Day 5 of the 2024 IMMAF World Championships saw IMMAF’s finest compete in the Senior Finals, delivering high-stakes battles and historic achievements.
Finland’s Sani Brännfors cemented her legacy in the Women’s Bantamweight division by defeating Spain’s Mercedes Custodio with a rear-naked choke, making her the first female athlete to clinch gold across all IMMAF levels: Youth, Junior, and Senior.
Host nation Uzbekistan topped the medal table with three gold medals. Zafar Rashidov showcased skill and control in a three-round unanimous decision win over Bahrain’s Samgat Shabdan. Leaving his gloves in the cage after the bout, Rashidov signalled his transition to the professional ranks. Teammates Asrorbek Anvarjonov and Jamshid Tilyaev also secured titles, capturing World Champion status in the heavyweight and bantamweight categories, respectively.
Bahrain’s reigning champions, Gimbat Magomedov and Gadzhi Gadzhiev, both successfully defended their titles. Gadzhiev, notably the first male athlete to secure Youth, Junior, and Senior gold on the world stage, delivered a dominant performance against Bohdan Voloshyn.
The middleweight final between Qosim Sardorov (Tajikistan) and David Hervias (Spain) was a technical showcase. Hervias employed a relentless submission offence, but Sardorov’s powerful top control neutralised the Spaniard’s attacks. Though Sardorov emerged victorious, both fighters demonstrated tremendous potential for future success in MMA.
In the men’s super lightweight division, promising English talent Charlie Lynch-Spence faced 2023 world silver medalist Masud Odinaev from Tajikistan in a closely fought match. Both athletes showcased their skills in full, leading to a split decision in favour of Odinaev, after an initial scorecard miscalculation.
Ukraine had an impressive showing, securing three golds. Anna Hyria opened the day with a fast kneebar finish to claim atomweight gold, while Ivan Kurelaru’s anaconda choke earned him the lightweight world title.
Meanwhile, Isabel Calvo made history as Spain’s first-ever World Champion, and Kiara Fegen brought home South Africa’s first championship title since 2016, underscoring the truly global growth of the sport.
With memorable performances and groundbreaking achievements, the 2024 IMMAF World Championships Senior Finals set new milestones and showcased the next generation of elite MMA talent.
Next up is the Junior Finals, which can be watched LIVE on IMMAF.tv
