The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) continues to imprint its foothold as the leader in amateur MMA in Africa with the seventh edition of the African Championships, which takes place in Namibia for the first time. And as we get ready to embark on a historic edition of the tournament, we continue to take a look at past champions and what they have went on to achieve.
Starting with Shamil Gaziev, one of the best Heavyweights to come out of the IMMAF system. He has amassed an impressive gold medal record, winning Asian, African, and European championships on his way to the professional ranks.
Gaziev became one of the top Heavyweights in the world, and following a two-fight stint with BRAVE Combat Federation, signed on to the UFC, and currently holds a 1-1 record with the promotion.
Another IMMAF African standout recently picked up by the UFC is Magomed Gadzhiyasulov. After shining in the 2019 African Championships, picking up a gold medal in the Light Heavyweight division, ‘’MG’’ went on to fight for BRAVE CF before signing onto Dana White Contender Series, where he earned a UFC contract with a huge win over Jose Medina. Gadzhiyasulov is expected to make his official UFC debut on June 22, in Saudi Arabia, against Brazil’s Brendson Ribeiro.
Jumping forward to the last two editions of the IMMAF African Championships, highly-touted talents are still progressing through brilliant amateur careers or forging a path in the professional ranks. The latter is the case for Nicole Van Wyk, a 2022 gold medalist.
After winning gold in the Flyweight division and wrapping up her amateur career with a 100% finish rate, Van Wyk made her professional debut last year in EFC, South Africa’s premier MMA organization, moving down to Strawweight to get herself a winning start to what promises to be a huge career in the pro ranks.
And to wrap up the ‘Where Are They Now’ series for the IMMAF African Championships, we catch up with three former champions that will be in action at the 2024 edition of the tournament, with two of them seemingly on a collision course. Clelio Diogo, Maurio Silva, and Damian Muller.
Diogo, representing Team Angola, made waves last year when he earned gold in the Featherweight division, and will be eager to join a select list of two-time African champions when he reenters the 145lbs pool this year.
In the lighter weight classes, two other names have stolen the show in the past two years and seem destined to face off in what could be one of the biggest fights in the tournament’s recent history.
Two-time African Bantamweight champion Maurio Silva is dropping down to Flyweight this time around, where he’ll possibly have to face the reigning champion, Namibia’s own Damian Muller. In case this match-up ends happening, the stakes couldn’t be higher, as Silva will look to become one of the first three-time African champions ever, while Muller will look to use home court advantage to earn the second consecutive Flyweight gold.
