John Kavanagh has been installed as the president of the newly established Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association (IMMAA).
The move comes after the separation of the Irish Amateur Pankration Association from the Irish Amateur Wrestling Association (IAWA), which is the National Governing Body for grappling arts in Ireland.
Kavanagh will head up the IMMAA in order to help gain recognition for the sport in Ireland. Sport Ireland boss John Treacy said that there must be a recognised governing body for the sport.
"The IAWA and its committee have provided invaluable support for the IAPA to date but now is time for us to start the recognition process with Sport Ireland for MMA under its own National Governing Body" the IAPA wrote on their Facebook page last night.
"The IAPA would like to take a moment to thank the IAWA, in particular Michael McAuley and Daniel and Keith Kennedy. Without their advice and guidance we would not be in the position we are today.
"The IAWA have been a tremendous source of support, but we feel that it is now time to establish our own National Governing Body to enable the recognition and regulation of our sport in its own right.
"This National Governing Body will be called the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association (IMMAA). It will be a member of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) and agrees to follow IMMAF's rules and guidelines."
