A presidential vision, a national action.
Recognized by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), the African MMA Federation – Côte d'Ivoire (AMF-CI) is structuring Ivorian MMA, moving from a mainly event-driven approach to a lasting federal organization built on governance, training, athlete support and club development.
Under the presidency of Ismaël Bakayoko, this ambition translates into a clear goal: extending MMA's presence across the whole of Côte d'Ivoire and laying the foundations for coordinated development across West Africa.
The AMF-CI's territorial action revolves around four priorities:
As president, Ismaël Bakayoko drives this strategic direction and ensures initiatives follow a coherent, progressive and measurable approach, mobilizing institutional partners, local authorities, clubs and private stakeholders.
The IMMAF officially lists the AMF-CI, with Ismaël Bakayoko as president. This role has taken him from event promotion to federal structuring.
Identification → training → national competition → selection → international competition → experience → performance.
More than 400 athletes gathered, according to the report published in October 2026: registration, weigh-in, medical check, group warm-up, specialist workshops, MMA, boxing, striking and children's groups.
Ismaël Bakayoko helped provide a large MMA cage, a mini-cage, a boxing ring and a tatami to strengthen Ivorian sports structures. This action is a direct material contribution to the development of combat sports in Côte d'Ivoire.
First stop.
Local talent identification.
New talent.
Local talent identification.
Latest published stop.
The federal report published in October 2026 confirms this territorial momentum, which brings MMA closer to people and identifies athletes outside Abidjan's main sports hubs.
IMMAF African Championships, April 2026: Kaboré Cheick and Drissa Soro, two bronze medals.
Recruitment and training day of 3 October 2026: more than a hundred participants, ahead of the 2027 events.
Women's introduction day on 28 March 2026 and a women's gala fight at the first 1xBet Peace Belt.
More broadly, the AMF-CI has given several young Ivorian athletes their first international experience: identification → training → national competition → selection → international competition → performance.
Training for referees, judges, officials, cutmen, volunteers and coaches, including the 3 October 2026 day at the Ivorian-Korean Sports Center, creates sports jobs and national skills around MMA.
At the General Assembly on 4 October 2026, training, governance, athlete safety and the building of an MMA ecosystem were placed at the heart of the project.