By Caoilte de Barra
Six-time IMMAF medalist Magdalena Czaban has called time on her amateur MMA career as she heads to the professional ranks next. The Poland national team stalwart has been one of the top athletes on the IMMAF circuit ever since her debut in 2019.
Czaban started her IMMAF journey by winning the 2019 European Championships in the atomweight division before adding junior world gold at the 2019 World Championships.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Czaban travelled to Australia for the 2020 Oceania Championships, where she dropped her sole IMMAF defeat in an exciting finals match-up against Bezhan Mahmudi.
Following a spell where not many events were happening, Czaban’s next outing came at the 2021 European Championships, where she added a second european atomweight gold.
After being unable to compete at the 2021 World Championships, the atomweight standout returned at the 2022 European Championships, opting to move up a division to test herself. The competition saw her in some of the most exciting amateur bouts of the year, in particular, her opening bout of the competition against Josefine Modig.
Hardfought wins over Delphine Benouaich and Songuel Karatorak saw her top the podium for a third occasion to become a two-weight european gold medalist.
Her final IMMAF appearance came at the most recent set of IMMAF World Championships. Competing in a stacked atomweight division full of fresh faces, Czaban had her work cut out for her. However, a hattrick of finishes, including a submission victory over two-time junior world wrestling champion Victoria Anthony in the semi-finals, saw Czaban round off her amateur career with a senior world gold medal.
It is not known when Czaban will make her pro debut, but there will be plenty of promotions competing for her signature as the 23-year-old looks to replicate her amateur success as a professional.
