IMMAF Amateur MMA Eligibility to Compete
Chapter 1 in the IMMAF rules outline what makes an athlete eligible to compete in Amateur MMA (and Youth World Championships):
-
The contestant shall be of legal age according to the laws of the country where the competition is held.
-
The contestant shall be in good physical and mental condition. The contestant will be examined during the medical check.
-
The contestant shall be well prepared to compete in MMA.
-
The contestant shall have experience from competing in full contact martial arts.
-
When entering a competition, the contestant is responsible for ensuring that all relevant martial arts experience is reported.
-
Passport validity minimum timeframe required 2 year cooling off period.
Competitors for:
Youth category C 12 – 13 years old
The player must not be under the age of 12 years or over the age of 14 years before 1st day of competition and must be within this age band until the competition has been completed.
Youth category B 14 – 15 years old
The player must not be under the age of 14 years or over the age of 16 years before 1st day of competition and must be within this age band until the competition has been completed.
Youth category A 16-17 years old
The player must not be under the age of 16 years or over the age of 18 years before 1st day of competition and must be within this age band until the competition has been completed.
Juniors Under 21 years old
The player must be between 18 years of age and 20 years of age by the 1st day of competition. The junior player cannot be over 21 years by the 1st day of competition and must be within this age band until the competition has been completed.
Seniors 18 years old and above.
The player must be 18 years of age by the 1st day of competition. There is no upper age limit.
To ensure the safety of the athletes, all national teams may be asked to provide documentation of an athlete’s previous martial arts experience, including any applicable video footage for review by the IMMAF.
Amateur vs. Professional Level Athletes
-
Participation in Professional MMA: Athletes who have competed in a professional MMA match under the Unified Rules of MMA or an equivalent in their country are ineligible.
-
Receiving a Contracted Purse: Any athlete who has received a contracted purse for competing in MMA or combat sports is considered professional. However, amateur athletes may still receive prize money, sponsorships, and up to $1000 or the equivalent in paid expenses from a promoter.
-
Elbows and Knees to the Head: From 2025, athletes who have competed in any MMA bout that allowed the use of elbows and/or knees to the head will be ineligible, regardless of any other amateur rules in play. A grace period will apply for those who were required to compete under conflicting rules prior to 2025.
-
Published Professional Record: Athletes with a professional MMA or combat sports record published anywhere will be ineligible, subject to confirmation by IMMAF.
A: IMMAF screens competitors’ records through online databases. National teams are responsible for vetting their athletes and confirming their amateur status. IMMAF will also utilize additional resources such as websites, interviews, fight footage, and social media, for any indication of professional experience.
Athletes with Multiple Governing Bodies
As per IMMAF statutes, IMMAF’s member organisations are prohibited from holding membership with additional international governing bodies, and this extends to athletes.
Any amateur athlete registering via their national body to the IMMAF platform for the first time will always be welcomed. However, athletes must not represent more than one national MMA body having once joined an IMMAF national affiliate. Athletes who depart from their IMMAF affiliated team in order to compete under a respective body will then lose eligibility for IMMAF championships.
