2021 Awards

The 2021 edition of the International Mixed Martial Arts Association (IMMAF) Amateur MMA Awards was held on January 27, 2022, alongside the World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Bahrain won the male and female athlete of the year prizes at the Millennium Al Rawdah Hotel in the United Arab Emirates capital.

Ramazan Gitinov was announced as the men's winner, while the women's accolade went to Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa.

Gitinov was honoured as the best pound for pound fighter in the IMMAF ranks and is the reigning and back-to-back welterweight world champion.

De Sousa is a two-time winner and holder of the women's featherweight world title.

Other awards handed out included performance of the year going to Kazakhstan's Ayan Tursyn for her spinning back fist knockout at the European Open.

Otabek Rajabov of Tajikistan won two prizes - junior athlete of the year and newcomer of the year.

National Federation of the year went to Zambia, a new governing body which has already achieved much in areas such as gaining recognition and holding events.

The Russian Mixed Martial Arts Union was named as host federation of the year for its efforts staging the European Open, while the MyNextMatch Award went to Australia for its youth programmes.

Michele Verroken, who has led IMMAF's anti-doping and integrity work since 2005, received the President's Award after the governing body was accepted as a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code.

This key step, achieved after years of lobbying and legal action, is a crucial development for the sport's Olympic ambitions.

Bulgaria won an anti-doping education award while the United Arab Emirates received a special prize for hosting the ongoing World Championships at short notice, having only taken over responsibility from Kazakhstan in November.

The coach education award went to French Polynesia, while Greece was honoured for a grading scheme and France was named as best on social media.

Ukraine won the best IT prize and the regulatory excellence and contribution award was shared by officials Scott Manhardt and Manap Mabdiev.

2020 Awards

The winners of the IMMAF 2020 Amateur MMA Awards were announced in December 2020 during a virtual ceremony, and covered the period spanning November 2019 to October 2020.

New Zealand's Michelle Montague was recognised as the Best Female Athlete of 2020 and Kazakhstan's Bagdat Zhubanysh was named the Best Male Athlete.

Montague was given the accolade for her achievements at the 2019 IMMAF World Championships, where she won the women's lightweight world title. 

Zhubanysh claimed his award following his 2019 men's strawweight world title victory.

Montague also won the Best Performance honour after her victory over Finland’s Jenni Kivioja in the 2020 Oceania Open final, via armbar submission.

England's Muhammad Mokaev was crowned the best junior athlete of the year following a season where he became world junior champion and turned professional.

Awards were also presented to member federations for their proactivity, hosting capabilities, social impact and social media, education, coaching, anti-doping and app usage.