Brakpan leading the way in MMA development

Brakpan is fast becoming the hub of South African amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) development under the guidance of local resident Raymond Phillips, who serves on the board of directors of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) as the African continental representative.

This past weekend the Brakpan Indoor Sports Centre was the venue for an internationally accredited MMA officials’ course presented by MMA-SA and IMMAF and the vastly experienced official Marc Goddard, who has handled over 4 000 fights under his belt including numerous UFC fights around the globe.

The Herald spoke to IMMAF CEO Densign White who explained more about the course and why the international federation has taken such a keen interest in South African and African MMA.

“We are here primarily to run a referee and judges’ course, led by Marc Goddard, in that area,” he said.

“He works for IMMAF delivering these courses worldwide.”

White added that IMMAF is rolling out these courses across the globe to support their affiliated national federations in improving the quality of refereeing and judging and coaches’ education.

“The course mainly focuses on implementing unified rules for the sport and ensuring that everybody who is involved in amateur MMA understands the rules of the game.”

Read: Championing the African MMA cause

White further explained that the sport is growing exponentially around the world and that the international federation’s main objective is to eventually get International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition so that MMA can become an Olympic sport in the future.

“I have been with the organisation for a year and when I started we had 35 member countries, now we are up to 50.

“In Africa there is huge potential for growth of the sport and we already have three member countries on the continent (South Africa, Cameroon and most recently Egypt),” said White.

IMMAF is also set to bring the inaugural African Open Continental Championships to Brakpan in September with the organisers impressed with the facilities on offer.

“It is the first time ever that a championship of this status is coming to Africa.”

Bertus Coetzee, president of MMA-SA, said that the national federation is making huge inroads in getting MMA recognised in the country and on a global scale.

He said that it is terrific that the international MMA community is investing time and knowledge into South African MMA and playing a role in developing, investing in and educating local officials and coaches.

Goddard, told the Herald that MMA is still a young sport and there is a huge push to try and get everybody involved in the sport to understand a standardised rules set.

“What we are craving in our sport is a global identity.

“Everybody needs to be reading from the same book and that is what we are trying to do.

“We are a lot closer now than where we were in the past, but the need is continual.”

Alistair Pettitt, who oversees competitive IMMAF events, said that he was pleasantly impressed with what he had seen so far in Brakpan and that it is all systems go for the September continental championships.

Phillips added that things are looking extremely positive for the sport on the continent and that by bringing the African Open to South Africa it will give African amateur fighters the best platform to showcase their abilities.

More details about the African Open Championships will be revealed when they are announced.

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