Brave combat week kicks off
Manama : Bahrain yesterday made history by becoming the first Asian and Arab country to host IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA, which is taking place outside Las Vegas, Nevada for the very first time.
A glitzy mix of musical and cultural performances, including that of Bahraini artist Flipperachi’s smash-hit rap song, marked the glittering opening ceremony which set the ball rolling for the 2017 Brave International Combat Week at Khalifa Sports City, where the entire competition will be held.
The crowd at the indoor stadium enjoyed every bit of the much-anticipated performances, as Bahrain became the first nation other than the United States of America to host IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA.
IMMAF, part of the Brave International Combat Week, is held under the patronage of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.
The Brave International Combat Week comprises of two competitions, Brave 9: The Kingdom of Champions and IMMAF World Championship for Amateur MMA. The combat week will see the participation of over 50 countries and will extend until 19th.
Fighters from over 20 nations already landed in Bahrain for the championship which features 16 Bahraini fighters including 2 female fighters. Among the major athletes who reached includes Elias Boudegzdame, who is the featherweight champion of Brave Combat Federation. Densign White, CEO of IMMAF, earlier said that the competition would see a comparatively larger female participation.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Kerrith Brown, the President of IMMAF said that the event is going to be the biggest ever IMMAF. “I would like to thank HH Shaikh Nasser for his support.”
“I want to thank HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa for his dedication and commitment which has been led to the growth and development of MMA in the Kingdom. “He is truly an inspiration to the MMA community of the Middle East,” Brown said, adding: “We gather here as a family to celebrate the sport with pride, passion and hope.”
Khalid Al Khayat, President of Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BMMAF) told reporters that Bahrain expects to win a medal. “The team won a bronze medal a couple of years ago, and recently they bagged four gold and one silver medal in South Africa.”
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