Hosts dominate early MMA rounds as 1,100 young athletes descend on Abu Dhabi

The UAE Mixed Martial Arts National Team secured 12 medals on the opening day of the IMMAF Youth World Championships on Monday, 17 August, at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi. The haul included five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals as the host nation established an early lead in the global competition. Global Participation and Age Categories More than 1,100 athletes representing 55 countries are participating in the tournament, which concludes on Sunday, 23 August. The first day of competition focused on the Youth D category, involving athletes aged 10–11. This specific age bracket is being contested for only the second time in the championship's history, following its introduction in 2025. Nineteen UAE national team athletes competed in the opening matches. The event was officially inaugurated with a ceremony featuring the Abu Dhabi Police Music Band and a technology-focused demonstration. In a first for the tournament, two robots performed an MMA-style exhibition match inside the cage, overseen by a third robot acting as the referee. The demonstration was attended by senior officials, including Abdulmunem Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, and Kerrith Brown, President of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF). Strategic Focus on Youth Talent The UAE is hosting the IMMAF Youth World Championships for the fifth consecutive year. Abdulmunem Alhashmi stated that the sustained hosting of the event is part of a…