[London. 13 October 2021] With travel opening up and Championships reignited, the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation President, Kerrith Brown, is on the move again.
On Monday, President Brown concluded his visit to Uzbekistan with Board Director Tatiana Klimenko. There, they had a fruitful meeting with the President of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, Shoabdurakhmanov Rustam Mavzurovich; Judo Association Chairman and Vice Minister of Defence, Alisher Norboev; Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and Head of the Taekwondo Association, Sherzod Tashmatov; and Representative of the Cabinet of Ministers, Rashid Talipov.
The IMMAF delegation then travelled onto Nukus in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region occupying the north-western part of Uzbekistan. Here the Uzbekistan MMA Association hosted and organised the first Central Asian MMA Championships among IMMAF member federations. Four national teams participated from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, bringing 54 fighters to Nukus’ Manezh Sports Complex.
While in Karakalpakstan, President Brown met with the head of the republic, Murat Kamalov.
President Brown credited “special thanks to Uzbekistan MMA Federation Vice-president, Otabek Umarov, for his phenomenal work in developing the sport of MMA.”
Umarov also stands as Deputy Head of the State Security Service and former chairman of the Triathlon Federation of Uzbekistan. In 2020, he was elected Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, in connection with Uzbekistan winning the rights to host the Asian Youth Games in 2025.
Brown reported strong interest in Uzbekistan in the hosting of future IMMAF Championships.
President Brown also thanked the national president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, for his strong commitment to developing sport and for his government’s forward-thinking in its recognition of MMA, which is still working for international recognition as a sport.
From Uzbekistan, the IMMAF President flew onto Moscow on Monday, where he is engaged in strategic meetings with national combat sport and martial arts federations and to progress negotiations about future IMMAF championships in Russia. From there, the President flies onto Bahrain.
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