Cho Yi-jun claimed the KMMA interim strawweight championship with a 3-0 decision win over Navaraj Parajuli in October at the KMMA dedicated stadium on Dongseong-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea. The event, titled Manjipai KMMA 46, featured 55 total bouts ranging from grassroots amateur matches to semi-professional showdowns, drawing competitors across multiple age brackets and disciplines.

Championship Bouts Shape the Pro Path

Cho, fighting out of Team Mad Daegu, earned a 3-0 judges’ decision over Parajuli, a Nepali striker with an 18-fight stand-up background, halting the visitor’s bid for a breakthrough in South Korean mixed martial arts. In the semi-professional division’s light heavyweight bracket, Yoo Yeon-do of MMA Factory Hada scored a 15-second knockout in the second round against Uhm Yo-hwan of Team Genius. That victory secured Yoo the right to challenge for the KMMA light heavyweight title currently held by Uhm Hyun-woo of Perfect Jim, a stablemate under UFC veteran Kang Kyung-ho.

Grassroots Card Features Diverse Matches and Updated Rules

The 55-card lineup was split into 24 grassroots lifestyle bouts, 22 amateur matches, and 9 semi-professional encounters. The grassroots card included three middle-school junior matches, two Muay Thai bouts, and a masters division for middle-aged competitors. Organization officials noted that the semi-professional rule updates introduced in August—which permit standing knee strikes to the face and grounded body attacks while maintaining bans on stomping—continue to draw positive feedback as athletes transition closer to major professional organizations.

Upcoming KMMA Schedule

With monthly events established since October 2022, KMMA organizers confirmed that domestic professional promotions routinely scout and recruit directly from their semi-professional champions. The organization’s next events are scheduled for November 28, 2026, with Manjipai KMMA 47, followed by Manjipai KMMA 48 on December 20, 2026.