The Road to the Olympics: Can MMA Shed Its UFC Image?

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is pursuing Olympic inclusion by presenting a significantly altered version of the sport at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. Distinct from the cage-based brawls characteristic of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), this Olympic-focused format features competition on an open mat with small boxing gloves. Galastein Tan, director general of the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts (FIMMA), told the Associated Press that these modifications are intended to align with Olympic values and improve chances for International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition.

While FIMMA seeks to distance itself from the UFC’s image, the sport faces a complex landscape. The UFC recently hosted events on the South Lawn of the White House during US independence celebrations, underscoring its massive commercial growth. Karim Zidan, author of “The Ultimate Strongmen: MMA and the Rise of the New Authoritarian Right,” argues that the UFC’s mainstream success has essentially cannibalized the broader MMA ecosystem, leaving little grassroots momentum for Olympic ambitions.

“The UFC is bigger than it’s ever been in terms of the amount of money it’s making,” Zidan noted. “Olympic recognition might seem like a badge of honor, but it doesn’t amount to much else.” He added that while pockets of amateur MMA exist, they do not represent a significant portion of the fan base compared to the professional spectacle driven by the UFC.

Efforts to gain Olympic status face further complications due to political associations. The UFC maintains close ties with the Trump administration, with President Dana White speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Meanwhile, rival governing body IMMAF has partnered with the Bahraini-owned Brave Combat Federation. A 2025 Amnesty International report highlighted Bahrain’s continued suppression of free expression and assembly, raising concerns about authoritarian links within the sport’s growing amateur circuits.

FIMMA vice president Alex Engelhardt acknowledged the difficulty in shifting the sport’s mindset away from promotional spectacle toward a more traditional sporting structure. Despite MMA’s global popularity and youth appeal, the IOC stated to AP that the sport currently does not meet eligibility criteria. With the 2028 Los Angeles Games already programmed, MMA’s earliest possible debut would be the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.