FIMMA Launches to Unify MMA and Secure Place in Olympic Games

The Asian Mixed Martial Arts Association has launched the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts, a new international mixed-martial arts federation, to unify the sport under clear global governance and secure its eventual place in the Olympic Games.

FIMMA’s launch is in response to calls from athletes and national federations for a new world governing body for that can drive progress through an athlete-centred strategy. The association’s founding meeting was held on December 1 in Athens, Greece.

FIMMA will build on AMMA’s experience in Asia, having secured MMA’s inclusion in the 2025 Asian Youth Games, 2026 Asian Games, and 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games under the leadership of AMMA President Gordon Tang.

“MMA has captured the hearts of millions worldwide, yet it has long lacked unified global governance,” said Tang. “Through our work in Asia, we’ve opened doors for athletes, organised four major competitions and secured MMA’s debut as a medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and 2025 Asian Youth Games.

“These milestones prove what is possible when we work together but continental success is just the beginning. FIMMA will unite everyone under one global leadership.”

Post-launch, the governing body will collaborate with national federations and athletes to create an integrated, streamlined and inclusive event structure, while protecting and promoting the global interests of the sport and its athletes. This includes developing regional, continental and international competitions to provide athletes with pathways from amateur up to professional levels. In a press briefing, FIMMA also confirmed it was open to partnerships with UFC, ONE Championship and other MMA promoters.

“FIMMA is about putting athletes first and building a truly global sport,” said AMMA Director General Galastein Tan. “We’re creating world-class competition platforms, focused on safety, and streamlined events that bring the best athletes together under one organization.

“As a unifying force in MMA, we are ready to collaborate with all organizations, including the UFC, ONE Championship, and those that share our commitment to protecting and promoting the interests of MMA and its athletes. Together, we will take amateur MMA from continental success to a global stage and prepare it for the Olympic spotlight.”

As the agenda for LA28 has already been finalized, the earliest that MMA could be accepted into the Olympic Games would be the 2032 Summer Games in Brisbane, Australia.

While MMA has surged in popularity around the world, particularly with professional promotions such as UFC, the iteration of MMA organized by FIMMA and AMMA will adopt rules used under the Asian MMA model.

As such, cages will not be used, dangerous moves (e.g. head strikes after knockdown) will be banned, and athlete safety will be prioritised in terms of tournament structure limits, medical and technical committee reviews, and anti-doping compliance.

It comes as global soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo announced his involvement in WOW FC, Spain’s largest MMA league, which is described as a new concept for the sport. His involvement is designed to accelerate WOW FC’s global expansion and reinforce its mission to make MMA a mainstream cultural movement across Europe, LATAM, the Middle East and beyond.

WOW FC, which stands for Way of Warrior FC, was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Madrid.