World class martial artist Raush Manfio of Titan Fighting Championships receives P-1 visa
We are extremely proud to announce that we successfully petitioned for a P-1 visa for world class fighter Raush Manfio who trains at American Top Team.
Managing Member of the firm, Sherrod Seward successfully presented the petition proving eligibility for the P-1 visa as a World Class Martial Artist to USCIS. He provided as many documents as possible for each of the criteria satisfied by Mr. Manfio.
In our response to an RFE from USCIS, we further strengthened the petition providing conclusive evidence and irrefutable proof that Mr. Manfio is qualified to be an athlete of extraordinary ability.
The Athlete - World Class MMA Fighter
Mr. Manfio has been a world class athlete since 2013 and has garnered a great amount of regional and international acclaim through competition and exhibitions. He has been a World Champion at the prestigious Titan FC Lightweight Championship. Apart from this, he has competed in and won numerous fights all over the United States and South America. Mr. Manfio has garnered international acclaim from fans all over the world.
The Petitioner
Headquartered in Coconut Creek, Florida, American Top Team has produced numerous MMA world champions and highly notable competitors. It is widely considered one of the top MMA facilities in the world, and it won the Best Gym category at the World MMA Awards in 2016, 2017, and 2018. This facility is a world class and renowned facility used by some of the best combat sports athletes. Athletes from around the world and the best in America come to this facility to do safe exhibitions with athletes of the same reputation and skill level.
The P-1 Petition
We demonstrated that American Top Team, the petitioner, would like to extend the P-1A status upon Mr. Raush Manfio, whom they consider to be an exceptionally talented martial artist. In the petition, we presented Mr. Manfio as the world-class athlete he is by revealing his participation in international fights. We were able to give details and competition itinerary for the athlete. We also confirmed that Mr. Manfio would be taking part in international athletic exhibitions with athletes befitting his global ranking and skill level.
To add weight to our case, we also revealed that the beneficiary’s skill level and rank was far beyond that of most American fighters. Therefore, he would have to participate in international athletic exhibitions and competitions competing with other international athletes of his class and skill level.
We informed the USCIS that highly ranked American fighters require other highly rated athletes to compete against. Competing against internationally renowned athletes would allow them to move up in global rankings.
We provided the following proof to show that the beneficiary meets three of the seven criteria required to qualify for the P-1 visa:
International Rankings of Mr. Manfio
We provided evidence that the athlete is highly ranked internationally to demonstrate that he has a reputation beyond a single country. We presented the following international rankings for Mr. Manfio:
1. Fight Matrix
Mr. Manfio is currently ranked #268 Lightweight in the World and was as high as #156 in World Rankings.
Fight Matrix is an independent, comprehensive, MMA fighter ranking system portal. It is one of the sport's most recognized ranking websites. The system is a hybrid of popular thought and prediction analysis. Only up to 650 fighters per weight division who have fought in the previous 450 days are considered for this ranking system which compares results, strength of competition, championships, and other factors.
2. Tapology
Mr. Manfio is ranked #135 in the world, #15 southeast US, #8 in Florida, #54 in the United States.
Tapology is a distinguished mixed martial arts fighter ranking system. It differs from other sources publishing MMA rankings, because instead of reflecting the opinions of a single observer, the site automatically takes into account all of its members rankings. This creates consensus MMA rankings that are more democratic and encompass a broader range of views.
We provided documentation to emphasize the significance of these rankings anf the ranking systems.
Internationally-recognised Awards
We proved that Mr. Manfio is a person of extraordinary ability in the field of mixed martial arts by showcasing his awards. Mr. Manfio has numerous wins to his credit. We highlighted the following prestigious title:
Titan FC Lightweight Championship
In 2017, Mr. Manfio won the Titan FC Lightweight Championship.
Titan Fighting Championship (Titan FC) is an American mixed martial arts promotion based out of Florida. We explained this is a significant achievement because there is only one championship at a time in the world per weight class for Titan FC. The championship fighters in Titan FC are typically paid more than the other professional fighters in the sport. Championship bouts are placed at the most important times during the fight nights and garner the most attention on television, radio, podcasts, and media around the world. To maintain prestige of the Championships, the holders and contenders must continue to exhibit excellence in the sport of MMA to prove that only the best fighters were given the opportunity to compete for these Championships.
Internationally-recognised Awards
The firm showcased numerous publications of international repute in which Mr. Manfio has been featured. These testify to his successful career so far and the incredible promise he shows. We provided the title, date, and author of the title. We also submitted an abstract of the articles to give a preview of the contents of the articles, along with notes on the wide viewership of the articles.
The following articles from illustrious publications were included in the petition:
“Being in the right place at the right time saved Titan FC champion Raush Manfio’s career” - MMA Fighting, June 29, 2018
“After Titan FC 41, Raush Manfio's wish is to KO champ and move on to promotion that 'pays the bills'” - MMA Fighting, September 9, 2016
“Titan FC Champion Raush Manfio Talks how Journey to America has led to Improvements” - MMA Sucka, February 12, 2018
We also included the athlete’s profile on the celebrated site ESPN.com.
We provided ample evidence that Mr. Manfio meets at least two of the P-1 criteria and qualifies for the non-immigrant P-1 visa. We, therefore, successfully demonstrated that he is unambiguously qualified to be classified as a P-1 athlete.
For more information on how we help support professional athletes and coaches with O-1 and P-1 visas, please contact our offices at 310-209-8545.