PFL Africa delivers the most spectacular night of fighting in Africa, ever
Image: PFL
It's official! South Africa is Mixed Martial Arts crazy! And the Professional Fighters League helped prove that last night as history was made in the Grand Arena down in Goodwood, Cape Town!
Almost 5,000 people entered the entertainment venue last night and lent their voices to an action-packed night of fights as the PFL Africa and Champions Series: Road to Dubai served as a feast for starved Cape Town MMA fans.
One of the many highlights of the night was when former UFC Lightweight champion and global superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov stepped inside the Grand Arena to corner his two Russian Athletes.
The Dagestani's presence was met with an incredible roar as fans shouted 'Khabib!, Khabib!, Khabib!' continuously as PFL President Donn Davis took videos and content of the crowd, a good sign for the future of African MMA.
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'PFL Africa is here to stay,' said Davis, who looks to build this franchise and help bolster African MMA by shaping global superstars through the 'win and advance' format, which is the future and only sustainable template.
While the UFC continues to deliver lip service and tease the African MMA community with this major 'UFC Africa' show, the PFL put its shoulder to the wheel and made things happen, appeasing millions of fans, but more importantly, creating invaluable opportunities for African athletes.
PFL Africa rolled out its first leg of the 2025 Bantamweight and Heavyweight tournament as South Africa's Nkosi Ndebele, Zimbabwe's Simbarashe Hokonya, Algeria's Karim Henniene, and Angola's Boule Godogo advanced to the semi-final of the 135-pound tournament.
In the Heavyweight division, Maxwell Djantou Nana and Abraham Bably delivered some incredible striking, power, and skill to earn wins via decision and KO, respectively, moving one step closer to the PFL Africa Heavyweight title.
While it was not ideal for fans who were baying for more Heavyweight action, South Africa's Justin Clarke and Joffie Houlton both confirmed their slots in the big-boy division after early Doctor stoppages against Jashell Ticha Awa and Abdoulaye Kane, respectively.
Clarke moved to 3-0 after doctors advised against Awa coming back out of his corner due to a serious nose injury, which led to a TKO result.
Kane was disqualified following an illegal knee to the grounded Houlton not long before the second round.
In the main event, Costello Van Steenis pulled off one of the biggest comeback wins in MMA history, submitting previously undefeated Johnny Eblen with just seconds left in the fifth and final round to become the new PFL Middleweight World Champion. Eblen, who had stuck to his bread and butter by rolling out his strong wrestling and grappling game, was seemingly on his way to a unanimous decision win after controlling the fight for the majority of the time.
Eblen, known for being a strong starter, dominated the first two rounds and seemed to have tired his opponent who looked to lose some snap in his shots, however, Van Steenis found his second breath in the third and landed some damaging shots opening up the champion who understood that he should avoid striking with Van Steenis - who represents that trademark Dutch Kickboxing culture.
In between the last three rounds, Eblen's team and doctors did their best to patch up the damage inflicted, especially a nasty gash on the back of his head.
Eblen's every shot for the takedown was met with disdain from the crowd, who responded with boos as they wanted to see some striking exchanges.
Every time Van Steenis broke free, the Grand Arena reverberated with celebrations, as a hungry MMA nation found a new gladiator to adopt as their own.
In the dying seconds of the fifth round, Van Steenis managed to take Eblen's back and sink in the rear-naked choke, put the former champion to sleep, and shock the MMA world.
In the co-main event, 2024 PFL Women's Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva of the United Kingdom put on a striking masterclass as she demolished Sumiko Inaba of the United States to earn a unanimous decision victory. Ditcheva's elite Muay Thai was on full display as she punished Inaba with an arsenal of punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and devastating clinch work. The ultra-tough Inaba was as game as they come, continuing to push forward all fight long. In the end, however, Ditcheva was just too much for the Hawaiian as she cruised to a dominant win.
Former Bellator Featherweight Champion AJ McKee of the United States was successful in his return to 145 pounds as he earned a unanimous decision victory over Russia's Akhmed Magomedov. Out to prove that he's still 'the baddest man' in the Featherweight division, McKee turned in a well-rounded performance as he out-struck and out-grappled Magomedov for all three rounds to get the impressive win.
The First Round of the inaugural 2025 PFL Africa Tournament continues on Saturday, August 9th, from the Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Johannesburg, South Africa, with fighters in the Featherweight and Welterweight Divisions competing for a shot at glory. The action takes place live via the PFL App in the US.
PFL Champions Series Road to Dubai: Cape Town Results:
Costello van Steenis (17-3) def. Johnny Eblen (16-1) via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:51 of round five
Dakota Ditcheva (15-0) def. Sumiko Inaba (8-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-24)
AJ McKee (23-2) def. Akhmed Magomedov (11-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Artur Zaynukov (16-4) def. Takeshi Izumi (6-4) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Corey Anderson (19-6, 1 NC) def. Denis Goltsov (36-9) via TKO (strikes) at 3:28 of round two
2025 PFL Africa Cape Town First Round Results:
Nkosi Ndebele (9-3) def. Mahmoud Atef (5-3) via TKO (strikes) at 4:50 of round one
Maxwell Djantou Nana (7-1) def. Mickael Groguhe (6-3) via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-25)
Boule Godogo (4-0) def. Shannon van Tonder (7-3) via split decision (30-26, 29-27, 28-29)
Justin Clarke (3-0) def. Jashell Ticha Awa (3-2) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round one
Karim Henniene (5-0) def. Asiashu Tshitamba (6-5) via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Joffie Houlton (8-4) def. Abdoulaye Kane (3-1) via DQ (Illegal Knee) at 0:40 of round one
Simbarashe Hokonya (6-0) def. Frans Mlambo (15-7) via unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 30-25)
Abraham Bably (6-2) def. Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze (8-6) via KO (punch) at 4:59 of round one
Juliet Ukah (7-0) def. Ceileigh Niedermayr (3-3) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
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