A crucial interim step for MMA to become an Olympic sport is recognition under the Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF – formerly known as SportAccord). Unfortunately, recognition by GAISF is currently hindered by rival bids from the highly-respected International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, and from Vadim Finkelchtein’s World Mixed Martial Arts Association.

At the IMMAF’s 2017 General Assembly in Manama, Bahrain on November 17, the membership approved the commencement of negotiations with the WMMAA for a proposed merger.

The resolution proposed to the IMMAF general assembly permits IMMAF’s Board of Directors to negotiate merger terms with WMMAA and for a letter of intent for a future merger to be written. The majority of IMMAF’s membership voted in favor, with just 7 abstentions and no delegates against.

said:
The approved resolution opens the door to a great opportunity for collaboration,” said IMMAF President Kerrith Brown. “It will be a pleasure to work alongside Mr Finkelstein and his team during the negotiation process, as we work to agree on terms that would bring the best mutual outcome for both our organisations and our memberships.

WMMAA President Vadim Finkelchtein was equally positive.

We have officially launched the unification talks,” he said. “We are two similar organizations with equal goals. GAISF let us know that MMA will be accepted only when represented by one global body. We invited Kerrith Brown of IMMAF to visit our World MMA Championships in Astana where we had preliminary talks. Now I was invited to visit IMMAF’s World MMA Championships in Bahrain. We’ll continue negotiating with our goals set on GAISF and, subsequently, IOC.