By Frank Bonada
Reigning IMMAF Sr. Featherweight World Champion Elias Erber will be looking to retain his title at the 2024 IMMAF World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
One of the most accomplished athletes on the current IMMAF roster, Erber’s run of dominance over the past two years has solidified his status as one of amateur MMA’s top rising prospects.
Boasting an impressive 23-4 record, Erber has emerged as Austria’s latest MMA sensation, following in the footsteps of countryman Bogdan Grad, who recently secured his UFC contract.
At the 2023 IMMAF World Championships, Erber showcased his high-level skillset, winning four consecutive bouts to claim Sr. Featherweight gold. In the final, he faced off against Kazakhstan’s Samgat Shabdan, where he delivered a commanding performance to secure a unanimous decision victory and the World title.
Five months later, Erber returned to compete at the 2024 IMMAF European Championships in an attempt to add continental gold to his list of accolades. The Austrian star stormed through the competition with another series of four back-to-back wins. His run culminated in a statement-making TKO victory in the final over Ugo-Antton Vidal (France), further solidifying his status as a top-tier amateur fighter.
With two major gold medals to his name, Erber now sets his sights on defending his world title in Tashkent. His impressive skill set, which combines a seemingly endless gas tank, with constant pressure and a crushing ground game, has made him a nightmare for opponents to deal with.
Erber spoke on his pride in representing Austria once again on the global IMMAF stage:
“The IMMAF tournaments definitely have a special place in my heart, there is no other competition you could compare it with. It’s by far the most prestigious amateur competition with the greatest risk of losing. You have up to 5 fights a week against the best representative of each country and on top of that you get to know who your opponent will be only the day before. Not to forget that you have to make weight every day in the morning. But the higher the risk the higher the reward. There is probably no greater feeling than standing on top of the podium at the end of the week hearing the national anthem and lifting up the national flag after going through all of that.”
“Wearing the golden fight kit I am going to defend my title on November 10th in Uzbekistan.”
Erber’s path to title retention will be no easy venture, however. A plethora of talented athletes have stacked the Senior Featherweight division, with the likes of Salauat Kabi (Kazakhstan), Clelio Diogo (Angola) and Milan Nikolenko (Ukraine) all poised to make their own charges at the world title. Both Shabdan and Vidal will also return, having achieved multiple victories since their last meeting with Erber, looking to pull one back from the Austrian Champ.
The Austrian MMA Federation had the following to say about Erber’s rise from unknown amateur to IMMAF World Champion:
“Austrian Elias Erber started his impressive amateur MMA career in 2019 when he was still 17 years old. He fought his first fight at a novice event organized by the Austrian Amateur MMA Federation AUTMMAF. Despite his young age and limited experience, it was already clear to everyone that Elias had a great future ahead of him.”
“Fighting on the big stage of IMMAF events, he also proved that he has the mental strength and the necessary skills to fight in the highest amateur league. Thanks to his coaching team and his discipline, he was able to realize his ultimate goal. World champion at an IMMAF event. This year will be his last time at the IMMAF World Championships. Of course, we are keeping our fingers crossed for him and his coaching team and will be there live on IMMAF.tv.”
Fans and fellow athletes alike will all be watching closely as Elias Erber looks to make history once more at the 2024 IMMAF World Championships, aiming to add another gold medal to his ever-growing collection and solidify his legacy as one of the top amateur fighters in the sport.
You can watch every bout from the 2024 IMMAF World Championships live at IMMAF.tv
