our dynamic Women’s Commission has been at the forefront of enabling the establishment of women’s MMA commissions around the world, while we have seen year-on-year growth in women’s participation.” Brown said.

“We are also proud to have been the driving force for first-time participation of women in MMA and combat sports in a number of our member counties, including Russia, Tajikistan, and in the Middle East. While amateur MMA is an inclusive sport, we do not underestimate the ongoing challenges presented by prejudice and discrimination, and the personal strength required to overcome it. We are pleased to give voice to Julia’s experience and message on the IMMAF platform, which will reflect the experiences of and hopefully inspire many others”

This short film can be seen on any of the IMMAF social media platforms and on YouTube.

Did you like this short film starring Julia Dorny?

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Team Mexico & Oceania To Compete At MMA Super Cup After Withdrawal of Ukraine & Russia

The inaugural MMA Super Cup starts next Wednesday March 9, with the eight-team knockout team tournament taking place during Brave International Combat Week. The original lineup included both Ukraine and Russia. However, due to the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, neither country will attend; the Ukrainians will not be traveling due to the war, while IMMAF has barred […]

The inaugural MMA Super Cup starts next Wednesday March 9, with the eight-team knockout team tournament taking place during Brave International Combat Week.

The original lineup included both Ukraine and Russia. However, due to the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, neither country will attend; the Ukrainians will not be traveling due to the war, while IMMAF has barred the Russian team in a show of support for the Ukrainian people.

In their place, Team Mexico and Team Oceania will step in. The Mexican team recently competed at the IMMAF 2021 World Championships in Abu Dhabi, where they picked up two medals and are currently knocking on the door of a top ten spot in the world rankings.

Team Oceania will be comprised of New Zealand and Australia fighters, with both nations sitting inside IMMAF’s top ten rankings at #5 and #6 respectively. MMA has undergone a surge in popularity in the region in recent years, and with several regional champions in the team, they could be one of the tournament’s surprise packages.

“We are grateful to federations FAMM, NZMMAF, and IMMAFA for agreeing to organize teams at short notice. All three nations have proved their credibility in IMMAF competitions, ” IMMAF President Kerrith Brown said.

“Both athletes and coaches are to be commended for rising to the challenge at extremely short notice, showing true fighter spirit. Teams Mexico and Oceania present red herrings in the tournament, which will keep everyone on their toes.”

Here is the updated draw for for the IMMAF World Super Cup. The quarter finals will be held March 9, the semi-finals on March 10 and the finals on March 12.

TEAM MEXICO

Men:

? Bantamweight (135lbs): Jorge Antonio Lopez Perez

? Featherweight (145lbs): Victor Gerardo Quintana Vazquez

? Lightweight (155lbs): Luis Enrique Gonzalez Martinez

? Welterweight (170lbs): Jorge Raul Zaragoza de la Cruz

? Middleweight (185lbs): Diego Torres Rangel

? Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Miguel Angel Serna Castro

? Heavyweight (265lbs): Daniel Flores Sartorius

Male substitutes: Anthony Ramirez Amado; Jaime Samuel Sierra Lara

Women:

Flyweight (125lbs): Violeta Mendoza Corral
Bantamweight women (135lbs): Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar

Coaches: Jesus Ubaldo Marroquin Rodriguez; Daniel Solorzano Fernandez

TEAM OCEANIA CHAMPIONS

Men:

? Bantamweight (135lbs): Coopar Smith (AUS)

? Featherweight (145lbs): Prashanth Guda (NZ)

? Lightweight (155lbs): Kasib Murdoch-McKeich (NZ)

? Welterweight (170lbs): Mitchell Kelly (NZ)

? Middleweight (185lbs): Jonas Grace (NZ)

? Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Auryn Parmley (AUS)

? Heavyweight (265lbs): Abraham Paku (AUS)

Male substitutes: Troy Fumo (AUS); Hayden Limebeer (AUS)

Women:

Flyweight (125lbs): TBC
Bantamweight women (135lbs): Alisha Burtt (NZ)

Team Coaches: Matt Toa (NZ); Ryan Dunstan (AUS)

Inaugural MMA Super Cup To Take Place At BRAVE International Combat Week

BRAVE CF has developed a reputation as one of the most dynamic MMA promotions currently on the scene. The Bahrain-based organization has staged events in 25 countries and has held 56 events since the company’s inception in 2016. In addition, the promotion’s impressive scouting program has seen the company introduce names such as Khamzat Chimaev […]

However, starting on March 8, BRAVE CF will go one step further in helping grow MMA when it hosts the inaugural Mixed Martial Arts Super Cup during BRAVE International Combat Week in the Kingdom of Bahrain. BRAVE CF will promote the tournament jointly with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation — which recently wrapped up its 2021 World Championships.

The concept is simple. Selected countries will send a team of nine fighters and three substitutes to compete in a knockout tournament. Each stage will consist of nine fights, and whichever country picks up the most victories moves on to the next stage. The bouts will consist of three, three-minute rounds. In the event of a draw, an extra round will take place.

The prizes on offer are substantial, especially when you consider the fact that few national amateur MMA federations get government funding. The winning federation will pocket US$100,000; the runners-up will collect US$75,000, with the third-place team receiving US$50,000.

The draw for the tournament took place last week at the Grand Wyndham Garden Manama in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The competing nations whose names went into the draw were Russia, Ukraine, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Ireland, and Tajikistan. In addition, two wildcard teams were also added into the mix, and they were a Balkan and an Arab team, made up of the top fighters from each region.

Russia and Bahrain will head into the tournament as the bookies’ favorites, and the mind games between the two camps have already started. Team Bahrain’s head coach, Eldar Eldarov, felt that his chief rivals had got an easier first-round matchup, as well as ending up on the side of the bracket, which on paper appears less difficult.

“Russia got an easy draw for MMA Super Cup, but the harder the way, the better the feeling will be when we get this cup,” said Eldar.

Russian head coach Gennady Pavlovich Kapshay appeared to agree.

“I can’t hide the fact that we were lucky with our rivals in the qualifying stage. In the other subgroup, three strong national teams of Bahrain, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan will meet at once.”

The creation of an MMA Super Cup offers fans the chance to support their country in a way that, up until now, they have not been able to do. Over time the tournament could become a must-see fixture for fight fans, as well as a launching pad for emerging talent.

Do you like the concept of an MMA Super Cup

Bagdat Zhubanysh Makes History At IMMAF World Championship

Kazakhstan’s Bagdat Zhubanysh has written himself into the history books on the final day of the 2021 IMMAF World Amateur MMA Championships, becoming the first fighter in IMMAF history to capture three world titles. The 25-year-old strawweight earned his record-breaking gold medal by overcoming Russia’s Farkhod Rakhmonaliev via unanimous decision ( 29-28,29-28 and 30-26 ) […]

The 25-year-old strawweight earned his record-breaking gold medal by overcoming Russia’s Farkhod Rakhmonaliev via unanimous decision ( 29-28,29-28 and 30-26 ) inside a raucous Jiu-Jitsu arena in Abu Dhabi.

Rakhmonaliev did not make it easy for the reigning champion, and the opening frame was a cagey affair with both men looking to avoid giving their opponent an opening. The second round saw Rakhmonaliev do some of his best work of the fight, with the Russian’s grappling looking particularly impressive as he took the fight to Zhubanysh.

In the final round, Zhubanysh showed his championship credentials as he dominated on the ground with a takedown in the last minute of the fight secured his victory.

The road to his third title was a winding one for Zhubanysh. Firstly the ongoing pandemic saw the 2020 World Championships canceled. Then, after a nearly two-year absence from the cage, he was set to return to action at the 2021 IMMAF European Championships before an injury forced his withdrawal from the event.

To make things even more frustrating for Zhubanysh, the 2021 World Championships, which were initially meant to be held last November in Kazakhstan, were shifted to Abu Dhabi after an increase in Covid-19 cases in the Central Asian nation. However, he refused to let outside forces distract him from the task at hand, and his win over Rakhmonaliev now puts him in a class all of his own.

Zhubanysh will likely make his way to the professional ranks, and it will be interesting to see what promotion he ends up fighting for. ONE Championship would seem a good fit, and there are plenty of exciting matchups to make if Zhubanysh signs with the Singapore-based promotion.

Bahrain’s Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa and Ramazan Gitinov were also in action on the final day, with both fighters successfully defending their titles. De Sousa defeated Norways’s Cecilie Bolander via unanimous decision to claim her second straight women’s featherweight world titles. At the same time, Gitinov captured his second welterweight world title with victory over Tajikistan’s Jovidon Mahmudov.

The week-long tournament saw over 400 fighters from more than 50 nations participating and demonstrated again the depth of talent that exists in the amateur scene. MMA is still a relatively young sport, but with events like the IMMAF World Championships taking place, it shows that the future of MMA is looking bright. Hopefully, it will not be long before the International Olympic Committee opens its doors and welcomes MMA into its fold.

IMMAF World Championships 2021 World Champions

Male Super Heavyweight: Shamsutdin Makhmudov (Russia)
Male Heavyweight: Magomed Shakhrudinov (Bahrain)
Male Light Heavyweight: Dzhamal Medzhidov (Russia)
Male Middleweight: Fergus Jenkins (New Zealand)
Male Welterweight: Ramazan Gitinov ( Bahrain)
Female Lightweight: Olga Lagodnaya (Kazakhstan)
Male Lightweight: Kurban Idrisov (Russia)
Female Featherweight: Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa ( Bahrain)
Male Featherweight: Bekzat Zhassiya ( Kazakhstan)
Female Bantamweight: Nina Nikolija Milosevic ( Sweeden)
Male Bantamweight: Shakhban Gapizov (Russia)
Female Flyweight: Beatriz Consuli Diniz ( Kazakhstan)
Male Flyweight: Bektur Zhenishbek Uulu ( Russia)
Female Strawweight: Aieza Ramos Bertolso (Bahrain)
Male Strawweight: Bagdat Zhubanysh (Kazakhstan)

2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Award Winners

The 2021 IMMAF World Championships have been going down this week in Abu Dhabi, with over 400 of the world’s top amateur fighters competing for their chase to capture IMMAF gold. The organization will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. Earlier this week, it held the 2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Awards, with the black-tie event […]

The 2021 IMMAF World Championships have been going down this week in Abu Dhabi, with over 400 of the world’s top amateur fighters competing for their chase to capture IMMAF gold.

The organization will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. Earlier this week, it held the 2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Awards, with the black-tie event taking place inside the Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Twelve awards were handed out during the evening, with Team Bahrain doing particular well as it took out both the Best Male and Best Female Athlete trophies.

Ramazan Gitinov collected the Best Male Athlete title; the 24-year-old is an outstanding talent and is the reigning IMMAF welterweight world champion. Gitinov is set to take on Tajikistan’s Jovidon Mahmudov in the final today and is weighing up the possibility of turning professional once the World Championships wrap this week.

The Best Female award went to Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa. The Brazilian-born mixed martial artist who fights out of Bahrain is only 21 but has already captured both World & European titles.

The current women’s featherweight champion has looked impressive throughout the week, with her victory over New Zealand’s Michelle Montague in her semi-final bout attracting plenty of attention. She will face Norway’s Cecilie Bolander in the final and, like her teammate Gitinov, will also be favored to walk away with the gold medal.

Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov also had successful night, picking up both Newcomer of the Year and Best Junior Athlete of the Year award. Kazakhstan’s Ayan Tursyn claimed Performance of the Year following her epic knockout of Italy’s Martina Corradi at the 2021 European Championships.

Here is the full list of winners from the 2021 IMMAF Amateur Awards

Best Female Athlete: Sabrina Laurentina de Sousa (Bahrain)
Best Male Athlete: Ramazan Gitinov (Bahrain)
Best Junior Athlete of the Year: Otabek Rajabov (Tajikistan)
Best Newcomer of the Year: Otabek Rajabov (Tajikistan)
Best Performance: Ayan Tursyn (Kazakhstan)
Host Federation of the Year: RMMAU
Best on Social Media Award 2020: French Mixed Martial Arts Federation
Best National Federation for MMA Coaching: Polynesian Federation of Wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Associated Disciplines (FPLAJDA)
IMMAF Anti-doping Award: Bulgarian Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BULMMAF)
Best Grading Scheme Award: Panhellenic MMA Federation
MyNextMatch Award: International Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Australia
Best IT team: MMA League of Ukraine
National Federation of the Year: Mixed Martial Arts Zambia
Regulatory Excellence and Contribution Award: Scott Manhardt and Manap Kabdiyev
President’s Award: Michele Verroken (Sporting Integrity) for her contribution to achieving World Anti-doping signatory status for IMMAF; Mohammad Al Hosani on behalf of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Federation for their hosting and rescuing of the 2021 IMMAF World Championships

For those wanting to follow the action head over to IMMAF TV to watch the world championships live and on demand.