Amateur MMA finally has a federation — and the software to match
Since 2020, FFMMA has been the delegated federation for MMA in France. The sport moved from grey zone into a proper federal framework. Paak is configured for that new world: licences, compliance, Unified Rules scoring, official weight classes. Equivalents apply in other jurisdictions.
Your fighters, their weight class, their FFMMA licence, their fees — in one view. Paak manages your club, not just your sport.
Before MMA: what Paak does for your whole club.
- Members & families
- Fees & online payments
- Teams & convocations
- Background checks & GDPR
- Newsletter & communication
- Equipment & volunteers
MMA isn't a sum of three martial arts
Software that treats MMA as "karate plus judo plus jiu-jitsu in the same fight" gets it wrong from line one. MMA has its own rules (Unified Rules of MMA), its own format (3 rounds of 5 minutes, 5 rounds for championship), its own scoring (10-point must system used by the judges), its own weight classes (9 classes from strawweight to heavyweight), and its own tactical logic (strikes + takedowns + submissions as a ternary system, not an additive one). An MMA fighter is not a karateka who wrestles.
Strikes
Punches, kicks, knees, elbows (per level). All valid standing AND on the ground. Paak records them by type, by target (head / body / leg), and computes strike accuracy.
Takedowns
Projections or ground transitions. 2 points on the judges' scorecard. Paak tracks per type (single-leg, double-leg, sweep, throw) and computes takedown accuracy.
Submissions
Joint locks, chokes. End of fight by submission increases the finish rate. Paak distinguishes attempts and successful finishes by technique (guillotine, rear-naked choke, armbar, triangle...).
Unified Rules format + 10-point must
Judges award a score of 10 / 9 per round at the 5-minute bell: 10 points to the round winner, 9 (or fewer for total domination or penalty) to the loser. Paak records the score judge-by-judge per round + granular metrics (strikes, takedowns, submissions) that make the judgment traceable.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Standard rounds | 3 × 5 minutes |
| Championship rounds | 5 × 5 minutes |
| Rest between rounds | 1 minute |
| Judge score round won | 10 points |
| Judge score round lost | 9 points (8 if dominated) |
| Judges | 3 |
| Possible decision | Unanimous / Split / Majority |
| Early finish | KO / TKO / Submission |
9 Unified Rules weight classes
Paak automatically checks registered weight and places the fighter in the correct class. Amateur FFMMA variations are configurable per club.
MMA fighter profile
- Stance: Orthodox, Southpaw, or Switch. Tactical adaptation to opponent's stance.
- Strike accuracy — percentage of strikes that land on target. Auto-computed from live scoring.
- Takedown accuracy — percentage of successful takedowns / attempted.
- Takedown defense — percentage of opponent takedowns defended.
- Finish rate — fights won by KO/TKO/Submission / total fights.
- Phase strengths and weaknesses — standing vs clinch vs ground. A fighter with 85% finish rate on the ground but 45% standing has a striker problem.
- Fight history — chronological, with end type (KO/TKO/Sub/Decision) and judges.
An AI advisor who knows the cage
Paak Pro includes Habib Nurmégodov as sport-specific AI advisor — legendary fighter with devastating wrestling and unmatched ground control. He won't talk kata, poomsae, or belts. He talks wrestling, top control, ground-and-pound, and pressure.
Phase-by-phase fight plan
The advisor identifies each fighter's strongest phase (standing / clinch / ground) and suggests the strategy to push the opponent toward their weak zone.
Round-by-round cardio pacing
Round 1: economy. Round 2: risk-taking. Round 3: finish or manage. The advisor proposes a round plan that respects the fighter's gas tank.
Judges' weighting
Judges favour effective aggression + centre control + damage. The advisor flags when a fighter accumulates takedowns without ground control — a round they may lose despite stronger stats.
Imbalance detection
If a fighter has 90% ground finish rate but 30% takedown accuracy, the advisor suggests: absolute training priority = improve takedown setup, not ground game.
Federation licences, compliance, certifications
- Federation licences — FFMMA in France, equivalents elsewhere (IMMAF, national federations). Number, expiry, age category.
- Child-protection compliance — background-check requirement for any staff working with minors. In France: 8 March 2024 law; in other jurisdictions the equivalent requirement.
- Coach qualifications — FFMMA coaching diploma, BPJEPS AMP, DEJEPS martial arts (France) or equivalents.
- Medical certificates — mandatory for competition. MMA-specific (cardiac + neurological exam). Paak blocks competition registration on expiry.
- Competition insurance — included in federation licence. Paak tracks insurance state per fighter.
- Age categories — Cadets (15-17), Juniors (18-20), Seniors (21-39), Veterans (40+). Category-specific rules.
What Paak doesn't do yet for MMA
Transparency beats empty promises.
- No IoT mat integration. Some pro gyms use ground sensors to detect takedowns and positions. Paak doesn't connect. The coach clicks.
- No federation portal sync. Federations have their own portals for licences. No public API today; you'll re-enter once.
- No cross-club fighter matching. For national championships, you manage entries on the federation portal, not in Paak.
- No automatic video analysis. Strikes and takedowns aren't detected by AI video — the coach clicks during or after the fight.
Coach honorabilité — French loi du 8 mars 2024
The French law of 8 March 2024 makes club presidents personally liable for the honorabilité (background-check status) of every coach and adult volunteer in regular contact with minors — in MMA, this covers the head coach, assistants, junior MMA / kids' grappling instructors, corner coaches and any club volunteer present at youth sessions. Post-FFMMA delegation (2020), French clubs operate under the same Ministry of Sports rules as other federated combat sports. Paak makes that tenable for a volunteer-run club.
- Status per coach — valid / expiring soon / expired
- Automatic reminders 30, 14 and 7 days before each attestation expires — email to the coach and notification to the president
- CSV export in the ministry SI Honorabilité / FIJAISV column order, one click
- FFMMA licence, professional record and medical certificate on the same coach profile
Honorabilité tracking is included in every plan, including Free. The 30/14/7-day reminder cadence runs automatically via the qualification-expiry job — no per-coach setup.
Frequently asked questions
Our club is brand new, post-FFMMA delegation 2020. Does Paak fit?
Yes, ideally. Paak is configured for FFMMA Unified Rules, licences, and 8 March 2024 law compliance. A new club has less legacy drag than an older one.
We have cadets (15-17) and seniors. Does Paak handle rule differences?
Yes. Cadets have adapted rules (no knees to the head, no elbows, additional protective gear). Paak applies age-category rules automatically.
Can we export official weigh-ins for an FFMMA tournament?
Paak exports weights, categories, licences and medical certificates as CSV. You re-import on the FFMMA portal. No automatic sync, but 80% of the time saved.
Is it really free?
Yes, up to 100 members, 3 groups, 1 sport. Online payments included via Mollie.
Three plans, nonprofit rates.
Free up to 100 members · Hosted in France · GDPR compliant