MMA is still illegal! What’s it like to be a pro MMA fighter in Norway?

Pro MMA is illegal in Norway. Photo: Daniel Schälander

From an underground phenomenon to the biggest arenas in the world – MMA has come a long way in the three decades since the UFC took its first trembling steps.

The sport is now well-respected and mainstream in most parts of the world. In the US, for example, the UFC is up there with the biggest leagues like NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB, selling out arenas everywhere they go.

However, there is one unlikely exception.

In the wealthy Scandinavian country of Norway, professional MMA is still banned. The country’s dedicated pro and amateur fighters are struggling daily to pursue their careers – as well as making the sport accepted by Norwegian society.

”The ban has a huge impact on young fighters who want to compete and fully invest themselves in the sport,” says UFC veteran Jack Hermansson.

”Five years ago, I thought we were close to legalization, but nothing has happened yet,” says up-and-coming UFC prospect Ivana Petrovic.

In this story, Frontkick reaches out to four professional MMA fighters in various stages in their careers to get a better understanding about how the ban affects their lives and the Norwegian MMA scene as a whole.

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