Fight for Peace Head Mixed Martial Arts Coach Imran Hassan has been crowned the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) European Championships Bantamweight Champion – bringing home Gold for Team England. This medal is a monumental achievement for Imran, but the journey behind it is just as incredible. 

This began five years ago in Manor Park, when Imran first started training. He quickly developed a love for the competitive nature of combat sports, and after only six months of training, his coach deemed him ready for his first interclub. He humbly recalls this day: “I didn’t really know what it was [an Interclub] but I ended up having six fights in one day and won all of them.”

His natural talent soared, and after training for only a year, he was fast-tracked into amateur shows. Here he competed for two years but in his third, he picked up a shoulder injury that took him out of the sport  for a year. After recovery he came back with ambition, setting his sights on competing in the World Championships of the IMMAFs. In 2025, he took bronze in the tournament, demonstrating a tenacious drive to achieve whatever he puts his mind to. 

But bronze only spurred Imran on further: “It was good, but it wasn’t my goal. I was going to turn professional right after the competition, but when I saw the European Championships were taking place in February. I thought I’d give it one more crack.”

Held in the capital of Serbia, the European Championships welcomed the best of the best in MMA from across the continent, and over the course of a week, Imran faced four opponents. The first was Bulgaria, a smooth win to open the tournament, the second Azerbaijan, a tough opponent that tested Imran’s endurance, and in the semi-finals, Eddie Burns from England. 

It’s not uncommon in competitions such as these that teammates meet in the semi-finals, rather than the finals – as it hopes to prevent a teammate standoff (where one individual refuses to fight the other). While Imran and Burns are good friends, they were both there to win gold, and while it was close, Imran won by a unanimous decision. Luckily, as Imran shared, “No one got injured, so it wasn’t too bad!”

In the Championship Final Imran faced a solid opponent from France, but with careful strategy he left victorious again – leaving as a gold medalist and strengthening a lasting legacy within the world of MMA. 

The realisation of winning gold is still something Imran is soaking in, “Sometimes I wake up and remember, oh yeah, I actually won. People call you ‘Champ’ all the time in this game even when you aren’t, but now I actually have the accolade to my name.”

The title of European Champion is just the start as Imran looks to make his pro debut later this year and climb the ranks: “In an ideal world, I’ll have seven to ten pro fights over the next few years – facing gradually tougher opposition, and staying injury-free. Then the goal is to get signed to a big organisation and actually start making some money. I started fighting for free because I love the sport, and I’d do it even if there was no money in it, but it’s nice to get something back for the work eventually.”

In the meantime, he continues to coach at Fight for Peace and show our young athletes that making it to the elite level is achievable with dedication, discipline and self-belief. He’s coached at the Academy for over two years now, and his sessions are full every week – a real testament to just how valued the sport and his coaching is. 

A side of coaching that’s often overlooked, is the incredible position these individuals have to be role models for the youth of today. A role model may be pictured as an illustrious champion with millions of online followers, a high net worth and a lifestyle lived in an endless summer, but the beauty with coaches is that they embody an everyday hero. 

Imran is this wholeheartedly – one that brings relatability to young people’s lives, that shows how pathways to the top of sport are real, and that with resilience and perseverance you can achieve incredible things. 

Each session, he’s leading by example; “The main thing I tell them is: Consistency. It’s not always about who is the best, it’s about who is left. Stay consistent, listen to your coaches, look after your training partners, and be good to people.”

Beyond the gym, one of the greatest lessons that Imran teaches is how the power of sports gives young people a perspective on life they won’t find anywhere else;

“When a young person goes out to compete, feels those butterflies and that anxiety, and overcomes it? Many adults have never felt that in their lives. Sport teaches you how to handle adversity. If you can get a handle on sport and competition, everything else in life is easier. Nothing in the outside world is going to be a problem compared to stepping into a ring with everyone watching you. A job interview? That doesn’t come close to competition.”

Imran’s gold for Team England is a huge milestone for MMA at Fight for Peace – and a reminder of the excellence that is taught within our walls, and goes on to live well beyond it. Congratulations again Coach Imran, our European Champion – we look forward to seeing the next step in your journey, and where the young athletes who are inspired by you go. 

Interested in MMA? Check out our timetable to see when the classes are held: https://fightforpeace.net/timetable/