LUKE BARNATT TO HEAD UK TEAM AS COACH For the IMMAF World Championships of Amateur MMA

(PRESS RELEASE) -- The United Kingdom Mixed Martial Arts Federation is excited to announce Luke Barnatt as Team coach, as the UK's first Amateur MMA team sets out next week to Las Vegas to represent the United Kingdom in the first ever World Championships of Amateur MMA.

Hosted by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, the event marks the final step in the MMA's bid to be recognized under Sport Accord, as part of sport's journey towards Olympic recognition. The event takes place from 30th June to 5th July, at Cox Pavilion at the University of Nevada, evocatively home to the finale for The Ultimate Fighter 1. The finals will be located inside the UFC Fan Expo® at Mandalay Bay on the Saturday. Broadcast platforms are yet to be revealed.

Barnatt is a renowned British competitor in the UFC, whose international career was launched with "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs.Team Sonnen". Barnatt fights out of Tsunami Gym in Cambridge.

Barnatt will be overseeing British Amateur athletes, Jordan Chester, Daniel Cassell, Carl Burton, Jamie Powell, Charlie Day and Josh McManus as they embark on their journey to face competitors from 24 IMMAF member countries, from Tajikistan to Brazil to Cameroon. The Team will also be accompanied by coach, Nigel Burgess of Tsunami Gym.

Luke Barnatt commented:

"It's fantastic to be a part of the Amateur World Championships. It's the toughest Amateur MMA competition the world has ever seen, and we've put together a hungry, young, powerful team to represent the UK. Being able to coach these guys is a real honour to me and I plan on doing everything I can to bring us back a medal. It's the first ever Amateur MMA World Championships so these guys really are a part of history and helping take the sport to a whole new level."

Bad Boy Europe CEO, John Paul Gardner, and Bad Boy Europe Sales Director, Andy Dixon, issued the following statement:

"Bad Boy Europe are delighted to support the UK team for the inaugural World Amateur Championships of MMA in Las Vegas, from 30thJune until 5th July. Bad Boy are heavily involved in all aspects of the Sport from grass roots level to our sponsorship of UFC Middleweight Luke Barnatt who is leading the UK team in the Championships in his capacity as Head Coach. As a UK based company with global reach, we are extremely proud and honoured to be associated with the UK Team in this exciting new format which can help drive the sport forward and raise awareness of the World’s fastest growing sport. We will the UK team all the very best of luck and look forward to the event."

The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation is the international, non-profit democratic governing body for the sport of MMA. Founded from within the MMA community for the MMA community, the purpose of the IMMAF is to protect and further the development and recognition of the sport of MMA on all levels, enabling international competition through the organization of non-profit, democratic national federations around the world.

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO TEAM UK PARTNER, BAD BOY EUROPE http://www.badboy-uk.com/

For information about Luke Barnatt visit: http://www.lukebarnatt.com/

For information about the IMMAF Championships visit: http://www.immaf.org/worldchampionships/

For information about the UKMMAF visit:http://www.ukmmaf.org/Home.html

Follow @lukebarnatt @UKMMAF and @IMMAFed on Twitter