The professional MMA Grand Prix scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in September has been cancelled. Instead, an event under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) will be held on 11 October.
Vice-President of the Azerbaijan MMA Federation Shahriyar Abbasov told İdman.Biz that the decision was linked to previously highlighted problems surrounding the development of MMA in the country and the current level of local fighters.
Abbasov had previously told İdman.Biz that he hoped to find at least 10 competitive match-ups for the Grand Prix. However, he later concluded that this would not be possible.
“There are very few athletes, and they are extremely weak. Putting them in a professional fight would, on the one hand, be wrong, and on the other, simply a disgrace. Even if they fight now, they would not be able to properly get through two rounds. They are not ready either psychologically or physically. I don't want to use this word, but they are physically underdeveloped. It is simply a disgrace,” he said.
Abbasov attributed the root of the problem to what he described as the poor work of the Azerbaijan MMA and Grappling Federation.
“That is why there are no promising fighters and no talent pool. Children with no experience who are only starting out in MMA are given records and then put into professional fights as ‘cannon fodder’. There are many such fighters, but we don't need them. There is no point in giving them fights,” he said.
According to Abbasov, it is important to hold amateur competitions where athletes can gain experience and improve their skills. In the future, these fighters could compete at European and World Championships and, once they reach the appropriate age and level, be ready to move into professional MMA.
“We need a little time. We are holding IMMAF competitions so that athletes can emerge from them and a new generation can gradually develop. I think that by the end of 2027 or in 2028, we will be able to start holding professional tournaments. We also have the World Championship in Georgia in November. We will see how they perform there,” Abbasov stressed.
The tournament on 11 October will be held at the Azerbaijan MMA Federation’s venue, with athletes aged under 15 set to compete. An amateur tournament for juniors and adults is also planned to take place in Baku in November.
