On Saturday 18 May, the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association held an Extraordinary General Meeting in Cork, with the key purpose of obtaining member approval of the board’s resolutions to open up IMMAA Membership to all IMMAA Club participants in Ireland and set a membership pricing structure. This change to the company constitution brings IMMAA Membership rules in line with all other Irish Sporting National Governing Bodies.
The IMMAA Board also presented the 2019 to 2024 Strategic Development Plan. The plan outlines the key Strategic areas for the organisation as it moves forward with its mission for recognition for MMA (mixed martial arts) in Ireland.
IMMAA has worked hard over the past year to strengthen its board and develop its procedures, policies, committees and functions as a NGB (national governing body).
The 18 May also saw the third and final full Team Ireland squad session for the upcoming IMMAF- WMMAA European Open Championships of Amateur MMA, which will take place at the PalaPelicone in Rome from 18 to 23 June. Led by Head Coach – Andy Ryan, the full coaching team includes UFC veteran Paddy Holohan, Barry Oglesby and Liam-Og Griffin (Team Manager).
Team selections have been made fairly and transparently, with preference given to athletes who have shown consistent effort and commitment in team training sessions, besides consideration to their ranking and performance. The Selection Committee will now submit the athletes listed below to the IMMAA Board for their official ratification to represent Team Ireland in the European Championships.
The European Championships comprises two tournaments, the European Junior Championships (for 18 – 20-year olds) and the European Senior Championships (for over 18s). For each tournament, a country may put forward two competitors in each weight class (Atomweight to Lightweight for females and Flyweight to Super Heavyweight for males). One gold, one silver and two bronze medals are available to win in each weight division.
For those athletes who have not been awarded first or second place to represent Ireland at the international championships, IMMAA is planning nations competition opportunities regionally against teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
The IMMAA squad sessions have now been extended to include youth competitors (aged 12-17) in preparation for the inaugural IMMAF – WMMAA Youth MMA World Championships which will also take place in Rome, in August, under the new IMMAF- WMMAA U18s ruleset, which notably disallows strikes to the head.
Head Coach & IMMAA Board Director, Andy Ryan, said:
“This is the biggest team we have sent to any IMMAF event. It’s a mix of experienced fighters and new, young fighters who will get a taste of what competing on the world stage is like. I’m expecting big things from this squad in the future years. This event will help us structure and develop the Irish MMA team for future events”
Team Ireland placed second after Russia in the 2018 IMMAF – WMMAA World Championships, and has a solid track record of medalling at IMMAF championships.
Pictured: Ryan Spillane is awarded a gold medal at the 2018 European Championships
Team Ireland Athletes for the 2019 IMMAF – WMMAA European Championships
Female athletes:
Atomweight Junior Nadine Abbott Team Ryano HQ
Bantamweight Junior Megan Hamill SBG HQ
Atomweight Senior Aeilish O’Hanlon SBG Cork
Strawweight Senior Dee Fitzpatrick SBG HQ
Bantamweight Senior Dee Begley SBG HQ
Bantamweight Senior Shauna Bannon SBG D24
Male athletes:
Flyweight Junior Ger Harris SBG Charlestown
Flyweight Junior Gary Rooney SBG HQ
Flyweight Senior Eoghan Chelmiah Team Ryano Kilkenny
Flyweight Senior Yerick Kelly SBG Cork
Bantamweight Junior Abanoub Fares SBG Cork
Bantamweight Junior William Cooper SBG Cork
Bantamweight Senior Ronan Butler SBG Cork
Bantamweight Senior Brandon Myers SBG Charlestown
Featherweight Junior Alexander O’Sullivan CMAC
Featherweight Junior Mikey Byrne SBG D24
Featherweight Senior Ryan O’Connor SBG Cork
Featherweight Senior Preston McKevitt Kyuzo
Lightweight Junior Adam Darby Team Ryano HQ
Lightweight Junior Patrick Lehane SBG Cork
Lightweight Senior Lee Hammond SBG HQ
Lightweight Senior Solomon Simon Team Ryano Waterford
Welterweight Junior Graham Sheehan Team Ryano HQ
Welterweight Senior Mark Gallivan Team Ryano HQ
Welterweight Senior Nate Enright SBG D24
Middleweight Senior Stuart Mulpeter SBG Portarlington
Middleweight Senior Tadhg Dixon Legends MMA
Light Heavyweight Senior Karl Riordan SBG Charlestown
Light Heavyweight Senior Eoin Sheridan SBG HQ
Heavyweight Junior Trevor Makengo CMAC
Heavyweight Junior Brian Draper Team Ryano HQ
Heavyweight Senior Ryan Spillane SBG Cork
For more information on IMMAA Team Selection of becoming part of IMMAA, please email info@MMAIreland.ie.