WMMAA celebrates banner year, membership approaches 50 countries
WMMAA celebrates banner year, membership approaches 50 countries
In only its fifth year of existence, the World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) celebrated a banner year in 2016, as membership expansion approached 50 countries around the world.
The WMMAA sanctioned countries in five divisions – Pan-Am, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania – include Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
Click here to watch videos from the year
The highlight of the 2016 WMMAA season was the World MMA Championships, in which powerhouse, Team Russia completely dominated, as it also did in the European Championships, sweeping all seven weight classes in Studio City, Macau, China.
Nearly 100 fighters competed, representing 23 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain, Australia, Belgian, China, Colombia, France, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Tajikistan, Germany, Hungary, Macao, Nepal, India, South Korea, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Italy.
Russian middleweight Gamzat Hiramagomedov and light heavyweight Magomed Ankalayev were repeat world champions.
Asian team champion Kazakhstan won two Silver and four Bronze medals in team scoring, followed in order by Ukraine with two Silver and two Bronze, Czech Republic captured one Silver and two Bronze, Chinas one Silver and two Bronze, Kyrgyzstan two Bronze, and one Bronze each for France, India, Spain and Moldova.
Below find results from each World MMA Championships weight classes:
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION: -61.2 kg (135 lbs.)
1. Omar Nurmagomedov (Russia)
2. Artur Mykytenko (Czech Republic)
3. Mirat Bekishev (Kazakhstan)
3. Chun Bo Yuan (China)
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION: -65.8 kg (145 lbs.)
1. Kurban Taigibov (Russia)
2. Elnur Valiev (Ukraine)
3. Uulu Mustafa Rakhmatilla (Kyrgyzstan)
3. Roman Molodij (France)
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION: -70.3 kg (154 lbs.)
1. Murad Ramazanov (Russia)
2. Sheng Liu (China)
3. Altynbek Bakhtygeldinov (Kazakhstan)
3. Leos Brichta (Czech Republic)
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION: -77.1 kg (170 lbs.)
1. Alibeg Rasulov (Russia)
2. Goyta Dazaev (Kazakhstan)
3. Syed Abdul Nazzeur Ibrahim (India)
3. Uula Tologon Rakhmanberdi (Kyrgyzstan)
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION: -84 kg (185 lbs.)
1. Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Russia)
2. Idris GHezalov (Ukraine)
3. Murad Abdurahmanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Rong Fan (China)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: -93 kg (205 lbs.)
1. Magomed Ankalayev (Russia)
2. Robert Lau (Germany)
3. Erkinbek Inzhel (Kazakhstan)
3. Darwing Rodriguez (Spain)
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: +93 kg (+205 lbs.)
1. Amirhan Isagadjiev (Russia)
2. Alimanov Suleimanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Viktor Pavlichek (Czech Republic)
3. Nicolae Scorohod (Moldova)
In other major WMMAA news from 2016, it was announced that the 2017 European Championships will be held September in Germany, 2017 Asian Championships will be October in Kazakhstan, exact dates and cities to be determined.
Also, Viktor Frolov was elected president of the European Division at the last Congress, held last November.
