MMA – Team Bahrain’s Gimbat Magomedov, Sultan Gapizov, and Gadzhi Gadzhiev were last night crowned champions in the 2024 IMMAF Asian Championships, which came to a close in Lahore, Pakistan.
Their continental titles headlined an incredible nine-medal haul by the kingdom’s mixed martial arts (MMA) national team. Aside from the three gold, the squad also came away with three silver, and three bronze medals.
The competition was organised and run by the International MMA Federation (IMMAF) and Asian MMA Federation (AMMAF).
Magomedov won his crown in the men’s welterweight 77.1kg category, successfully defending his Asian title. The 20-year-old, who is also the reigning world champion, defeated Tajikistan’s Jovidon Mahmudov in yesterday’s final by unanimous decision. The bronze medals in their category were shared by Doszhan Kenzhebayev of Kazakhstan and Seyamand Rida of Iraq.
Gapizov won the last fight of the night to capture the men’s heavyweight 120.2kg gold medal. The 25-year-old beat Azmuddin Vakhobov of Tajikistan by technical knockout in the second round to come away as champion. Mels Shylmurzayev of Kazakhstan and Mohammed Dawood Khan of India shared third place.
Gadzhiev was the victor in the men’s light heavyweight 93kg category. The 21-year-old took the Asian title with a unanimous decision victory against Abylay Shakirbekov of Kazakhstan. Islam Parchiyev, also of Kazakhstan, and Saeed Ahmadvand of Iran were the bronze-medallists.
Team Bahrain’s silver medals were bagged by Magomed Sheikhov, Abdulrahman Janahi, and Ali Marhoon.
Sheikhov lost his final in the men’s strawweight 52.2kg class against Yerulan Kabdulov of Kazakhstan, who triumphed by unanimous decision. Yeldos Abay made it two Kazakhs on the podium as the bronze medal winner.
Janahi lost by submission on a guillotine choke to Qosim Sardorov of Tajikistan in the men’s middleweight 83.9kg final. Zhaxybek Aimakhanov of Kazakhstan and Zuqarnain Khan of Pakistan shared third place.
Marhoon came away with the silver medal in the junior men’s welterweight 77.1kg division after losing in the final to Islam Esengeldiev of Kyrgyzstan by submission via an ankle lock. Taimur Chishty of Pakistan and Islam Aliev of Kyrgyzstan were the bronze-medallists.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s three bronze medal winners were Shamil Alikhanov in the men’s bantamweight 61.2kg category, Ahmed Mubarak in the men’s featherweight 65.8kg class, and Abdulla Ismaeel in the junior men’s flyweight 56.7kg division.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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