Mixed Martial Arts set to gain more traction in Namibia
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is set to gain more traction as the country will host the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Africa Championships next year, following an announcement by the IMMAF a fortnight ago.
Carlos De Sousa, Namibian coach, and owner of Sousa Studio in response to questions, said the event means a lot for the development of MMA and the growth and education of the Namibian public. “The development of MMA has been slow but progressive,” he said.
“We could not have done it if the athletes were not part of the journey,” he added, stressing that he would not have invested in the sport if he did not have passion.
According to De Sousa, the dates of the championships will be released soon once he engages with Namibia’s Sports Commission, “then we can give the dates to the public,” he added.
The 2024 IMMAF Africa Championships will mark yet another milestone in the evolution of African MMA, as IMMAF and MMA Namibia seek to gain recognition from the International Olympic Committee for the discipline.
The 2024 IMMAF Africa Championships will be supported by the African MMA Confederation which will ensure the event will be held to the very highest standards of excellence as they seek to continue the evolution of the sport in the region.
Meanwhile, according to a statement from the IMMAF, the event will also serve as an opportunity to continue the development of the sport by enabling international competition through the organization of national federations around the world.
While South Africa once dominated the IMMAF Africa landscape, over the past few years nations such as Namibia, Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have all become major players in their own right.
