Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) has staged its first amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament under its new name, Boxing and MMA Hall of Fame (HOF).
The MMA tournament was staged under the umbrella of the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) alongside the body’s usual monthly boxing tournament on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State.
The tournament featured GAMMA Nigeria Open National MMA Championship, which had athletes from across the country jostling for spots on the first national team to the 13th African Games holding in Accra, Ghana next month.
According to the organisers, the introduction of MMA comes at a historic moment when the sport will feature for the first time at the Olympics and Nigeria will be proudly represented in 10 weight divisions, comprising six men and four women’s categories.
A total of 60 athletes participated in both the boxing and MMA events during the tournament managed and officiated by Lagos State Boxing Association (LABA) and the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA Nigeria) officials.
Speaking at the event, LBHF founder, Wale Edun, who is the Minister of Finance, described the rebranded event as an evolution, especially with the MMA development.
He said young Nigerians needed to be provided the opportunity to train, be safe and develop their skills and talent to make the country proud both on the world stage as amateurs and even as professionals.
The minister expressed hope that the tournament would breed young sportsmen, who would go on to become Olympic champions.
The President, GAMMA Nigeria, Valentine Morah, lauded the organisers of the event, while expressing optimism in the potential that abounds in Nigeria.
He said participating in the Africa Games presents a big opportunity for MMA to grow in Nigeria and the entire continent, noting that this is the first time the sport is officially held at the Games.
