By IMMAF Development Consultant, Jorden Curran
The Arnold Sports Festival took place in Sao Paulo last week and hosted a landmark event for amateur mixed martial arts in Brazil.
A three-day MMA showcase, organised by CBMMAD and supported by UFC Fight Pass, hosted competition for both Senior and Junior level competitors, as well as Youth divisions with A,B & C IMMAF standard categories.
In addition, the competition featured an international head-to-head with Team Brazil athletes facing off against Colombia’s national team of IMMAF member body, OCAMM.
In attendance was CBMMAD ambassador and 2014 IMMAF world champion, now UFC contender Amanda Ribas, CBMMAD President Carlão Barreto, Vice President Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueria, Rogerio Minotouro Nogueira, Caio Borralho and others.
MMA legend, former UFC and pride heavyweight champion, Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira commented: “It was a great moment for Amateur MMA in Brazil! CBMMAD produced 3 great days at Arnold South America with lots of fights and interaction! For the first time we had fights in the Youth categories, and we had the international MMA challenge between Brazil and Colombia with five big fights! As Vice President of CBMMAD I am very proud and this is the way to reach our goal, which is the top of the world. It’s a long way but we’re in the right direction!”
The event marked a significant step for the further development of amateur MMA and a national pathway in Brazil and the experience gained by those in action will serve as momentum heading in to the 2024 IMMAF World Championships in Uzbekistan, and Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
Brazil ranked among the most successful nations of the 2023 IMMAF World Championships with the CBMMAD team producing gold medallists including Giulliany Perea in women’s strawweight and Fernanda Guersone in the women’s lightweight division.
