Jason Fraser, President, and Chairman of the Caribbean Mixed Martial Arts Commission (CMMAC) sat down with Stabroek Sport during a brief interview to discuss and elaborate on the plans that are currently being formulated for the development of the discipline in the region.
The Trinidad and Tobago native was on local shores for an official visit with the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GMMAF), following the country’s historic participation, in the form of Carlos D’Anjou and Ijaz Cave, at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Amateur World Championship in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
Guyana’s debut also resulted in the acquisition of membership status, as the Golden Arrowhead was unanimously voted as one of the new 20 full members of the IMMAF, following the staging of the entity’s congress. The GMMAF, which was represented by Dr Sawan Jagnarain, received 34-0 approval from the 37 eligible voters at the forum hosted at the Millennium Al Rawdah Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Below features the transcript of the interview in its entirety:
Stabroek Sport: Given the relative novelty associated with MMA in the Caribbean, what are the plans for the federation to develop and grow the discipline?
Jason Fraser: Our main focus is building for the future by investing in the youths from the age of 5 to 17. This is the best way for our development program in MMA as we need to think about two or three Olympic cycles, not just in the Caribbean region, but as the same approach across the globe.
Stabroek Sport: In particular, does the federation plan to develop and eventually stage a Caribbean version of the World Championship, as a means to give the sport a foundation within the region?
Jason Fraser: Yes, definitely, the Caribbean region will look into staging a world championship in the near future between five to eight years’ time. I have started to hold conversations with the IMMAF President Kerrith Brown and some of the executive board members. This is a footprint I personally will like to see happen as no other International Federation ever held a world championship in this part of the world. Wrestling, Judo, Kick-boxing, Sambo, to name a few. I believe that the IMMAF will definitely be the first at the rate they are growing as we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year and in ten years grow to a membership of 140 countries around the world.
Stabroek Sport: Given the proximity of Brazil, which is considered a pioneer of the sport and a leader especially in South America, is the federation prepared and geared towards utilising coaching talent from the nation to aid in the development of the Caribbean?
Jason Fraser: We will have coaches from any part of the world as long as they are certified by the IMMAF as our organisation is fully focused on MMA as an amateur sport so our rules are a bit different as we gear towards obtaining Olympic recognition. We need to stay focused on our development strategy for the best interests of our athletes.
Stabroek Sport: While the federation is rooted in the amateur tenets of the discipline, does the entity plan and envision working towards developing the professional and commercial side of the sport in the region?
Jason Fraser: Yes, definitely that is why our President Mr. Kerrith Brown believes in building for the future by persevering the youths. Everything is a process that needs to follow. We have lots of athletes who came out from the IMMAF Amateur platform and are now professional athletes in the UFC, BRAVE, and other big promotions. Let our focus be development for amateurs in the Caribbean region and the Pan American region. By extension, the entire population needs to come on board for us to succeed at a fast rate. I believe that we are on the right track for Guyana, logistically speaking the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation needs an octagon if it is going to continue with proper structure development nationally. The national federation executive committee under its leadership Gavin Singh is doing a great job. I will continue to give my full support to this federation when called upon to do so.
I will like to thank the Guyana government through the different ministries for their commitment and support they have given thus far, but more needs to be done to ensure that their performance is world-class at the international level. I am calling on the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Honourable Charles Ramson Jr to come forward and let us talk about the future plans for the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation especially the hosting of the Caribbean and Pan-American Championships. This is a great opportunity to showcase Guyana’s culture and eco-benefits in tourism as millions of eyeballs will be on Guyana. Congratulations to Gavin Singh, the President of the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation for a great job in 18 months. The future of MMA is in good hands and the future is bright for MMA in Guyana.
