Elene Glurjidze: The First Georgian Girl to Become European Champion in MMA

A new name has emerged in Georgian mixed martial arts. Sixteen-year-old Elene Glurjidze has won a gold medal at the 2026 IMMAF European Championships, becoming the first Georgian girl to claim a European title under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation.

The championship, currently taking place in Belgrade, saw Elene defeat Azerbaijan’s Fatima Garibova in the final. Remarkably, Elene only began competing in MMA a year ago. In that short time, she has already become a Georgian grappling champion, a bronze medalist at the 2025 IMMAF tournament, the 2026 Georgian national champion in MMA, and now the 2026 IMMAF European champion in the Atomweight division.

I am the first ever girl to achieve this and I am the first European champion in Georgian history. it was surreal. I couldn't believe, but it's starting to kick in and it feels great.

Georgia has already made a name for itself in men’s MMA, thanks to champions like Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili. However, women’s participation in the sport has historically been much lower. Elene’s gold medal marks a significant milestone for the Georgian MMA Federation and for women’s combat sports in the country.

My dream was to hear my national anthem and it was very, very overwhelming when I started singing it.

Women’s involvement in Georgian sports continues to grow, including in demanding disciplines like mixed martial arts. For Elene, this European gold medal is not the peak - it’s just the beginning of her international career.