Once Decried as 'Human Cockfighting', MMA Wants Olympic Spot
- Mixed Martial Arts is making its Asian Games debut this week in Nagoya, Japan, marking a milestone that organizers hope will eventually lead to the Olympics.
- To align the sport with Olympic values, the International Mixed Martial Arts federation replaced the traditional caged octagon with an open mat; a fence 'does not really align with Olympic values,' said Galastein Tan, director general of FIMMA.
- Decrying the sport as 'human cockfighting' in the 1990s, US Senator John McCain helped define a perception that organizers are now working to change as they pursue Olympic inclusion.
- Singapore's Teo Hui Hoon, who is guaranteed a silver medal, said the Asian Games debut creates a 'clear pathway' to the Olympics, encouraging teenagers to 'take it seriously.'
- Rival governing bodies FIMMA and the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts are competing for influence, making an Olympic appearance before Brisbane in four years unlikely.
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The RecordMixed martial arts — without the wire cage and the blood — bids to make the Olympics
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and with less blood and mayhem — could be coming to the Olympics. It’s a long shot. However, a version of the sport — let’s call it “MMA Light” — is being contested at the two-week Asian Games. The campaign to get the...
MMA is making inroads into the Olympics. At this year's Asian Games in Japan, the once-disdained sport has already made it onto the program, with Olympic status a goal, reports the French news agency AFP.
Mixed Martial Arts - Without the Wire Cage and the Blood - Bids to Make the Olympics
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and with less blood and mayhem — could be coming to the Olympics. It's a long shot. However, a version of the sport — let's call it “MMA Light” — is being contested at the two-week Asian Games. The campaign to get the sport into the
Mixed martial arts bids to make the Olympics sans the wire cage and blood
A modified mixed martial arts version is being showcased at the Asian Games. This sport aims for Olympic inclusion in Brisbane by 2032. Organizers are removing the cage to align with Olympic values and safety. The International Olympic Committee currently finds the sport too violent. Efforts are underway to change perceptions and gain official recognition.
Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and the blood — bids to mak
Firdaus Atamuratov of Uzbekistan, bottom, competes with Mirzobek Umarov of Tajikistan during their men's modern 60kg mixed martial arts final at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
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