Bayelsa State has emerged champion of the 2nd Sunday Dare National Mixed Martial Arts Open Championship held on Sunday in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The host state topped the medals table with 15 medals, comprising eight gold, three silver and four bronze, ahead of Delta State, which finished second with 12 medals: five gold, four silver and three bronze.
Enugu State placed third with 12 medals, comprising three gold, six silver and three bronze.
Akwa Ibom State won three gold medals, while Imo and Lagos states secured one gold medal each at the championship.
A total of 27 states, with more than 200 athletes, participated in the competition, which also served as a qualifier for the 23rd National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Enugu State from November 27 to December 11, 2026.
Declaring the championship closed, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr Peter Akpe, expressed satisfaction with the growth of mixed martial arts in the state, noting that the development reflected the government’s commitment to promoting multi-sports development.
Akpe, who described Bayelsa as the home of mixed martial arts, expressed confidence that the state would win the majority of the gold medals available in the sport at the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Enugu.
Congratulating the athletes on their resilience and determination throughout the competition, the deputy governor commended the President of the Nigeria Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Ambassador Henry George, and the federation’s Grand Patron, Chief Sunday Dare, for their efforts in securing the inclusion of MMA in the National Sports Festival.
He noted that the state government was working to sustain the impressive performances of Bayelsa athletes ahead of the Enugu festival, adding that watching the athletes compete reminded him of his days as a mixed martial arts athlete.
“I am elated that Mixed Martial Arts has been included in the 23rd National Sports Festival in Enugu. Let me thank the president and the grand patron for this laudable achievement. I am confident that Bayelsa will win 30 gold medals out of the 32 available in the sport, while other states will compete for the remaining medals,” he said.
In his remarks, the Grand Patron of the federation, Chief Sunday Dare, welcomed the inclusion of mixed martial arts in the forthcoming NSF with enthusiasm, describing the development as a significant milestone for the sport in Nigeria.
Dare explained that his vision when he was Minister of Sports was to see the sport flourish in Nigeria, adding that he worked to ensure the federation met the necessary requirements, including the payment of its dues for two years, to secure recognition as a national sports federation.
The Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation commended the Bayelsa State Government for its passion and willingness to invest in sports development, describing sports as a vehicle for unity, growth and development.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the President of the Nigeria Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Ambassador Henry George, said hosting the championship in Yenagoa demonstrated Bayelsa’s readiness to host the National Sports Festival in 2028.
According to him, the tournament was more than a championship, as it provided an opportunity to celebrate Nigeria’s growing legacy in mixed martial arts. He noted that the country had, within a relatively short period, established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the sport.
Also speaking, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, described MMA as a combination of different combat sports and said hosting the championship in Yenagoa had given athletes an opportunity to assess the level of competition they would face in Enugu.
He noted that with 32 gold medals reportedly available in the sport at the National Sports Festival, the championship was an important platform for athletes to test their abilities ahead of the national competition.
Igali added that beyond medal prospects, the championship provided an opportunity for coaches, technical officials and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, improve professional standards and strengthen the development of mixed martial arts in Nigeria.
In separate interviews, two gold medallists, Jason Maxwell and Benheart Elliot, described the championship as a valuable platform for athletes from different states to showcase their talents, compete at the national level and gain the experience needed to progress to international competitions.