Cage, unified rules used for 1st time in France

Also, strikes on the ground.

"Last night on 19th September for the very first time on French soil, World Warriors Fighting Championship held a martial arts event under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and in a caged MMA ring.

‘WWFC Cage Encounter 4’ at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris marked the fulfilment of a long held dream for France’s mixed martial arts community. Although MMA is not technically illegal in the country, it has in practice been impossible for promoters to secure licenses permitting the use of the caged safety enclosure or strikes on the ground. IMMAF affiliate, the Commission Française de Mixed Martial Arts (CFMMA), has been engaged in a drawn out lobbying campaign for the right to hold MMA competitions.

WWFC made history by utilising an MMA ring in a public event that police refrained from closing down, despite forewarning. With police in attendance, new territory was also charted by the inclusion in the ruleset of strikes on the ground, although elbow strikes were excluded. The event was organized by WWFC promoter Vladimir Teslya." read more...

Cage Encounter 4 results: 


In the main event, Karl Amoussou won by heel hook in round 1 against Florent Betorangal. Christian M'Pumbu defeated russian prospect Ramis Teregulov in round 2 in the co-feature, and blue chip prospect Ion Cutebala knocked out the french Malik Merad in round one before the 10 seconds mark. Full results

Amoussou won by heel hook in rd 1




Ion Cutebala wins by KO in seconds, rd 1

* Edited at 09.21.2015, 12:36 AM ET *

Great to finally see a pro MMA fight card finally happen on French soil.  Hopefully the people in the French athletic commissions (or whatever sporting body that regulates combat sports over there) that still have stick up their ass about MMA, that archaically think "MMA IS BLOODSPORT!", will finally smarten up and see MMA for the legitimate and respectable sport it has become. 

Hopefully Dana and company can capitalize on this opportunity and get a UFC card set up for France in 2016.  If for nothing else, to make the foolish ******s in New York that sit on legislation look that much more foolish.

* Edited at 09.21.2015, 1:44 AM ET *

It's about time.

@GreenHornet I don't think Zuffa will come to France any time soon. In fact, I don't know if this promotion will hold another event in France soon, especially with a cage and strikes on the ground.They promote this event with police in the attendance, whom they invited, and the police could have stopped the event at any time. However, this is a big step in the right direction. From the article, a reaction from the government is expected:

“For the first time an event reported to the authorities was held under the Unified Rules of MMA. This sets a legal precedent. We now expect a reaction from the government. However last night it was shown publicly that the fighting is regulated, structured and sanctioned; that the fighters are professionals trained in the various techniques, including those used on the ground; that the audience are people who attend in a spirit of friendly sportsmanship. It is for these reasons that the CFMMA requests again that the state and its highest representative, Francois Hollande, legislate to recognise the existence of this sports discipline, and for it to be permitted under federal guidelines.”  

French Sports Secretary Responds to First MMA Cage Event

http://www.immaf.org/french-sports-secretary-responds-first-mma-cage-event/

Bllodyelbow: France hosts historic MMA event with cage and Unified Rules, Sports Ministry fires back

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/9/21/9364649/france-hosted-historic-mma-event-with-cage-and-unified-rules

Administrative Investigation Opened After Evening of MMA in Paris

http://www.immaf.org/administrative-investigation-opened-after-evening-of-mma-in-paris/

* Edited at 09.21.2015, 6:40 PM ET *

**** Thierry Braillard and the rest of the ass backward dullards in the French Sports Ministry.  NOTHING BAD HAPPENED AT THE ******* FIGHT CARD!  And if it did, the cops at the venue would have shut down the event.  Can't they pull the sticks out of their collective asses and see that they are just ******* wrong about their decision to ban MMA?  So what they allow for Pankration fights?  That's not an equivalent substitute.  Furthermore, it should not stand in the way of pro MMA fighters from France fighting in their home company under Unified rules that, by the way, many members of the EU (ex. Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, and Italy) accept under their athletic regulation bodies.

To be fair, it's hard for the French Sports Ministry to allow MMA to be sanctioned when they have the head of the French Judo Federation (and professional *******) Jean-Luc Rouge blocking the way by feeding false ******** to the heads of government and the people of France in general; such as this wonderful slanderous, false piece of information: “The MMA is a refuge for jihadists! It is the head office of domestic intelligence (DCRI) that told this to me!” - Jean-Luc Rouge

But wait, that's not all: "These new combat sports (MMA) seem like they come out of a video game. These guys are stupid enough to kill each other in front of everyone in a cage and they are well paid, so they would accept. Sport is not war! We must be able to shake hands and go have a beer together in the end." - Jean-Luc Rouge

So yeah, **** Jean-Luc Rouge.

* Edited at 09.21.2015, 8:47 PM ET *

Dont worry Bertrand Amoussou is doing pretty good making them look like the UFC made the culinary union look. ever since he started IMMAF ive noticed a change. its slow but its getting better.