Cape Town, South Africa – The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is officially launching PFL Africa with a historic debut event on Saturday, July 26 at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town.
The launch event will also feature the opening round of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, with rising stars from across the continent battling it out in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions, each featuring an eight-man bracket, with fighters advancing through semifinals and finals. Among them, South Africa's own Nkosi Ndebele and Justin Clarke will step into the cage in front of a home crowd, looking to make their mark on the global stage.
The night will also include five major international bouts as part of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai. In the World Title main event, undefeated middleweight world champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) faces Spain's Costello van Steenis (16-3). The co-main event sees the formidable Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) go head-to-head with Hawaii's Sumiko Inaba (8-1) in a world-class women's flyweight clash. The remaining fight card includes:
Heavyweight First Round
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Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) of Cameroon faces Justin Clarke (2-0) of South Africa
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Abdoullah Kane (3-0) of Senegal meets Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4) of Morocco.
Bantamweight First Round
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Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) of South Africa takes on Mahmoud Atef (5-2) of Egypt
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Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) of Zimbabwe battles Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1) of Morocco.
With top fighters from around the world stepping into the cage and African talent in the spotlight, fans can expect an unforgettable night of world-class MMA in the heart of Cape Town.
A New Era For African MMA
PFL Africa is the organisation's third international league after PFL Europe and PFL MENA, and aims to showcase African talent on the world stage. The league is led by global MMA icon Francis Ngannou, serving as Chairman who plays an active role in developing the next generation of African champions. PFL Africa's launch is backed by major partners including Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, known for their investment in NBA Africa. Elias Schulze, a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, finance, and operations across over 20 African markets, has joined the PFL Africa team appointed General Manager to oversee its launch and expansion.
"Kicking off the PFL Champions Series in Cape Town alongside the launch of PFL Africa reflects our commitment to grow the sport of MMA throughout the continent as well as provide pathways for African fighters to compete on a global stage and become champions," says Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League.
"With PFL Europe, PFL MENA and now PFL Africa launching, PFL's international growth strategy and footprint is unmatched in the sport. This is all made possible by building a great team. I'm proud to partner with Francis Ngannou and Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, and excited to welcome Elias Schulze as GM of PFL Africa."
The 2025 season will feature four major events across the continent, with 24 elite fighters from 14 African countries competing for glory. The full tournament schedule including future host cities and dates will be revealed soon.
"We are proud to partner with the Professional Fighters League to help bring PFL Africa to life. This initiative aligns with Helios' mission to back high-growth, high-impact ventures across the continent. With the leadership of Francis Ngannou and a strong local foundation, PFL Africa has the potential to become a transformative platform for African athletes, fans and the broader sports ecosystem," says Tope Lawani, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Helios Investment Partners.
Fans can enjoy broad access to the league thanks to broadcast deals with SuperSport and Canal+, as well as a new mobile-first platform in partnership with Content For Mobile (CFM) developed to expand accessibility for African audiences via the region's leading telcos. With these combined efforts, PFL Africa becomes one of the most accessible sports leagues on the continent, and is on track to reach over 90% of African households.
Tickets and broadcast details will be announced soon. Follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma) for updates.
