Speaking at a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Tuesday (19/11/24,) Indonesia’s Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo praised the Mixed Martial Arts Association of Indonesia (Pertacami) for successfully bringing the GAMMA World Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championships to Indonesia, from December 11 to 14 at the Dewa MMA Arena in Banten, which will draw participation from about 500 athletes representing 42 countries, according to reporting from Antara News.
He also urged the national association to scout Indonesian MMA athletes who have the potential to represent the country at similar competitions.
Ariotedjo underscored that Indonesia needs talented and skilled MMA fighters to compete at the SEA Games, Asian Games, or even the Olympics once MMA is included in the world’s largest sporting event, says Antara News.
“We are looking forward to witnessing many fighters representing Indonesia and being successful in the MMA professional scene,” the minister said, adding that there is hope that the MMA scene in Indonesia will develop on a massive scale.
Pertacami chair Tommy Paulus, confirmed that the Global Association of MMA (GAMMA) has given Indonesia the honor to organize the fourth iteration of the world-level championship this year, saying that the association has taken several preparatory steps despite facing some challenges, says Antara News.
He hinted that the number of athletes competing at the tournament could increase, considering that the registration period has been extended till November 20.
He then called for support from all parties for the smooth running of the global tournament, which is expected to further strengthen Indonesia’s image as a reliable host of international events.
Source: Antara News
Stock photo by Jonathan Tomas on Unsplash
