IMMAF President Kerrith Brown Visits Armenia During UWW European MMA Championship in Yerevan

IMMAF President Kerrith Brown paid a working visit to Armenia from May 28 to 30 in Yerevan. During the visit, the head of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation held meetings with President of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan, President of the Armenian MMA Federation Garegin Aghabalyan, and President of the Armenian Non-Olympic Sports Federation Garnik Hayrapetyan.

The main topic of the discussions was the development of cooperation between IMMAF and Armenian sporting institutions. The parties discussed opportunities for youth MMA development programmes, technical education, specialist training, and the possibility of hosting major international tournaments in Armenia under the IMMAF banner, including future European and World Championships.

Interestingly, Kerrith Brown’s visit coincided with the UWW European MMA Championship 2026, which was held in Yerevan under the auspices of United World Wrestling. The tournament took place in the Armenian capital on May 30 and 31 and became the first European MMA Championship in the UWW system.

For Armenian MMA, the visit of the IMMAF president could become an important step toward closer integration into the international mixed martial arts system. The potential hosting of major tournaments in Armenia, along with the development of youth and educational programmes, could give the sport a new boost in the country.