International Mixed Martial Arts Federation


The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation was founded on 29 February 2012 as the international governing body for amateur mixed martial arts. Registered as a non-profit organization under Swedish law, the IMMAF supports the growth of sport safety by aiding countries in the formation of federations. IMMAF launched with support of market leader, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The UFC is among promotions under the IMMAF umbrella in countries that include Brazil and Sweden.
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the IMMAF suspended the memberships of the Russian MMA Union and the Federation of Hand-to-Hand Fighting & MMA of Belarus from participating in all IMMAF Championships, and banned the organization of IMMAF events in Russia and Belarus.

Amateur vs. professional level athletes

The IMMAF considers an athlete to be on a professional level and thus not eligible for participation if he or she meets any one of the following criteria:
  • Holds a Pro MMA or professional combat sports license issued by any sanctioning body
  • Under contract with a professional MMA or professional combat sport promotion
  • Has received a fee for participating in an MMA or professional combat sports match
  • Participated in a professional MMA match under the Unified Rules of MMA or equivalent in the country where the bout took place
  • Competed against an opponent with a Pro MMA record at the time the bout took place
  • Professional MMA fight record published anywhere
  • National amateur criteria do not hold for IMMAF international competition if it does not conform to the above stipulations

    Amateur MMA rules

Compulsory equipment

  • Gloves
  • Shin guards
  • Shorts made in a durable material and designed that they can't inflict injury
  • Mouthpiece
  • Competition top or rashguard
  • Protective groin cup
  • Protective chest gear
  • Knee protection
  • Ankle protection

    Unauthorized techniques

The same from the Unified Rules of MMA plus:
  • Elbow and forearm strikes of any kind
  • Heel hook
  • Twisters/sit through crucifix and/or any submission deemed as applying pressure to the spine
  • Knees to the head at any point
  • U18 competitions: any attacks to the head

    Length of the match

  • A match shall contain three rounds
  • A round shall last three minutes
  • The round break shall last sixty seconds

    Suspension

A contestant who was knocked out as a result of a blow to the head, or whose match was stopped by the judge, shall be suspended from competition and sparring matches.
Suspension periods starting from the day of the latest match:
  • One knockout: minimum four weeks of suspension
  • Two knockouts during a period of three months: minimum three months of suspension
  • Three knockouts during a period of twelve months: minimum twelve months of suspension

    Members

National Federations:

Pan America

  • Argentina - Argentine Association of Mixed Martial Arts and Contact Sports
  • Aruba - Millard Academy
  • Bahamas - Empire Mixed Martial Arts Bahamas
  • Barbados - Barbados Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Belize - MMA Federation of Belize
  • Bolivia - MMA Federation of Belize
  • Brazil - Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission / Comissão Atlética Brasileira de MMA
  • Canada - Canadian Combat Alliance
  • Cayman Islands - Under Review
  • Colombia - Asociación Colombiana de Artes Marciales Mixtas
  • Costa Rica - Federacion de Artes Marciales Mixtas
  • Dominican Republic - Federation Dominicana de Artes Marciale Mixtas
  • Ecuador - Ecuador Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • El Salvador - Federacion Salvadoreña de Kickboxing & MMA / Salvadorean Kickboxing & MMA Federation
  • Grenada - Grenada mixed martial arts federation
  • Guatemala - Asociación Guatemalteca de Artes Marciales Mixtas
  • Guyana - Guyana Mixed Martials Federation
  • Jamaica - MMA Jamaica Sports Federation
  • Mexico - Federación de Artes Marciales Mixtas Equidad y Juego Limpio
  • Panama - Asociación Nacional de mixed martial arts
  • Paraguay - Federacion Paraguaya de Kick Boxing Muay Thai & MMA
  • Puerto Rico - Federacion Independiente de Artes Marciales Mixtas de Puerto Rico
  • Saint Martin - Sint Maarten Martial Arts
  • St Lucia - St Lucia Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad and Tobago Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Uruguay - Asociacion Uruguaya de Artes Marciales Mixtas Amateur y Profesional – AUAMMAP
  • United States of America - USA Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Venezuela - Federación Venezolana de Artes Marciales Mixtas National

    Asia

  • Afghanistan - Afghanistan MMA Federation
  • Bahrain - Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • China - MMA Department Of Chinese Boxing Federation
  • Hong Kong - Hong Kong MMA Federation Ltd
  • India - MMA India
  • Indonesia - Indonesia Committee for Martial Art Sports / Komite Olahraga Beladiri Indonesia – KOBI
  • Iran - Iranian MMA Federation
  • Iraq - Iraqi Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Japan - Japan MMA Federation JMMAF
  • Jordan - Jordan Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Kazakhstan - Kazakh National Public Union of Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Kuwait - MMA Kuwait Association
  • Kyrgyzstan - Republic Of Kyrgyzstan Federation Of MMA And Pankration
  • Lebanon - Lebanese MMA Federation
  • Malaysia - Malaysia Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • Mongolia - Mongolian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Nepal - Nepal National Martial Art Games Confederation
  • Pakistan - Mixed Martial Arts Pakistan
  • Philippines - Philippines Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Saudi Arabia - Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Singapore - Under Review
  • South Korea - Under Review
  • Sri Lanka - Mixed Martial Arts Federation Sri Lanka
  • Taiwan - Chinese Taipei Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • Tajikistan - Federation Of Mixed Martial Arts Of The Republic Of Tajikistan
  • Thailand - Thai Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • United Arab Emirates - UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Uzbekistan - Uzbekistan MMA Association
  • Vietnam - Vietnam MMA Federation

    Europe

  • Albania - Albanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Armenia - MMA Federation of Armenia
  • Austria - Austrian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Belgium - Belgian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Bulgaria - Bulgarian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Croatia - Croatian Mixed Martial Arts Union
  • Cyprus - Cyprus Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Czech Republic - Czech Association of MMA
  • Denmark - Danish Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • England - England Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • Estonia - Estonian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Finland - Finnish Mixed Martial Arts Federation / Suomen Vapaaotteluliitto ry
  • France - French Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Georgia - National Federation of Universal Martial Arts
  • Germany - German Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Greece - Panhellenic MMA Federation
  • Hungary - Hungarian MMA Federation
  • Iceland - Iceland MMA Federation
  • Ireland - Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • Israel- ISR Mixed Martial Arts
  • Italy - Federazione Italiana Grappling Mixed Martial Arts / Italian Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Kosovo - Kosovo Miksed Martial Arts Federation / Federation Federata Arteve Mikse Marciale
  • Latvia - Under Review
  • Lithuania - Lithuanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Luxembourg - Fédération Luxembourgeoise de MMA
  • Malta - Malta Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • Moldova - Moldovan MMA Federation
  • Netherlands - MMA Union Netherlands
  • Northern Ireland - Ulster Amateur MMA
  • Norway - Norwegian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Poland - Stowarzyszenie MMA Polska
  • Portugal - Federação Portugusea de Lutas Amadoras / Comissão Atlética Portuguesa de MMA
  • Romania - Romanian Kempo Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Russia - Russian MMA Union '
  • Scotland - Mixed Martial Arts Federation Of Scotland
  • Serbia - Serbian MMA Federation
  • Slovakia - Slovakian MMA Association
  • Slovenia - Slovenia MMA Federation
  • Spain - Federación Española de Lucha Olímpica y Disciplinas Asociadas
  • Sweden - Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Switzerland - Federation Switzerland Mixed Martial Arts
  • Turkey - Turkey Combat Mixed Martial Arts Sport Association
  • Ukraine - MMA League of Ukraine
  • Wales''' - Mixed Martial Arts Cymru

    Oceania

  • Australia - International Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Australia
  • French Polynesia - Wrestling Polynesian Federation & Associated Disciplines
  • New Zealand - New Zealand Mixed Martial Arts Federation

    Africa

  • Algeria - Algerian Federation of Kickboxing, MMA & Similar Sports
  • Angola - Associação Provincial de MMA de Luanda
  • Cameroon - National League Mixed Martial Arts Cameroon
  • Cote D Ivoire - Federation Ivoirienne D Arts Martiaux Mixtes
  • Democratic Republic of Congo - Democratic Republic of Congo MMA Federation
  • Egypt - The Egyptian MMA Committee
  • Ghana - Ghana Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Guinea - Guinean Federation of Krav-Maga and Associated Disciplines
  • Mauritius - Mixed Martial Arts Federation Mauritius
  • Morocco - Fédération Royale Marocaine Du Sport de Combat Libre Et Mixte
  • Namibia - Namibian MMA Federation
  • Nigeria - Nigerian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Senegal - MMA Senegal
  • The Seychelles - The Seychelles Mixed Martial Arts Association
  • South Africa - Mixed Martial Arts South Africa
  • Tunisia - Tunisian Mixed Martial Arts Federation
  • Zambia - Mixed Martial Arts Zambia
  • Zimbabwe - Mixed Martial Arts Association