Grozny-based MMA promotion ACA (Absolute Championship Akhmat), formerly known as ACB, has announced its plan to conduct Russia’s first mixed martial arts event since the Covid-19 lockdown, on July 11.
Later in the month, ACA also plans to hold a bout between 28-7 Alexander Emelianenko, brother of MMA legend Fedor, and popular 15-2 middleweight Magomed Ismailov.
“We had to take an enforced break because of the virus. It has gone on for quite a while. Medical experts say now the disease is slowly but surely regressing,” ACA head Mairbek Khasiev said in a video communication released on Friday.
“In the past two weeks we’ve held a number of video meetings with members of ACA and we made the decision to resume our work at full strength.
“For the whole summer period we plan to hold four shows, the first of which, God willing, will take place on July 11. Our main fight will be Emelianenko-Ismailov, which we plant to hold at ACA 107 on July 24.
“So friends, get yourselves ready for an action-packed summer… I hope the fighters will be psyched up for some solid, entertaining fights.
“We’re doing everything in our power to make sure that it will be entertaining for you, the fans,” added Khasiev.
The promotion’s founder did not specify whether those events will be held with or without spectators, however, or the planned location. All mass events remain banned in Russia until further notice, although Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin recently outlined his plan to steer the city out of its lockdown, with quarantine rules slowly relaxing.
