MMA Makes Asian Games Debut in Push for 2032 Brisbane Olympics

A cage-free version of mixed martial arts is being showcased at the Asian Games as part of a campaign to join the Olympic program in Brisbane.

A modified version of mixed martial arts, fought on an open mat without a cage, is being contested at the two-week Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. The format resembles judo or boxing more than professional MMA, with athletes wearing small gloves similar to those used in Olympic amateur boxing. Men and women compete in two styles: a traditional form with more grappling and a modern form with more striking.

The push to add the sport to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics is being led by Gordon Tang, a Chinese billionaire property developer who heads the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts. Tang said the organization built its rules around athlete safety and Olympic values, and called the Asian Games debut a significant step toward Olympic inclusion. He also serves as a vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

The path to the Games is steep. The IOC stated in an email that MMA currently does not meet its eligibility criteria, and the sport's violent image remains a key obstacle. The IOC would first need to recognize a governing body — several groups are competing for that role in a fractured global landscape — before Brisbane organizers could consider adding the sport to their schedule. Entry for Los Angeles 2028 is already closed.

FIMMA officials argue the sport's popularity with young fans and its ability to share venues with existing combat sports make it attractive. Still, the Olympics already include boxing, wrestling, judo and taekwondo, which could work against another combat sport. FIMMA director general Galastein Tan said talks with the IOC, including contact between Tang and IOC President Kirsty Coventry, are in advanced stages rather than preliminary ones.