Mixed martial arts: the milestones for the promotion of the discipline in Congo are laid

The MMA is not officially installed in Congo. However, an association was created to lay the groundwork for its promotion. An important step taken since this association is sponsored by the Congolese Federation of Judo and associated disciplines.

« MMA is not officially established in Congo. We don’t have any athletes or cages here. Neither do the technicians. We must first train those who will go on training. Based on new knowledge received, they will in turn popularize MMA throughout the national territory, will train the athletes with the few means that we will put at their disposal “, explained Hurçus Samba, the president of the Congolese association of MMA.

MMA is practiced in a cage and is linked to all combat disciplines, in particular judo, kick boxing, kenpo, boxing, karate… This has enabled the association’s officials to already attract a number number of athletes who wish to direct their sporting career. ” The main thing is that the athlete can assimilate the lessons. We take it to train it thanks to the assistance of the trainers that we will have “commented the president of the association.

Thanks to relations with international bodies, the Congo, said Hurçus Samba, is invited to participate, on May 26, in La Colombe, France, in an international competition in grappling and MMA. In order not to look bad, the leaders intend to rely on the experience of four Congolese from Senegal, the country in which combat sports are very advanced.

Material difficulties in the preparation

The four athletes who proceed to the initiation of MMA in Congo will be engaged respectively in grappling and MMA, a set of techniques for controlling the projection, immobilization and submission of an opponent in a standing or ground fight, with bare hands.

« I received the call to come and defend the national team in grappling and MMA. I come back from Senegal and I train with the whole team to bring my experience. In the country where I come from, I was able to do some amateur MMA fights, which is not yet the case in Congo. I am here to represent my country abroad. JI will give my body, my soul and my spirit to hoist the flag of Congo high”said Jimmy 3D, one of the athletes from Dakar.

The sharing of experience with those of the Congo is done at the Nicole-Oba gymnasium thanks to the supervision of coach Fofana Aboubakar, national technical director who has come to lend a hand to the association in the work of popularizing MMA. ” The MMA a combat sport that mixes all disciplines. We must do our best for it to develop in the Congo. We work with young people so that they understand the discipline. It takes three months’ work to hope to be up to it. But a month is too short “, he clarified. Young people, he added, are already ready. The evolution can only be observed thanks to a good dose of work which will be done for a month. ” There are others who are already in the bath but a lot of work remains to be done. We don’t have the equipment to work wellr,” he lamented.

According to Hurçus Samba, the Confederation is committed to sending, by the end of May, experts to train Congolese athletes, coaches and leaders. The contribution of partners is strongly desired in the acquisition of fighting cages.