The European Open Championships of Amateur MMA, hosted in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, organised by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), launched on Wednesday.
The national Mixed Martial Arts team will participate in this championship, including: Hussain Ayyad in 57kg category, Maher Hamed and Hamad Mattar in the 66kg category, Nayef Fikri in the 70kg Category. The Bahraini fighters will fight alongside 146 male and female fighters from 26 countries. 
The fighters finished the final registration procedures, medical exams and official weight check yesterday.
For his part Colonel Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Khayat, President of the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Association praised the support of the wise leadership to the sports sector in the Kingdom, which led to the development of this vital sector, he also praised the efforts of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, for implementing plans and programmes aimed to the development of the sports movement in the Kingdom, leading to many Bahraini achievements in various participations that enhanced Bahrain's position on the global map.
Al-Khayat said: "Through this participation we look to translate and execute the directives of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth, Honourary President of the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Founder of Khalid Bin Hamad Mixed Martial Arts Organisation (KHK MMA), to strengthen Bahraini presence in various international championships of this sport. His Highness laid the foundation stone and the road map that we follow. We look forward for an honourable participation and an opportunity to accomplish a new achievement in this championship that will be added to the records of Bahraini MMA."

Source: BNA