Paul Abraham
The 2026 IMMAF World Championships continued on Wednesday, November 4, in Tbilisi, Georgia.
After Tuesday’s Round of 16, the remaining athletes competed in the quarter-finals. The third day featured several impressive finishes, with the winners securing their places in the semi-finals and guaranteeing themselves at least a bronze medal.
2026 IMMAF European Champion Thibault De Marinis (France) faced Angola’s Pedro Nkutxi in the senior flyweight division.
Nkutxi had made history the previous day with a five-second KO, the fastest in IMMAF history.
However, the Angolan was unable to repeat his performance against De Marinis. The Frenchman secured a TKO victory in the third round and guaranteed France at least one medal.
Spain’s Nabih Laouimri Akhazzan defeated Serbia’s Blazo Pusonjic by first-round TKO after a devastating right-left combination.
His compatriot Amiran Liparteliani continued their nations momentum, stopping Tajikistan’s Bakhromjon Imomzoda by second-round TKO with a brutal ground-and-pound attack.
2026 IMMAF African Champion Bilel Boulama (Algeria) claimed his first TKO stoppage in IMMAF competition.
The ‘Algerian Snake’ had already picked up wins by submission and decision earlier in the tournament.
Russia’s Amir Nasrullaev secured a spectacular submission victory over his fellow countryman Abdurakhman Alibekov in the quarter-finals.
Finally, Israel’s Pnina Aronov defeated Ireland’s Sarah Carney with an impressive kneebar submission in the second round.
