The 2026 GAMMA Pan American Mixed Martial Arts Championships, held in Chía, Colombia, delivered a historic result for Belize’s national MMA team, as two of its top competitors secured gold medals after going undefeated across all their tournament bouts.
Dominic Beaino claimed the top spot on the podium in the 170-pound division, while teammate Jalen Perez took gold in the 145-pound weight class. Silvino Riverol, head coach of the Belizean national MMA squad, shared detailed insights into the pair’s winning performances after the team returned from the competition.
Across three matches each, both Beaino and Perez finished the tournament with a 3-0 win record, an undefeated run that cemented their status as the best in their divisions at the Pan American level. Beaino turned in a particularly dominant display, finishing all three of his opponents in quick fashion. According to Riverol, one of Beaino’s stoppages marked the fastest finish recorded across the entire 2026 championships.
For Perez, the path to gold followed a slightly different rhythm. He secured his opening tournament bout via stoppage, then claimed decision wins in his next two matches to lock in his undefeated record and the gold medal.
Competing in Chía was not without its challenges, Riverol noted. The team had to adapt to several unexpected obstacles, including the city’s high elevation, unfamiliar climate conditions, and a hostile home crowd that favored local Colombian fighters. Even with these hurdles, the full six-member Belizean team pushed through to deliver standout results, finishing the competition with two gold medals to bring back to their home country.
Riverol expressed immense pride in every fighter who represented Belize at the championships, emphasizing that the squad’s performance showcased what he called the “Belizean warrior spirit” on an international competitive stage. Looking ahead, the team has already laid out plans to build on this success for the next edition of the tournament. Coach Riverol says the squad intends to return in 2027 with a larger roster of competitors, ramp up their training regimens, and secure additional sponsorship support to help Belizean MMA continue growing and competing at the highest Pan American levels.