Report from the All India Mixed Martial Arts Association. See below for Photo Gallery. Delegates from the All India Mixed Martial Arts Association (AIMMAA) paid an ambassadorial visit to Bahrain on behalf of MMA from the 8th to 11th March. AIMMAA has been instrumental in the formation of the new Bahrain National MMA Federation(BNMMAF) which has been set up under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid and the jurisdiction of the Sports Minister His Highness Shaikh Nasser. The operations of the new federation, which will be submitting an application to IMMAF for affiliation, is to be run by Mohd Shahid. AIMMAA aided the Bahrain MMA federation in the conducting of its first national MMA tryouts. This was the first time that an national level Amateur MMA championship has been held in Bahrain. The purpose of the tryouts was to prepare a well trained national MMA team for the 2015 IMMAF World Championships, pending affiliation. Daniel Isaac of AIMMAA has been asked by the BNMMAF to conduct all MMA officials and fighter training programs, as well as overseeing all the national tryouts between now and the IMMAF World Championships. 12 Bahraini officials have already participated in a course led by Daniel and AIMMAA senior officials on 8th March in Bahrain. These same officials then worked together with the AIMMAA officials to supervise the tryouts. During the seminar Daniel trained all the officials according to the Unified Rules of MMA and the IMMAF Amateur rules (3×3 minutes rules set). The IMMAF Amateur 3 x 3 minutes rules set was implemented at the national tryouts. The AIMMAA team that worked together with the Bahrain MMA federation included: Daniel Isaac (Event Commissioner), Ryan Thorpe (Head Referee), Samuel Lalrozama (Assistant Referee), Sharif Bapu (Chief Judge), Yashpal Kalsi (Judge), Alan Fenandes (Chief Inspector & Event Co-ordinator) and Abdul Muneer (Cutman). His Highness Shaikh Khalid stated: “Mixed Martial Arts gives its practitioners a lot of focus and mental strength, as it gives the fighter an opportunity to identify potential combat talent and enables him to develop by reaching out to the best technical levels. As this sport is one that requires endurance and strength and high physical skill, it gives the fighter the opportunity to become physically fit in order to participate in this sport.” AIMMAA president, Jitendra Jain stated, “We are proud to be a part of not just IMMAF India, but IMMAF International.” See links below to reports posted on the official website of His Highness Shaikh Khalid and at the Bahrain News Agency : http://www.khalidbinhamad.info/en/?p=2282 http://www.khalidbinhamad.info/en/?p=2212 http://www.khalidbinhamad.info/en/?p=2215 http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/658414
PHOTO GALLERY : AIMMAA IN BAHRAIN
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