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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

When IMMAF held its inaugural World Championships in 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada, there was no existing international standard for Amateur MMA rules. It therefore proved necessary that an athlete’s historic records were viewed by IMMAF with respect to the country in which bouts took place. As an example, in 2014 athlete records were presented to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
 
Regional rulesets included French Pankration, Italian FILA rules matches, Finnish B-Class and UK Semi-Pro among others. IMMAF fine-tuned its definition of an Amateur athlete following the 2014 Worlds and introduced a stricter clearance process ahead of every competition.
 
IMMAF Championship competitions are open to Amateur athletes only, i.e. not athletes who have competed at a professional level in combat sport. 
 
The IMMAF considers an athlete to be on a professional level and thus not eligible for participation if he/she meets any one of the following criteria:
 
  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. Published Professional Record: Athletes with a professional MMA or combat sports record published anywhere will be ineligible, subject to confirmation by IMMAF. 
IMMAF criteria for Amateur MMA eligibility supersedes the potentially differing criteria of the national federation Each national federation will be held responsible for making sure only Amateurs are entered into IMMAF Championships.
 
If you have any queries about an athlete please consult [email protected], in advance of submitting your team application, so that their case may be reviewed.
 
We ask that all national federation representatives take this eligibility criteria very seriously and implement the required action PRIOR to a Championship, as to avoid any potential issues or eligibility challenges during an IMMAF event.
 
FAQs: 
 
Q: What level of Muay Thai acceptable? 
A: All limited rule variations of Muay Thai (N, C, and B) are recognized as amateur. IMMAF will consider the rulings of the Muay Thai governing body in unclear cases. Athletes who participate in full A-class Muay Thai rules will lose IMMAF eligibility, including youth athletes.  
 
Q: Are professional BJJ events like the Abu Dhabi Pro Tour considered professional? 
A: No. Traditional tournament-structured BJJ events, even those with prize money, are considered amateur. Athletes contracted and paid to compete in BJJ, however, are considered professional. 
 
Q: What if an amateur fighter competes with knees to the head in MMA after 2024? 
A: As of January 2025, any amateur competing in MMA bouts allowing elbows or knees to the head will be ineligible for IMMAF competition. IMMAF is committed to supporting national federations in communicating this rule change to promoters. 
 
Q: Are 4oz gloves or no shin guards acceptable for amateurs? 
A: Yes, though IMMAF encourages the use of larger gloves and shin guards for amateur bouts to ensure added safety. While the use of amateur equipment is not mandated outside of IMMAF championships, due to varied levels of governance jurisdiction, IMMAF supports national federations working toward the highest safety standards. 
 
Q: How are records checked? 
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. 
 
Q: What if an athlete’s record incorrectly shows professional experience? 
A: The professional or amateur status of a bout is usually easy to confirm, by cross-referencing all information sources. If an amateur bout is believed to be referenced as professional in error, the national team must present contrary evidence to IMMAF for review upon request 
 
Q: What if a competitor is believed to be professional during an IMMAF tournament? 
A: Allegations must be supported by evidence with a clear indication of which rule has been breached. IMMAF will investigate before the athlete’s next contest if necessary. If an athlete is found to be professional, they will be removed, and the national team may face disciplinary action. False allegations that are not presented with thorough consideration may also result in disciplinary measures. 
 
We encourage all members and national federations to familiarize themselves with these updated eligibility rules and ensure alignment with IMMAF’s standards moving forward.
 
 
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.

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