CNOSF general secretary Didier Séminet, right, meets with the IMMAF leadership team ©IMMAF

International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) President Kerrith Brown has claimed France can be a "powerhouse" in the sport following a meeting with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) in Paris.

Brown led an IMMAF delegation that included Board director Bertrand Amoussou and chief executive Densign White to Paris City Hall and the CNOSF headquarters to discuss mixed martial arts (MMA) in France.

During the two-day visit, a series of meetings were held between IMMAF and representatives from the French Mixed Martial Arts Federation (FMMAF), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the CNOSF.

Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris and member of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, met with the IMMAF delegation.

IMMAF said it expressed its commitment to helping the FMMAF grow, raising the prospect of a future event in Paris and claimed Rabadan was open to the possibility of working together to build projects which can develop MMA in France.

The final meetings of the day took place at the CNOSF headquarters where the organisation’s general secretary Didier Séminet shared his thoughts on the development of MMA.

IMMAF, FMMAF and UFC delegations meet with Paris deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan at Paris City Hall ©IMMAF
IMMAF, FMMAF and UFC delegations meet with Paris deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan at Paris City Hall ©IMMAF

IMMAF said Séminet also encouraged the governing body to continue its efforts to gain formal recognition from the Global Association of International Sports Federations and the International Olympic Committee.

"We had a very busy schedule in Paris, and it was a pleasure to share our experiences, challenges, and goals with senior representatives of French sport and local Government," said Brown.

"I would like to thank them for their hospitality and openness in discussion how we can all work together to ensure a healthy future for the sport of MMA."

The meetings at City Hall also gave IMMAF the chance to praise the work of the French Boxing Federation which supports the FMMAF.

"We look forward to continuing the discussions, working shoulder to shoulder with FMMAF, and are excited not only about the prospect of seeing the first UFC event in Paris, which is bound to increase interest in our sport, but also in hosting an IMMAF amateur competition before too long," added Brown.

"I believe France is destined to become a powerhouse for MMA and I am excited that IMMAF is part of this journey."