In just a few short years, the sport of Youth Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Pankration has surged from a grassroots movement in the United States to a full-fledged international force, thanks to relentless effort, visionary leadership, and the unshakeable will of young athletes, coaches, and organizers. What started as a small but determined mission by GAMMA USA to give young fighters a platform has now evolved into a global movement—one that’s about to enter its most pivotal chapter yet under the wing of United World Wrestling (UWW).
This story is one of perseverance, progress, and proof that combat sports for youth and amateurs are no longer in the shadows. They are, instead, stepping into the spotlight.
U18 National Championships in Nashville
It all began with a clear vision: to create a structure where kids and teens could compete safely in MMA, hone their skills, and represent their country on an international stage. In November 2022, this vision took a massive leap forward at the GAMMA USA U18 National Championships in Nashville, Tennessee. That event was a landmark—an early glimpse at the rising tide of talent across America. These young athletes weren’t just learning how to fight—they were learning how to compete, travel, and carry themselves like professionals.
From that point, the train didn’t slow down. It accelerated.
In September 27th to October 1st 2023, America’s best youth fighters traveled to Alexandroupolis, Greece for the GAMMA U18 World Championships, marking one of the first major international youth MMA showings under GAMMA’s leadership. The progress was unmistakable. Athletes were sharper. Teams were more organized. And international respect for Youth MMA was growing.
Fast forward to June 15, 2024, when Milwaukee plays host to the next GAMMA USA Youth MMA National Championship, showcasing even more depth, diversity, and development in talent and in early 2025, GAMMA USA kicked off its new season with a bang at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, holding the National Championships at one of the most prestigious sporting venues in the country.
Amateur MMA Onto the Global Stage
Meanwhile, the amateur scene was surging forward. From Singapore in 2019, where GAMMA’s first World Championship planted the seed, to Amsterdam in 2022, Bangkok in 2023, and Jakarta in December 2024, each year brought more countries, more athletes, and more legitimacy to amateur MMA.
Now, all eyes turn to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the next major Youth and Amateur MMA showdown takes place from June 16 to 22, with athletes from across the Americas and beyond preparing to compete.
But the real tectonic shift comes later this year—October 15–19 in Novi Sad, Serbia, when United World Wrestling (UWW) will officially organize the first-ever World Amateur MMA Championships (October 17–19), alongside the World Grappling Championships (October 15–16). For the first time, amateur MMA will be conducted under the global structure of an IOC-recognized governing body.
This means standardized rules, regulated progression, and international support for athletes from the U20 and Senior age groups in amateur MMA and U17 and younger in Pankration.
Also announced: UWW will conduct two international pilot tournaments in Uzbekistan (June 1–4) and Poland (June, TBA), to test updated rulesets for grappling, pankration, and MMA.
Youth MMA Is No Longer the Future—It’s the Now
What makes this moment historic isn’t just the formalization of events. It’s what it means for the kids who started this journey back in 2019 and 2020—some of whom are now competing at the senior amateur level.
It’s the coaches who built programs with minimal funding and the parents who fundraised for airfare to Greece or Thailand. It’s the regional organizers who held qualifiers in community gyms, giving fighters their first taste of competition.
With UWW now stepping in to lead the global vision and GAMMA USA continuing to develop the American pipeline, the dream is finally crystallizing. The long nights, the self-funded trips, the trial-and-error tournaments—it’s all been worth it.
Youth MMA and amateur MMA are becoming global sports with real pathways. Not just to the pros, but to lifelong careers as athletes, coaches, referees, and leaders in a sport that’s growing faster than eve
The Final Round Is Just the Beginning
From Nashville to Greece, from Amsterdam to Jakarta, and now Columbus to Sao Paulo, this movement has grown beyond any one organization or country. By the end of 2025, we’ll see the first Youth MMA (Pankration) and Amateur MMA World Championships under UWW’s banner. And with that, a new era begins—backed by structure, driven by athletes, and powered by the unrelenting belief that the next generation deserves a global stage.
