Jamaica follows Trinidad and Tobago as the next Caribbean nation to link up to the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation on Monday.
The MMA Jamaica Sports Federation (MMAJSF) is headquartered in Kingston and Montego Bay, and formed in 2015 to promote Mixed Martial Arts in Jamaica. The MMAJSF focuses on the regulation of fights and safety of participants, as well as contributing to youth social development.
MMA is still in its infancy in Jamaica. While there is a fundamental structure, there are no comprehensive regulations in place to really govern the sport. There are approximately 16 pro or amateur MMA fighters in the country. At the time of writing, 14 have associated themselves with the MMA Jamaica Sports Federation.
The MMAJSF have associated themselves with established sports on the island, including boxing and cricket, and have identified regulations currently in use by the Jamaican Boxing Commission. In detail, these would pertain to the sanctioning of fights and events, which would adhere to international guidelines and standards set by the IMMAF.
MMAJSF Vice-president, Daniel Chacko-Wilmot said:
“They always say to get recognised in Jamaica, you have to actually get recognition from an international federation before you get local recognition. It’s a very important step, because, not only will it help us to get more support nationally from within the sports ministry, but it also opens us up to a lot of experience and knowledge we can gain from the various representatives of the IMMAF. It’s going to open up more doors for our athletes and more opportunities as well.
IMMAF President Kerrith Brown stated that he looks forward to seeing what Jamaica can offer to MMA:
“Jamaica has proud sporting tradition and can boast some of the world’s most famous and accomplished athletic names. We look forward to the seeing the talent that Jamaica has to offer on the IMMAF tournament platform, and we embrace the growth and development of MMA in Jamaica”
