Lahore (Sports News): Pakistan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PAKMMAF) is set to compete at the IMMAF Asian Championships in Lebanon, where nearly 400 athletes from 18 countries will participate in one of the continent’s foremost combat-sports tournaments. Pakistan will be represented by two world medalists — Shahab Ali and Abdul Manan — both of whom secured podium finishes at the 2025 IMMAF World Championship in Georgia, the largest MMA event in the world.
The delegation will also include the team manager and PAKMMAF President Omar Ahmed, who serves on the Executive Board of the IMMAF Asian Federation. Pakistan currently holds the No. 3 ranking in Asia, a notable achievement given the region’s dominance in global mixed martial arts.
In a transformational move for Pakistan’s MMA future, PAKMMAF recently signed a three-year strategic partnership with BRAVE Combat Federation, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The agreement will bring international BRAVE CF events to Pakistan and provide Pakistani fighters direct access to one of the world’s most powerful MMA platforms. The venture represents a major step in sports diplomacy and positions MMA to develop domestic commercial value similar to the success of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
PAKMMAF President Omar Ahmed highlighted the broader opportunity MMA presents to young athletes: "Mixed martial arts offers Pakistani athletes a direct pathway to international careers. What we have achieved with extremely limited resources proves the enormous untapped potential of this sport.”
