Breaking news: WAMMA still exists

November 7, 12:11 PMNY MMA ExaminerPeter Lampasona

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Exhibition between WAMMA champions Fedor Emelianenko and Shinya Aoki

Photo: sherdog.com

The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts announced via press release on Thursday that it would be sanctioning tonight’s Strikeforce bout between WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko and undefeated contender Brett Rogers, and that the organization would be unveiling a new design for their championship belt. The news of WAMMA’s sanctioning of the bout sent shockwaves throughout the MMA world as it was incontrovertible proof that WAMMA still existed.

The name-only alliance between Strikeforce, M-1 Global, and a bunch of either dead or walking wounded MMA promotions known as WAMMA has done little more than update its official rankings on the WAMMA website since the decommissioning of its biggest partner, Affliction MMA. Since Affliction closed its doors, Strikeforce has grown astronomically in size and the little alliance that could is ready to show that it can still parasitically attach its name to any new rising star.

According to a report by Sherdog writer Loretta Hunt, while WAMMA is sanctioning the fight, Fedor’s WAMMA heavyweight title will not be up for grabs during the bout. The lack of meaning involved in sanctioning a fight already being successfully promoted by Strikeforce and not even risking the WAMMA title, which itself is meaningless, is in keeping with the WAMMA philosophy of doing no more than reminding the public that the organization still exists.

The WAMMA rankings system is updated once per month, making it the only consistent activity done under the organization’s banner. Rankings are determined by a panel of prominent MMA journalists and professionals. As of this month, the neutral panel does not rank WAMMA lightweight champion Shinya Aoki among the top ten lightweights in the world, as if to confirm WAMMA’s role as glorified belt designers.

Strikeforce: Fedor versus Rogers will be broadcast tonight at 9pm ET on CBS. The event will be the first MMA card broadcast on network TV since the fall of EliteXC last year.