Lotus-River’s Aghmad Keraan takes in the sights and sounds of Tbilisi, Georgia, ahead of next week’s prestigious IMMAF World Championships.

Image: Irfaan Gool, MMASA

Team South Africa will look to improve on last year’s showing at the IMMAF World Championships when the global showpiece kicks off in Georgia next week.

The prestigious international amateur mixed martial arts event gets underway in Tbilisi on November 1 and runs until November 7, bringing together more than 820 registered athletes from over 60 nations to test their skills in the junior and senior divisions.

Mixed Martial Arts South Africa (MMASA) has registered 10 athletes from across Mzansi, with the team hoping to build on last year’s success, which saw Mohammed Motala claim bronze in the Junior Men’s Super Heavyweight division and Charmain Rabbolini secure gold in the Senior Women’s Featherweight division.

In the Junior Men’s division, Mogamat Salie will compete in the Flyweight category, while Xavier Cornelius steps into the Bantamweight division. Jeremy Griffin will represent South Africa in the Light Heavyweight category.

All three athletes secured gold at this year’s National MMA Championships, with Salie also holding the Undisputed MMA Championship Bantamweight title.

In the Senior Men’s division, Sanele Shabala and Aghmad Keraan will compete at Bantamweight, while Gian-Carlo Torino and Jason Damons will also fly the South African flag against some of the world’s toughest amateur MMA competitors in the Super Lightweight and Middleweight divisions, respectively.

In the Senior Women’s division, Nicole Alves (2026 National Champion) will compete in the Strawweight category, while Winuska van Straaten (2026 National Champion) and Sherize Verster will represent South Africa at Bantamweight.

From left: Mogamat Salie, coach Irfaan Gool and Aghmad Keraan arrived a week early to prepare for the IMMAF World Championships.

Image: Supplied

A dream realised on the world stage

Part of the South African contingent has already arrived in Tbilisi, with the remaining team members set to touch down in the coming days.

Western Cape MMA coach and board member Irfaan Gool, alongside Salie and Keraan, are currently acclimatising to their surroundings and taking in the Georgian experience ahead of the competition. Cornelius and his mother are expected to arrive tomorrow, while MMASA president and coach William Oberholzer and the rest will complete the travelling contingent when they depart on Friday.

Registration and bracket draws are scheduled for November 1, with competition officially beginning on November 2.

For many of the athletes, the championships represent a dream come true, offering an opportunity to showcase their abilities on the world stage, gain valuable international experience and open doors to further opportunities in the sport.

The occasion is particularly special for Keraan, who only began his MMA journey late last year. The Lotus River-born athlete has made remarkable progress in a relatively short period.

Speaking to Coach Gool from their hotel in Georgia, Keraan struggled to contain his excitement at the opportunity.

“Coach, this is not real. I am a guy from Lotus River. These things don't happen. I am competing at Worlds and part of the SA team... this is still unreal,” said Keraan.

Gool, who has worked with Keraan since the beginning of his MMA journey, expressed pride in the young athlete's progress.

“This was really a big achievement for Aghmad Keraan, and I am proud to have been with him from the beginning. He is a phenomenal student, and we are growing as a unit,” said Gool.

Building the next generation of South African MMA

Oberholzer believes the championships offer an important opportunity for South Africa's emerging talent to gain experience while continuing the country's proud record on the international stage.

“We have a relatively young team representing South Africa at this year's IMMAF World Championships, with several athletes making their international debut.

“South Africa has produced a gold medallist and world champion at each of the previous three IMMAF World Championships, demonstrating that we consistently make an impact on the world stage,” said Oberholzer.

“While we always aim to bring home medals, we also recognise the importance of gaining international experience and developing the next generation of South African MMA talent.

“The IMMAF World Championships represent the pinnacle of amateur mixed martial arts, bringing together the very best amateur MMA athletes from across the globe to compete at the highest international level.

“We are confident that our athletes will represent South Africa with pride and continue building on our international success,” added Oberholzer.