After legalization, how do you make MMA count in France?

Cheick Kongo will appear at the first MMA grand gala in Paris -

• MMA was legalized in France after years of ban

• Bercy is hosting a gala this Saturday from Bellator, the second largest MMA organization in the world

• The opportunity to wonder how France can help this sport to develop rapidly

It was five years ago.

On September 19, 2015, France hosted its first mixed martial arts (MMA) gala at the Paris winter circus, through an administrative trick that was very quickly punished by a barely disguised anti-MMA ministerial decree.

It was then a question of playing the clock against what seemed obvious: the discipline would be legalized quite quickly.

We play you the rest in accelerated: parliamentary mission, arrival of LREM in power, mandate of Laura Flessel, torch taken up by Roxana Maracineanu, legalization under the aegis of the federation of boxing and assizes of the MMA.

Five years of talks, negotiations, seduction to arrive at the first legal mixed martial arts galas in France.

After the MMA Grand Prix in Vitry-sur-Seine on Thursday, the Bellator de Bercy on Saturday evening will be the first of international scope on our land.

With some constraints, however.

For lack of a broadcaster - MMA's second largest organization is still in talks with the CSA - the evening will be broadcast for free on YouTube.

To which must be added the health context, which will limit the number of people under the roof of the Accor Hotels Arena to 1,200, including 600 spectators.

But the objective remains the same: to sell a quality gala without a hitch or controversy, so that this week serves as a springboard for MMA in France.

Because that's what it is now: now legal, how to make it a sport that matters?

Laëtitia Blot enters the cage for the first MMA tournament in France https://t.co/8OogugfF2z

- 20 Minutes (@ 20Minutes) October 8, 2020

A young champion, and fast!

The debut of the Bellator will offer a big name of French MMA to the Parisian public in “main event”, Cheick Kongo.

43 fights, 30 victories including 15 by KO and a remarkable passage at the UFC (2006-2013), where he even received the honors of the jury by receiving the title of comeback of the year in 2011. The course strength respect and one could almost speak of a locomotive if the latter was not at the end of the race.

At 45, the heavyweight from Sevran lends his fame to help get the machine going, but he will have to be relayed by younger and even stronger in the years to come.

This is the opinion of Bertrand Amoussou, president of the international federation, IMMAF.

“For the competition to develop, you need charismatic champions.

If we have a Connor McGregor, I'm talking about the athlete, not the one who does anything in the media (laughs)… If we have a real iconic figure who can have a notoriety with positive values, that will bring media.

Then the media will attract sponsors who will bring them money.

If people like to practice but there is not an iconic figure, the sport will not explode in France.

"

A structure, funds and… Insep?

In other words, MMA will need a France 98, Barjots, Experts, Douillet, Riner, Fourcade and we stop there because you get the idea.

To understand how essential the question of incarnation is, the performance aspect is in third position on the 9 axes commandments decreed by the FMMAF, the French federation.

To perform, you have to train.

It is also the fourth of these nine commandments.

Not only the fighters but also the coaches, as provided for by the structuring of the discipline via the foundations of MMA.

"The knowledge exists, there are excellent trainers and renowned halls in Paris and elsewhere in France", rejoices Amoussou.

But we must first harmonize knowledge and regularize the situation of coaches who have for some taught "their" MMA to remain legal.

Between exile and System D ... The galley of French MMA pro fighters via @ 20minutesSport https://t.co/tObiSGLadz

- 20 Minutes Sport (@ 20minutesSport) April 18, 2019

Cyrille Diabaté, a former fighter now at the head of the Snake Team represented on Saturday at the Bellator by Yves Landu and Emmanuel Dawa, for his part, works with a light heart.

He has faith in those to whom the boxing federation has entrusted the file, such as Lionel Brézéphin, performance director at the Pôle France Boxe within the Ministry of Sports or even the veteran Johnny Frachey and knows that he can aspire to better for her guys.

“Finally, we will be able to live off our passions and benefit from what all our professional athletes benefit from, namely funds, structures and why not ultimately facilities at Insep.

I don't think we're talking about joining Insep, but that's what will follow, logically.

At some point we will be recognized and why not one day aim for the Olympics.

There is a lot of stuff that is beyond our control.

If ever tomorrow the budgets of the federates are halved for example for cyclical reasons, it will be complicated to grow sport.

"

A big helping hand from the UFC

It is true that the Covid brings its share of uncertainties but it always remains a beacon in the dark night, the optics of organizing a UFC event in France quite quickly.

Media coverage, almost infinite financial windfall, American story-telling… Hosting a gala from the largest MMA organization in the world means being touched by grace.

Diabate:

“Every time the UFC landed in a country where MMA was not developed at the pro or amateur level, it changed the local landscape.

It made a fashion phenomenon in the country where she landed.

"

UFC boss Dana White has always said he keeps an eye on the French market.

But the health context narrows the field of possibilities and the best planetary warriors will go nowhere other than Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi at the end of 2020. Paris is still not on the calendar, but Amoussou is not worried. .

“It is in the interest of the UFC to bring out a French champion.

Their job will be to mold a star, to identify someone who has the potential in France and to make it emerge.

»Why not via reality TV, in good memory of The Ultimate Fighter?

"That's how MMA exploded, observes Cyrille Diabaté.

The UFC has used mainstream springs to reach the public and this is the way to go.

The more we use mainstream channels, the more images of MMA competing in the media we see, the more sport will grow in our country.

"

Bertand Amoussou warns, however: at some point, it will take results.

Because to fill a room in a host country, the UFC needs a headliner at the national level.

“If every Frenchman gets busted at every event, the UFC may not come to France.

»Merciless universe that of international MMA.

We would almost come to regret our internal administrative battles.

Diabaté is not mistaken.

“The fight continues for French MMA.

And it is not about to stop.

"

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