Armenia wins three medals at 2026 MMA Youth World Championships

Armenia's 32-athlete team returned from the 2026 IMMAF Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi with one gold medal and two bronze medals. Rafik Aleksanyan won gold in the Youth A 65.8 kg featherweight division after six consecutive victories, including a final decision over Uzbekistan's Muhammadaziz Nazarov. Edik Martirosyan and Sos Martirosyan earned bronze medals.

Armenia finished ahead of larger sporting nations including the United States, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan in the official medal standings. The Lorik Humanitarian Fund supported four team members—Karen Arzumanyan, Tigran Gasparyan, Samvel Avetisyan, and Erik Hayrapetyan—whose families were forcibly displaced from Artsakh, covering their travel and competition costs. While the four did not medal, they gained World Championship experience competing against elite youth fighters globally.