SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 09 Bahrain takes over the MMA world with the number one ranking Bahrain continues its top position in the IMMAF- WMMAA ranking in 2020

TDT | Manama up with yet another gold at the sport, taking the flag of Bahrain Oceania Open to become the towards international compe- H Shaikh Khalid bin number-one ranked amateur tition, including the Olympic Hamad Al Khalifa has fighter in the world regardless Games. Hbeen the driving force Our vision began of weight classes. KHK Wrestling has achieved behind several high-profile in 2015 by forming Right behind him, at number several milestones, none bigger achievements for sports in the KHK MMA team for two, lies yet another product of than the Silver medal in 2018 Kingdom of Bahrain. He has led professional and HH Shaikh Khalid’s vision. Pasha World Championships. Adam Team Bahrain to the top of inter- amateur fighters. Kharkhachaev is one of the most Batirov came close to becoming national mixed martial arts with feared combat sports athletes a world champion in Olympic the number one nation in the Our goal was clear; to in the world. He competes in sport and put on a great match IMMAF world rankings, with the conquer the world. This the Super- divi- against two-time champion Ma- historic achievement proving has been achieved as sion and is a two-time amateur gomedrasul Gazimagomedov. Bahrain is the home of the sport Bahrain is dominating world champion, known for his In the end, he had to settle for worldwide. the MMA scene at incredible knockout power and silver. Through KHK Sports, HH the regional and rare durability for a young man KHK Wrestling has also been Shaikh Khalid has changed the international levels his size. able to score gold in the Asian global MMA industry focusing Championship 2016 and Asian on the development of the sport HH SHAIKH KHALID BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA Bahrain number one ranked in Indoor Games as well as placing on a national and international World IMMAF ranking 1st in the Olympic Qualification level. KHK Sports was founded From the first-ever Bahrain Tournament before Rio-2016. by His Highness and has quick- HH Shaikh Khalid with IMMAF officials medal in IMMAF competition ly become the biggest sports in the Senior amateur division. to the number one spot in the appointed as media property in the Middle Bahrain at home in the World kaev has been one half of one of world rankings, four years KHK Sports special advisor East, with its vision and passion Championship. Amateur MMA’s biggest rivalries Number 1 and 2 spots in transpired, proving that hard International power geared towards development with Japanese fighter Reo Yama- world’s best athlete ranking work and dedication are the broker Daniel Kinahan has been and built on a foundation that Number 1 ranked Junior world guchi. He has come out on top in HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad best formula for success. In this appointed as a special advisor athletes all around can rely on. champion – The Muhammad each of the three match-ups of Al Khalifa’s KHK development time, the Kingdom of Bahrain for KHK Sports. Kinahan has Changes in the combat sports Mokaev Story this epic trilogy. program has been responsible has racked up an impressive 89 been involved in the world of landscape have been seen in full- The last of the three fights for the rise of several future su- medals overall, with 35 golds, 17 combat sports, at the highest force in Bahrain, as KHK Sports One of the most dominant ath- took place in the Kingdom of perstars in MMA. Bahrain is the silvers and 37 bronzes. levels, since his earlier days as and KHK MMA have been able to letes in amateur mixed martial Bahrain, as Mokaev continued home of the number one and Athletes have joined the pro- one of the original founders of achieve a top spot in the world arts, two-time to show his dominance over the number two pound-for-pound gram and have realized their MTK Global before branching rankings four years after starting Junior amateur world champion division with yet another world senior amateur fighters in the biggest dreams, by represent- away and advising some of the the national team. Muhammad Mokaev is also a title representing KHK MMA and world. ing their beloved country at the biggest names and organizations Until 2015, there was no or- representative of KHK MMA and KHK Sports. Both Ramazan Gitinov and highest level in competitions in the industry for over a decade ganized Team Bahrain com - a product of KHK Sports. Hail- As he continues his develop- Pasha Kharkhachaev have com- around the world, proving the and has been instrumental in se- peting at any Amateur MMA ing from Great Britain, Mokaev ment under the watchful eye peted under KHK MMA and KHK Kingdom breeds fighters and curing some of the biggest global tournament. However, the in- was brought under the wing of of KHK Sports, KHK MMA, and Sports as well as presenting the winners. events in the sport. troduction of KHK Sports and the team to develop his amazing HH Shaikh Khalid, Mokaev has Kingdom of Bahrain with world In 2019 alone, Bahrain has As advisor for in the KHK MMA to the equation have skills and is one to watch in the moved up to the Senior ranks. titles at Amateur Senior level. been able to overcome tough MENA the region, his expertise meant four years of development world of mixed martial arts. Making his Senior amateur Pound-for-pound king Gitinov rivals in the likes of Russia and and connections will strengthen at the highest level, resulting in Mokaev boasts an unbeliev- debut, Muhammad continued has taken the divi- Kazakhstan and successfully the KHK Sports brand and imme- the top spot in the world rank- able 23-0 amateur record and his winning ways at the Oceania sion by storm and was crowned defended its top spot at home, diately expand its international ings, which were achieved after has been at the top of the Junior Open 2020, getting a gold medal amateur world champion in his during the 2019 Amateur World reach. the European Open in 2019 and Ranking since becoming world for Great-Britain and KHK MMA home country back in November Championships, which took In this significant move, Kina- defended with honor by Team champion for the first time. Mo- and dominating his opposition of 2019. Gitinov has followed it place during the month of No- han’s role will advise across KHK vember in Isa Town. Sports entire portfolio, encom- Featuring a smaller team than passing KHK MMA, KHK Boxing its rivals, Bahrain was able to and Mixed Martial Arts Promo- Proud of Bahrain’s dominance to the MMA sport: Shaikh Khalid overcome that difference with tion and BRAVE Combat Feder- the quality of its athletes, bag- ation. Reuters | London as Bahrain is dominating the MMA scene oping it. ging five golds, three silvers and Under KHK Sports, the organi- at the regional and international levels,” “We are keen to support the Bahraini six bronzes including Junior & zation has successfully launched H Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khal- HH Shaikh Khalid said. The Kingdom’s youth and encourage them to practice this Senior tournaments. The splen- KHK MMA, KHK Boxing, KHK Hifa, First Deputy President of the Su- successful defence to its top position came sport. We have managed to provide a safe did result was enough to fend off Racing, KHK Wrestling, KHK preme Council for Youth and Sports and thanks to the national team’s victory in the environment for them, thus we have seen the challenges of rival nations Cricket, and Mixed Martial Arts Bahrain Olympic Committee President has Australian Open Championship. many Bahraini fighters top podiums as and maintain Team Bahrain on Promotion BRAVE Combat Fed- expressed utmost pride and appreciation Moreover, HH Shaikh Khalid stated that part of the KHK MMA team and the national top of the world. eration, in addition to investing after seeing Bahrain continues its top this achievement wouldn’t have been pos- team,” HH Shaikh Khalid explained. in many other areas including position in the IMMAF-WMMAA ranking sible without the sponsorship of HM King “Bahrain has managed to win the IM- KHK Wrestling makes history European Soccer Clubs. in 2020, pointing out that the Kingdom Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the MAF’s confidence after hosting the World While mixed martial arts has HH Shaikh Khalid recogniz- has succeeded in achieving major accom- Kingdom of Bahrain to the MMA sport Championships for three years in a row, enjoyed tremendous success es the importance of sporting plishments in the MMA sport in the past and the support of HH Shaikh Nasser bin starting from 2017,” HH Shaikh Khalid through KHK Sports, anoth- events in promoting the King- four years. Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King’s added. Meanwhile, he revealed that he er combat sport has also been dom of Bahrain globally and “Our vision began in 2015 by forming Representative for Charity Works and instructed KHK Sports to collaborate with rapidly developing in the King- enhancing the Kingdom’s tour- KHK MMA team for professional and am- Youth Affairs, National Security Advisor, the KHK MMA team to launch a develop- dom. Led by BRAVE CF Super ism industry and the economy. ateur fighters. Our goal was clear; to con- President of the Supreme Council for ment programme to incubate fighters and world champion His Highness appreciates the quer the world. This has been achieved Youth and Sports to our efforts in devel- hone their skills. Eldar Eldarov, KHK Wrestling tremendous value Kinahan will has achieved great success in the lend to the organization.

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