Dutchess of Northumberland: “MMA can be a force for good for so many people and communities.”

Dutchess of Northumberland: “MMA can be a force for good for so many people and communities.”

Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, will join forces with The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) at the finals of the 2015 IMMAF European Championships of Amateur MMA at the Walsall Sports Centre, in the British Midlands. The Duchess will be awarding medals to finalists on November 22 as part of the closing ceremony.

“I am full of admiration for the contestants who have reached this stage in the IMMAF European Championships,” stated the Duchess, “I am a great supporter of MMA and appreciate how much hard work, self-discipline and dedication each athlete has put into their sport. I wish them all the best of luck.”

The finals mark the culmination of the international mixed martial arts tournament hosted by the only global governing body for MMA, which presents 200 athletes in two rings over four days. The national team vs national team event will be broadcast on UFC FIGHT PASS and international television.

The Duchess is well known for the redevelopment of Northumberland’s The Alnwick Garden Alnwick Castle; home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and to the Percy family for 700 years. Best known worldwide as the film location for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, the castle is an important part of British heritage.

The Duchess herself is a practicing martial arts enthusiast and has previously described her interest in MMA, citing how “it can be a force for good for so many people and communities”.

IMMAF’s global calendar of competitions, that includes its annual World Championships at UFC® International Fight Week in Las Vegas, aims to help drive the development of MMA at the Amateur and grassroots levels, with ultimate goals of improved sport safety and one day, Olympic recognition.