Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan Armando Carlos Diogo was elected vice-president of the African Mixed Martial Arts Confederation (AMMAC) during the International Federation’s General Assembly in Belgrade, Serbia.
The president of the Angolan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (FAMMA) competed against candidates from South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt and Morocco for the position, obtaining an absolute majority of votes.
Diogo’s election to this important continental position is a testament to Angola’s consistent contributions to the development of mixed martial arts at the African and global levels.
Currently, Angola’s Amateur MMA Team is ranked first in Africa and the world, with 14,660 points, surpassing traditionally strong countries in the sport such as Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Angola has consolidated its supremacy in mixed martial arts by becoming three-time champions at the 8th edition of the African Championship, which took place in Luanda in May 2025. The team won a total of 87 medals (37 gold, 35 silver and 15 bronze), surpassing the DRC and South Africa.
In the youth categories, the Angolan team occupies third place in the world junior ranking and is the only African country in the top ten of the youth category. At the World Championship in Georgia, Angola won three gold, one silver and seven bronze medals.
Standout individual athletes include Maria Kitoko (two-time champion), Daniela Mandanji, Mayra Lemos, Stélvia Munhanha and Milfa Nicolau.
Angola also plays a leading role in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), reinforcing its presence in the sport’s global decision-making bodies.
Armando Carlos Diogo began his martial arts journey in 1994 with Japanese ju-jitsu. He achieved an important victory in this discipline at the International Open in Guangzhou, China, in 2013.
He was also the national under-69 kg category champion for five consecutive years.
With a degree in anthropology, Master Diogo developed a humanistic vision of sport, seeing it as an instrument of social transformation. He has also received training in sports management, technical leadership and federative administration.
Elected FAMMA’s chairman in 2020, he has been the driving force behind Angola’s emergence as a leading international player in amateur MMA.
In 2023, he was elected Director of the African MMA Confederation, further strengthening his leadership in developing the sport across the continent. In October 2025, he was elected Director of IMMAF for the Military Games.
Master Diogo is the mentor of the Zero Crime Project, a social initiative that aims to reintegrate at-risk youth through sport.
In 2022, the project was recognized worldwide as the best in its field, and in 2024 it received the award for Best Sports Leader in Angola, as well as an honorable mention worldwide in Montenegro.
