151 International MMA Amateurs Registered for 2017 European Open

SOFIA, BULGARIA

29 MARCH – 2 APRIL

151 amateur athletes from 28 countries have registered to compete in the 2017 IMMAF European Open Championships in Sofia in just under three weeks’ time, pending clearance by IMMAF. The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s 5 day, nation vs nation, Amateur MMA tournament is its third to take place on the European continent. Hosted by the Bulgarian MMA Federation, with UFC veteran Stanislav Nedkov at its helm, the championships take place at the EFE Marinela Hotel from 29 March to 2 April. National teams competing for the first time under the IMMAF banner include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Luxembourg and Cyprus. Top ranking teams, Sweden and Bulgaria, are showing out in force to battle for the number one spot, with 20 and 17 athletes respectively. Top 20, pound-for-pound, world amateur athletes returning to the IMMAF stage are: (1) Gabriella Ringblom, Sweden (2016 European silver, 2016 Africa gold, 2016 World gold, 2015 European silver, 2014 World silver) (2) Cornelia Holm, Sweden (2016 European gold, 2016 World gold, 2015 European silver) (4) Irman Smajic, Sweden (2016 European silver, 2016 World gold, 2015 European silver) (6) Serdar Altas, Sweden (2016 European gold, 2016 Africa gold, 2015 World silver) (7) Ferdun Osmanov, Bulgaria (2016 European gold, 2016 World silver) (13) Daniel Galabarov, Bulgaria (2016 European gold, 2016 World bronze, 2015 European gold) (15) David Fogarty, Ireland (2016 European silver, 2016 World silver) (16) Camilla Mannes, Norway (2016 European silver, 2016 World silver) See below for the full list of competitors currently registered for the 2017 IMMAF European Open Championships, listed by National Team with past medallists marked: ALBANIA Florian Doskja                 Male    Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Ermal Hadribeaj              Male    Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) AUSTRIA Wolf Gerhartinger           Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Shamil Muradov             Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Florian Aberger              Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Mario Kainz                    Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs) Lukasz Sniadecki           Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs) Doupona Dominic           Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs) Damian Visenjak            Male     Super Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs) +   AZERBAIJAN

Sanan Safarli                  Male     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Mahammad Aliyev          Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)   BAHRAIN Hussain Abdulla      Male             Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs) Hamza Zrira            Male             Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Nayef Fikey             Male             Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Hamad Mattar         Male             Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Abdulla Alfayez       Male             Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)   BELGIUM Isakov Issa                     Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)   BULGARIA Antoniya Kalacheva        Female Strawweight 52.2 kg (115 lbs) Ofelia Nikolaeva             Female Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)

Nikolay Ivaylov               Male     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Gold 

Denislav Hadzhiev          Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)

Rostislav Raichev           Male     Bantamweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Delyan Georgiev             Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Borislav Angelov             Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)

Ferdun Osmanov            Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)* 2016 European Open Gold

Iordan Marinov               Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Nikolay Nikolov               Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Ventsislav Ivanov           Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Rusi Minev                     Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)

Valeri Atanasov              Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)* 2016 European Open Silver 

Hristo Bonchev               Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)

Daniel Galabarov            Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)* 2016 World Silver, 2016/2015 European Open Gold 

Daniel Yankov                Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)

Atanas Krastanov           Male     Super Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)+ * 2016 European Open Gold 

  CYPRUS Stefanos Kyriakides       Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)   CZECH REPUBLIC 4 athletes (details pending)   DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Maurice Munday Kabamba         Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)   FINLAND

Anette Österberg            Female     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 World Silver, 2016 European Open Bronze

Janika Antinmaa Antinma  Female  Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)

Chamia Chabbi              Female    Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze 

Markus Jeskanen           Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Eemil Kurhela                 Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Sanna Hyytiäinen           Female    Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Ville Mankinen                Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Niko Skonbäck              Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Jesse Liljeberg               Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Jaakko Honkasalo          Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)

Matias Anttila                  Male     Super Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)+ * 2016 European Open Silver

  FRANCE Manon Fiorot                  Female   Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Campanella Mahio         Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Tokoudagba Jonathan    Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Henri Dimitri                    Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) * 2016 European Open Bronze

  GERMANY Vitalij Boev                     Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Wladislaw Keilbach        Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)   HUNGARY

Alexandra Kovacs          Female   Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Gold

Nora Nagy                      Female    Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Lajos Horvath                  Male      Light weight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Akos Tarnok                   Male        Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Balázs Kárászi               Male        Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)   IRELAND

David Fogarty            Male          Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 World Silver, 2016 European Open Silver, 2015 European Open Bronze

Dylan Kennedy         Male            Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs) Darren O’Brien          Male          Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Daryl Clarke              Male          Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Austin Lynch             Male            Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Jack Maguire             Male          Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Ciaran Clarke            Male          Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Scott Harvey             Male            Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) John Mitchell             Male          Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)   ITALY

Ilaria Norcia                    Female Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Arziko Bregu                   Female Bantamweight   61.2 kg (135 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze, 2016 World Bronze

Marco Zannetti               Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)* 2015/2016 European Open Silver, 2016 World Bronze

Davide Baggieri Martini  Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Francesco Spinola          Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Gabriele Varesano         Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Gianluigi Ventoruzzo      Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)* 2016 European Open Silver

Dario Bellandi                 Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs) Gabriele Bartoni              Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs) Daniele Matiddi              Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)   KAZAKHSTAN

Berik Shinaliyev                            Male             Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Jokhar Taimuskhanov                  Male             Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs) Kudaibergen Toleubayev             Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)   LEBANON 7 athletes (details pending)   LUXEMBOURG José Teixeira                   Male    Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)   MEXICO Sara Cova                                  Female             Strawweight 52.2 kg (115 lbs) Jorge Adrian Ramirez Alpizar     Male             Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Jonathan Ortega                          Male             Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Mario Alberto Hernandez Perez    Male   Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)   NORTHERN IRELAND Jack Corr                         Male    Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Gerard Corr                     Male    Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Pearce McFall                 Male    Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)

Scott Trelford                   Male    Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)* 2016 World Bronze

  NORWAY

Camilla Mannes             Female Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)* 2016 World Silver, 2016 European Open Silver, 2015 European Open Bronze

Dilan Muhammad           Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Ole Johnny Eriksen        Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Andreas Lødøen             Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Jørgen Indsetviken         Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)* 2015 European Open Bronze

Andreas Endrerud          Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)

Berat Berisha                 Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)* 2016 European Open Silver

  PAKISTAN Abbas Khan             Male             Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)   POLAND Pawel Zakrzewski          Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs) Marcin Kalata                 Male     Super Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs) +   PORTUGAL Mario Moreno                 Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Anton Pugach                 Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Gonçalo Formiga            Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Milton Mateus                 Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)   ROMANIA Ion Grigore                     Male     Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)   RUSSIA 5 athletes (details pending)   SWEDEN Anna Astvik                    Female Strawweight 52.2 kg (115 lbs) Fannie Redman               Female     Strawweight 52.2 kg (115 lbs)

Anja Saxmark                  Female     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2015 World Silver, 2015 European Open Silver

Gabriella Ringblom         Female Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 World Gold, 2016 Africa Open Gold, 2016 European Open Silver, 2015 European Open Silver

Cornelia Holm                Female Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)* 2016 World Gold, 2016 European Open Gold, 2015 European Open Silver 

EvaMy Persson               Female     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Dennis Ryden                 Male     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)

Serdar Altas                   Male     Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)* 2016 European Open Gold, 2016 Africa Open Gold, 2015 World Silver

Temurmalik Khudojberdi Male      Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)

Hoger Salih                      Male    Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)* 2016 Africa Open Gold, 2016 European Open Gold

Tobias Bolin                    Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)

Tobias Harila                  Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)* 2016 Africa Open Gold

Axel Karlsson                 Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)* 2016 Africa Open Bronze

Oskar Biller                     Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Heytham Rabhi              Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)* 2016 Africa Open Silver

Khaled Laallam              Male     Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs) Anton Turkalj                  Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)

Christoffer Hillsjo            Male     Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205 lbs)* 2016 Africa Open Silver

Jonnie Andersson           Male      Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs)

Irman Smajic                   Male    Super Heavyweight 120.2 kg (265 lbs) +* 2016 World Gold, 2016/2015 European Open Silver

  UNITED KINGDOM Beckie Ainscough           Female Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)

Kierandip Sahota            Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

Jack Antony Flanagan    Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Adam Amarasinghe        Male     Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs) Brandon Elwell               Male     Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs) Benjamin Charles Robson           Male             Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Cameron Clarke             Male     Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs) Alex Elsey                      Male     Welterweight 77.1 kg (170 lbs)

Tom Crosby                   Male      Middleweight 83.9 kg (185 lbs)* 2016 European Open Bronze

  For full team and brackets information join MyNextMatch.com and visit https://www.mynextmatch.com/tournament/32/details  ]]>