The 2025 IMMAF Youth World Championships continued at the Al Ain Convention Centre, in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, with a showcase of the international flavour of the competition. Out of nine categories in action, eight different nations won a Gold medal, highlighting the incredible global reach of the IMMAF.
South Africa, Serbia, the United States, Mexico, Wales, Armenia, and England walked away with one Gold medal each on Day 4. Team Tajikistan earned two world titles in yet another display of amazing action on the biggest proving ground in amateur MMA.
An early favourite for Gold was Alexis Mariscal, last year’s Youth C 37kg champion, this time competing in Youth B. She repeated the feat, bringing Team USA its sixth youth world title this year. Vasilija Borovicanin became the first Serbian youth world champion of 2025 as she continued her great form from earlier this year, when she was crowned youth European champion on home soil.
Meanwhile, in the Youth B Women 57kg category, Wendy Rebeca Lara Barraza ensured Mexico will walk away with its best-ever campaign in an IMMAF Youth World Championship, by earning her country’s second Gold medal. Barraza was flawless in her three matches, winning all by submission, and is now a two-time Youth world champion.
England edged closer to Team Ukraine in the overall medal table, with Ryley O’Toole avenging his loss to Rikhard Kallioniemi in the last edition of the IMMAF European Championships to earn Gold for his nation. Team England now has 11 Gold medals against 12 from Ukraine.
The action continues this Friday, June 25, LIVE from the UAE and you can watch everything on IMMAF.tv
