Five past champions of IMMAF were in action over the weekend, the standout veterans of amateur MMA’s elite platform secured a clean sweep of victories now as professionals.
Memorable alumni of Sweden’s national amateur team took over the card of BRAVE CF 37 in Stockholm, Sweden. Two-time IMMAF heavyweight world champion Irman Smajic smothered rival Fatih Aktas to extend his undefeated pro tenure via a unanimous decision. In addition, 2017 European Open gold medallist Anton Turkalj claimed an early TKO win as he moves to 5-0 as a professional and Sweden’s potential successor to Alexander Gustafsson at 205lbs. After winning gold medals for Sweden at the 2019 IMMAF World Championships and 2020 Oceania Open, strawweight Bianca Antman scored the highlight of the night with a stunning headkick KO to seal victory in her professional debut.
The BRAVE 37 “people’s main event” saw Muhammad Mokaev, the world’s most talked about amateur prospect, complete his pro debut in dominant fashion by nullifying Irishman Glenn McVeigh across all three rounds of their heated grudge match. As a 23-0 amateur champion Mokaev collected several promotional titles of the UK MMA scene before stepping up to the IMMAF platform, representing Team UK and later Team England. Mokaev became the no.1 ranked junior athlete as a two-time IMMAF World Championships gold medallist at bantamweight with further gold medals won at the European Open and Oceania Open.
Also on the card, IMMAF World and European silver medallist Nina Back came up short in a fight-of-the-night contender. Featuring on the amateur prelims, Back faced off against professional K-1 standout Josefine Lindgren Knutsson, who made her amateur MMA debut.
On the other side of the globe, 2017 IMMAF world champion Manon Fiorot featured at UAE Warriors 12 on July 31 in Abu Dhabi. The former national karate champion and French MMA team graduate is now riding a 5-fight win streak after a TKO stoppage over Canadian rival Corinne Laframboise.
