Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Russia topped the overall standings as the seventh edition of the IMMAF Youth World Championships concluded on Sunday at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Ukraine finished second, with Tajikistan taking third place. The UAE national team also celebrated its best-ever performance at the Youth World Championships, winning 19 medals, including six gold, six silver and seven bronze. The haul surpassed the UAE's previous record of 13 medals, set in 2025.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the championship ran from August 17 to 23 and featured seven days of competition.
Hosted by the UAE federation for the fifth consecutive year, the championship attracted more than 1,100 athletes from 55 countries. Athletes competed across four age categories in the largest edition of the championship to date, surpassing the more than 1,000 participants who competed in 2025.
The UAE's record medal haul underlined the progress of the youth programme. Having won four medals in its first appearance in 2022, the UAE increased its tally to 19 this year, including a record six gold medals.
The final day also saw a special recognition shield presented to IMMAF President Kerrith Brown of the championship organising committee, as well as to several of the championship's partners and officials from national federations for their contributions to the success of the event.
Mohammed Al Dhaheri, board member of the UAE federation, said: "We are proud of the success of the championship and the way Abu Dhabi welcomed athletes and teams from more than 55 countries. We are especially proud of what our young UAE athletes have achieved.
"The increase in the national team's medal tally in a short period shows that the work we are doing to develop local talent, organise competitions and prepare our athletes is delivering results.
"Our ambition goes beyond one championship. We want the UAE team to perform consistently at a high level and continue to strengthen its position in international MMA. Hosting the championship for the fifth consecutive year also shows that Abu Dhabi has become an important part of the event and a destination trusted by the international MMA community."
Tolly Plested, the national team head coach, expressed pride at the achievement of the team. "This is our most successful World Championships so far. Our previous best was four gold medals, and this year we won six. It means a lot to the coaching team because it comes after more than three years of working with athletes across different age groups," he said.
"We started building the youth programme in 2022. Four years later, our athletes are competing alongside countries with a long history in the sport, including Ukraine, England, Russia and Tajikistan. Reaching this level in a short period is an important step for us, and the performances this week show that our work is producing results."
Plested said the development of MMA in the UAE is also creating a clearer pathway for Emirati athletes, starting with local competitions and youth programmes before progressing to international competition and higher levels of the sport.
"We are already seeing athletes from our youth programme move to higher levels. Having major professional competitions in the region gives them something to aim for, and I believe we will see more Emirati athletes reaching that level in the coming years.
"These results are the outcome of everyone working together. More importantly, they show the progress MMA is making in the UAE and the opportunities ahead for Emirati athletes."
