Federation: Azerbaijan MMA League Number of competitors: 1 A year since making its official IMMAF tournament debut, Azerbaijan MMA League (AMMAL) will once again look to upset the odds at UFC International Fight Week™. AMMAL is greatly acknowledged in the Transcaucasian region and is recognised under the Ministry of Sports of Azerbaijan and Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. In April, AMMAL hosted its National Open Championships in Baku, which also served as its national trials to select its official amateur team for the 2016 IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA. Of the approximately 200 athletes who descended upon Azerbaijan’s capital city to compete in the two-day event, one man by the name of Sanan Safarli was chosen to represent his country in the United States. Although Azerbaijan has never had the fortune of sending over a large sized squad to an IMMAF competition, they did in-fact achieve the 2015 European Bronze medal through 115lb Strawweight competitor Lyudmila Sadirina. It is a feat of great proportions, especially with Azerbaijan still developing its grassroots level for amateur mixed martial arts. It was also Sadirina’s triumph in Walsall, England which has opened the door for other female mixed martial artists in Azerbaijan, as the AMMAL allowed three female athletes to compete at its National Championships for the first time. With Safarli set for the UFC Fan Expo®, can he make #HistoryAgain and notch up the team’s first win at a major IMMAF championship to become Azerbaijan’s inaugural male medallist? Attend the 2016 IMMAF World Championships at UFC International Fight Week™ in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA): July 5 – 7, Las Vegas Convention Center FREE ENTRY July 8 & 10, UFC Fan Expo® BUY TICKETS: ufc.com/event-ticket-info FOLLOW the results live at mynextmatch.com or on Twitter at @IMMAFed]]>
2016 World Championships: Team Azerbaijan in Focus
