BANGKOK, THAILAND – The 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games concluded on December 20, 2025, marking a historic milestone for Mixed Martial Arts in the region. Featured as a high-profile Value Creation (Exhibition) Category, the MMA competition showcased elite talent and fierce regional rivalries, further solidifying the sport’s case for full inclusion in future editions.
The Battle for Regional Dominance
The tournament was characterized by a thrilling three-way battle between the region's combat sports powerhouses: Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
- Thailand (Overall Champions): Leveraging their deep-rooted Muay Thai heritage, the host nation dominated the striking exchanges. Thailand secured the top spot on the medal table, highlighted by Norachart Sutharang’s masterful performance to take Gold in the Men’s Traditional -56 kg division.
- Indonesia (Runners-Up): Indonesia proved to be Thailand’s toughest challenger, showcasing superior grappling and submission skills. The standout moment for the "Merah Putih" squad was Dwi Ani Retno Wulan’s clinical victory in the Women’s Traditional -54 kg final to secure Indonesia's first-ever SEA Games MMA Gold.
- Vietnam: Solidifying their reputation for technical discipline, Vietnam excelled in the Modern MMA categories. Ngoc Luong Tran delivered a spectacular performance to claim Gold in the Men’s Modern -60 kg division, defeating Indonesia in a closely contested final.
Additional podium finishes were secured by the Philippines and Laos, with Filipino athletes notably utilizing their Wushu Sanshou backgrounds to claim multiple bronze medals.