By Press Release

[19 August 2019. London] The IMMAF | WMMAA World Amateur MMA Championships return to Manama this November from 11 to 16, as part of BRAVE International Combat Week, for the third year running.

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s 2019 Senior and Junior World Championship tournaments will take place at Khalifa Sport City over five days, hosted by the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation under the Bahrain Olympic Committee. Commencing on Sunday 10 November with the Tournament Draw and Opening Ceremony, the competitions will play out from Monday 11 to Thursday 14 with the Finals on Saturday 16. Bahraini promotion BRAVE will host a professional MMA night on Friday 15 at the same arena.

Last year’s world championships featured 285 athletes from 51 competing nations, and the unification of international governing bodies WMMAA and IMMAF saw a shake-up of the World Amateur MMA Rankings as Team Russia ascended to top nation. Continued growth and global expansion by IMMAF through 2019 foretells record-breaking numbers at this year’s crown event.

IMMAF President Kerrith Brown said:

“I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al Khalifa who, as Youth and Sports Minister and national Olympic Committee President in Bahrain, has been the driving force behind the development of MMA in the region. We look forward to working again with the Bahrain MMA Federation and BRAVE to deliver another incomparable World Championship event for our athletes. Bahrain has exceeded expectations for two years running, and I urge MMA amateurs to apply for the opportunity to participate in this extraordinary, world-class, sporting experience.”

MMA amateurs wishing to participate should contact their national IMMAF or WMMAA affiliated national federation for information.