The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) European Championships wrapped up last week in Belgrade, Serbia, delivering another clear snapshot of where European amateur MMA is heading — and once again, the UK and Ireland were firmly in the mix.

Running from 5–15 February, the championships brought together hundreds of athletes across Youth, Junior and Senior divisions, making it one of the largest and most competitive amateur MMA tournaments on the continent. With national teams stacked deep and brackets unforgiving, medals in Belgrade carried real weight.

Ukraine Lead the Way as the Tables Take Shape

While IMMAF has not yet released a single, consolidated overall medal table covering every age group, official IMMAF updates throughout the event consistently showed Ukraine emerging as the dominant force, particularly in the Youth divisions.

Across Youth C and Youth D categories in particular, Ukraine topped multiple medal tables, underlining the country’s continued strength at grassroots and development level. Close behind them, however, were England and Ireland, both of whom featured repeatedly near the top of divisional standings.

Other nations — including Italy and Bulgaria — also collected medals, but the recurring presence of Ukraine, England and Ireland told a clear story: these programs are producing depth, not just standout individuals.

Strong Showing from the UK

The UK, represented primarily by Team England, delivered a consistently competitive performance across youth brackets. England regularly appeared second overall in divisional medal tables released during the event, particularly in Youth C categories, highlighting a broad base of talent rather than reliance on a handful of athletes.

Across multiple weights and age groups, English fighters reached podium positions, often pushing eventual champions deep into contests. While gold medals proved hard to come by in some divisions, England’s overall volume of medalsreflected a system that is working — especially at development level.

Ireland’s Depth Continues to Show

Ireland once again justified its reputation as one of Europe’s most efficient MMA producers. With a sizeable squad competing across several age groups, Team Ireland featured prominently in medal rounds throughout the championships.

Irish athletes reached finals and podiums across multiple youth brackets, with several fighters delivering gold-medal-level performances. Informal team updates during and after the event suggest Ireland finished with a double-digit medal haul, placing them among the strongest overall delegations at the tournament.

Beyond the medals themselves, Ireland’s performance stood out for its consistency across age groups, reinforcing the idea that the country’s amateur MMA pathway continues to mature year on year.

Why Belgrade Matters

The IMMAF European Championships remain a key proving ground for future professionals. A significant number of fighters who medal at this level go on to compete on major European pro circuits — and eventually, global stages.

This year’s results once again showed:

  • Ukraine’s depth at youth level

  • England’s growing consistency

  • Ireland’s ability to convert talent into medals

Perhaps most importantly, the narrowing gap between top nations suggests European amateur MMA is becoming deeper and more competitive than ever.

The Bigger Picture

While fans often focus on professional promotions, events like the IMMAF Europeans quietly shape the future of the sport. The performances from the UK and Ireland in Belgrade point to healthy pipelines, strong coaching structures and an increasing level of international competitiveness.

As full, consolidated medal tables are finalised, the headline remains the same: both the UK and Ireland continue to punch well above their weight on the European amateur MMA stage — and the fighters emerging from Belgrade are names worth remembering.

More IMMAF coverage, athlete breakdowns and pathway analysis coming soon on MMAReports.com.