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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO MMA FEDERATION JOINS THE IMMAF MOVEMENT

By Mike Johnson on 2/10/2017 8:33 AM

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO MMA FEDERATION JOINS THE IMMAF MOVEMENT

 

(London. 10 February 2017) IMMAF welcomes the Democratic Republic of Congo MMA Federation (DRCMMAF) as its national representative for the governance of MMA with the DR Congo.

Founded in 2013, the organization was initiated by the vision of Sensei Baygon Obutobe, one of the first Congolese residents to compete professionally in MMA, at South Africa’s Extreme Fighting Championship. In South Africa, he met other Congolese, who were residing there and competing for EFC under their own national banner but without official representation.  When fellow Congolese EFC competitor and coach, Jean Luc Kazadi, returned to his home country the idea was born to create a national MMA federation, and a host of local clubs and gyms across Katanga, Kinshasa and Bas-Congo were enlisted as members.

MMA is a new sport in the Congo which is attracting young people, but which has been largely unknown to the authorities whom the DCMMAF has undertaken to educate.  One of the key challenges faced by the DCMMAF, in common with other sports in the country is the lack of infrastructure and equipment.  The federation believes that support from the IMMAF family will enable it tackle some of these issues through strong leadership backed by an exchange of education, culture and commerce.

IMMAF President, Kerrith Brown, welcomed the DRCMMAF, pledging IMMAF's support to the development of the organisation and MMA in the Congo. He added:

"It is hugely positive to witness the growth of MMA on the African continent. IMMAF looks forward to seeing a Congolese team compete for the first time in the 2017 Africa Open in Johannesburg later this year."

DR Congo MMAF President, Baygon Bombomba said:

“On the behalf of the DR Congo MMA Federation I would like to congratulate our membership and thank everyone from North, South, East and West for your ongoing encouragement since we began promoting the sport of MMA.

“Thanks again to IMMAF President Kerrith Brown and IMMAF’s Board of Directors. Thank you to Mr. Raymond Phillips, IMMAF’s Director for Africa, and thank you to all the African MMA Federations for supporting us in our process of coming together as one for the development and promotion of MMA.

“I would like to give credit to my country’s number one in sport, The Raïs Joseph Kabila, alongside his government team, especially the Sports Ministry and National Olympic Committee.

“FECAMM board members, technical staff and all athletes I thank you and congratulate you for all you have done for our federation and request your ongoing support as this is just the beginning and the real work has only just started.

“To all countries and especially African nations that are not yet IMMAF members, I urge you to join the IMMAF.”

/ENDS

 

About IMMAF:

 

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation is the international democratic body for the sport of MMA, representing MMA’s stakeholders across 65 nations worldwide. Founded from within the MMA community for the MMA community, the purpose of the IMMAF is to protect and further the development, recognition and regulation of the sport of MMA on all levels, enabling international competition through its family of non-profit, democratic national federations. immaf.org