The Asian federation for mixed martial arts (MMA) has praised the Philippines for its successful hosting of the Manila Open—the inaugural Asian MMA Championships that concluded on Wednesday night, October 16, at the Mariott Manila in Pasay City.

“It is through your commitment that we’re able to deliver such a remarkable event,” said Asian MMA Association (AMMA) President Gordon Tang during the thanksgiving dinner for the three-day tournament, addressing Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. The event showcased the best amateur MMA fighters from across Asia.

Tang, who is also the Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, expressed his gratitude to the 9 Dynasty Group for their support in hosting the competition. “We offer our heartfelt thanks to NMMAPP President Abraham Tolentino and Secretary-General Alvin Aguilar, along with the 9 Dynasty Group, for their unwavering support,” said Tang, who also leads Cambodia’s sailing association.

Tolentino heads the newly-formed Nasyonal MMA Pederasyon ng Pilipinas (NMMAPP), also known as Pilipinas MMA, which serves as the governing body for amateur MMA in the Philippines.

“We are very thankful to our Asian counterparts, especially Mr. Gordon Tang, for supporting the new amateur MMA sport and for bringing the event here to Manila,” Tolentino said. “There are some fine-tuning to be done regarding rules on safety, but guarantees will soon be in place.”

“This is the first of many, and we’re excited for the next one,” added Aguilar. “The AMMA, Mr. Gordon Tang, and the other countries are extremely happy with our hosting.”

Tolentino and Aguilar extended their gratitude to Derries Wong and his 9 Dynasty Group for their support of the Manila Open.

Tajikistan emerged as the overall champion of the inaugural Asian MMA Championships, securing four gold and two silver medals, followed by Kazakhstan with a 3-2-1 gold-silver-bronze tally, and China with two gold and one silver.

The event featured a competitive field of 88 MMA athletes from 13 countries. Amateur MMA is also included in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games program, which Saudi Arabia will host next year.