Malki Kawa

Malki Kawa is a prominent sports agent, entrepreneur, and the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of First Round Management (FRM), a full-service athlete representation and sports management firm headquartered in Miami, Florida. Since founding the agency in 2008, Kawa has grown First Round Management into one of the most recognized athlete management firms in combat sports while also expanding its presence into football, basketball, soccer, NIL representation, marketing, and brand development. Widely regarded as one of the most influential agents in mixed martial arts, Kawa has represented elite athletes competing in organizations such as the UFC and has negotiated numerous high-profile athlete contracts, endorsement agreements, and sponsorship deals. Under his leadership, First Round Management has developed a reputation for providing comprehensive services that extend beyond contract negotiations, including public relations, branding, business development, marketing strategy, and long-term career planning. Before entering athlete representation, Kawa built a successful career in real estate and business negotiations. According to industry reports, the negotiation experience he gained in that field helped pave the way for his transition into sports representation. He later became certified by the NFL Players Association and expanded his work into football representation while continuing to build one of the industry's most successful MMA management practices.