TTS Report
Pakistan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PAKMMAF) is set to compete at the IMMAF Asian Championships in Lebanon, where nearly 400 athletes from 18 countries will participate in one of the continent’s foremost combat-sports tournaments. Pakistan will be represented by two world medalists — Shahab Ali and Abdul Manan — both of whom secured podium finishes at the 2025 IMMAF World Championship in Georgia, the largest MMA event in the world.The delegation will also include the team manager and PAKMMAF President Omar Ahmed, who serves on the Executive Board of the IMMAF Asian Federation. Pakistan currently holds the No. 3 ranking in Asia, a notable achievement given the region’s dominance in global mixed martial arts.A landmark chapter in Pakistan’s MMA rise was written last year when the country hosted the IMMAF Asian Championships in Lahore — the largest sporting event in the nation’s history, surpassing both the 1996 Cricket World Cup fixtures and the 2004 South Asian Games in scale. Pakistan’s fighters delivered a powerful performance, returning with 12 medals, including standout victories by female athletes Bano Butt and Eman Khan.The championship earned official recognition from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, cementing MMA’s place on the national sporting landscape and signaling a breakthrough moment for combat sports in the country.Building on that success, the Punjab government supported Pakistan Combat Night in August — an international qualifying event for the IMMAF World Championship and the Road to BRAVE 100. The event opened doors for Pakistani fighters on the global stage, leading to appearances at elite competitions in Georgia, Dubai, Bahrain, and now Lebanon. These appearances have significantly enhanced Pakistan’s international reputation, athlete development pipeline, and competitive standing.Despite a national sports budget exceeding Rs. 28 billion, MMA continues to grow without direct government funding. The sport operates on a completely self-financed model, with international campaigns funded through private sponsorships. Fighters have also begun benefiting from Asia’s rapidly expanding combat-sports economy, where global promotions such as BRAVE CF, UFC, and PFL actively scout talent, offering professional contracts paid in foreign currency.In a transformational move for Pakistan’s MMA future, PAKMMAF recently signed a three-year strategic partnership with BRAVE Combat Federation, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The agreement will bring international BRAVE CF events to Pakistan and provide Pakistani fighters direct access to one of the world’s most powerful MMA platforms. The venture represents a major step in sports diplomacy and positions MMA to develop domestic commercial value similar to the success of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).PAKMMAF President Omar Ahmed highlighted the broader opportunity MMA presents to young athletes: “Mixed martial arts offers Pakistani athletes a direct pathway to international careers. What we have achieved with extremely limited resources proves the enormous untapped potential of this sport.”
