Eight months after the legalization of mixed martial arts (MMA), under the aegis of the French Boxing Federation, it's time for the first official evenings in France for this discipline with a still sulphurous image and in search of respectability .
No more events organized on the sly and without authorization.
Thursday evening, the MMA finally came out of hiding with the holding of a first gala, at the Palais des Sports in Vitry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne), in front of nearly 600 masked spectators, Covid obliges, and under the eyes of the Minister for Sports, Roxana Maracineanu.
In a shy atmosphere at the start, but bubbling at the end, six fights took place, including a female.
The French athletes also shone for this first event which will mark the history of MMA in France, by winning five fights out of the six on the program of this gala.
In order: Pierre Rouvière, Karim Ghajji, Alioune Nahaye, Laëtitia Blot and Mickaël Debout overcame their opponents.
Kevin Fall, him, remained tied against the Belgian Nicolas Di Franco.
Another MMA evening is also eagerly awaited, Saturday evening in Bercy with the entry on the scene of the Americans from Bellator, the second most important organizer of fights behind the all-powerful UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).