Bittersweet return for Mlambo as PFL Africa era kicks off in Cape Town
Image: BRAVE CF
It's been a 'bittersweet' return home for South Africa's Ireland-based mixed martial artist, Frans Mlambo.
For the first time in seven years, Mlambo (15-6) touched down in Cape Town this week ahead of his PFL Africa bantamweight clash against Zimbabwe's unbeaten Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0), set to take place at the Grand Arena at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World on Saturday, 19 July.
The fight is part of a historic event as the Professional Fighters League (PFL) officially launches its African franchise, marking a significant milestone in the global promotion's expansion plans.
Simbarashe Hokonya and Frans Mlambo share a unique face-off in BoKaap, Cape Town ahead of their PFL Africa Bantamweight Tournament clash at Grand West on Saturday. | PFL Africa
Image: PFL Africa
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad Loading
The 2025 PFL Africa tournament will feature four events across the continent, showcasing 32 fighters from 15 African countries across four weight divisions. All will be vying for PFL gold and the opportunity to graduate into the PFL's global business model.
Saturday's event in Cape Town marks the first round of the bantamweight and heavyweight tournaments, with fighters aiming to secure spots in the semi-finals and finals later this year.
This moment has been long anticipated, especially as Africa continues to produce some of the world's top MMA talents. But until now, no major promotion had hosted a large-scale event on the continent, making Saturday's card a landmark occasion for the sport.
Despite the occasion, Mlambo — a seasoned veteran of the sport, having competed in top promotions like Bellator, BRAVE CF, and the PFL — admits to feeling conflicted.
Frans Mlambo explains the significance of his outfit at the PFL Africa Media day. The attire belonged to his uncle who blessed him with the outfit and he felt it was fitting to wear it on this occasion. Photo: MzansiMMA
Image: MzansiMMA
'Man, it's a complicated type of emotion that I have,' Mlambo said during Media Day at the Rockefeller Hotel in Cape Town, speaking to MzansiMMA and Independent Media.
'I've not been back to South Africa since fighting at BRAVE CF 19 in 2018, and now I'm here again with this great opportunity — but at the same time, it's complicated.
'The fact that I'm sitting here with South Africans is a fantastic thing for me. But I'm also standing in the path of people I root for, people I support. At the same time, they're trying to stop me. So it's a weird kind of emotion — I have to win, but in doing so, I need to step on my brother.'
Mlambo last competed in South Africa on a memorable night in December 2018, submitting Dansheel Moodely in the first round at BRAVE CF 19.
The 34-year-old fighter moved to Ireland at the age of 11, travelling alone to join his mother and brother in Dublin, while his late father and sister remained in South Africa.
'My sister still lives in Johannesburg, and most of the Mlambos are based there. Some of my family are coming to watch me on Saturday, which is so amazing.
'Being away for so long, I haven't interacted with many South Africans. Just hearing the accents brings joy to me — something you guys might take for granted,' said Mlambo.
'That's why this is such a bittersweet moment. I have to fight my people to make myself better.'
Mlambo currently trains at SBG Ireland under world-renowned coach John Kavanagh, and over the years has rubbed shoulders with the best in the sport.
His bout with Hokonya is one of many intriguing match-ups on a stacked card that also includes former BRAVE CF bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele, who headlines the PFL Africa event against Egypt's Mahmoud Atef.
'Nkosi and I were on the same BRAVE CF card in 2018 when he made his debut, and here we are again, chasing the same dream,' said Mlambo. 'Not just him — other South Africans, and Simba too. Yes, he's Zimbabwean-born, but we're all brothers competing in the same weight class.'
The PFL Africa event forms part of a broader fight night, with the Cape Town card serving as the undercard for the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, headlined by PFL middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (USA) and Costello Van Steenis (Spain).
The tournament will continue on 9 August at Carnival City in Johannesburg, where the first rounds of the welterweight and featherweight knockout brackets will unfold.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Citizen
12 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Currie Cup wrap: Big wins for Bulls, Lions and Boland
All teams are backing a number of young promising players with the seasoned campaigners resting after the URC season. Lions centre Rynhardt Jonker dives over the tryline for a try against the Sharks. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images The Lions might not have achieved their goals in the United Rugby Championship, but they have got off to a flying start in the Currie Cup competition, which got under way this weekend. Ivan van Rooyen's URC team failed to make the top eight for the fourth straight season, but Mziwakhe Nkosi's Currie Cup side, packed with young, promising players with a few seasoned men around them, opened up their 2025 Currie Cup challenge with a 46-5 demolition of the Sharks, who're also backing young up-and-comers in the competition. The Joburg-based side scored six tries to the one by the visitors to Ellis Park in what was a repeat of last season's final, which the Sharks won with the last kick of the match. 'We know where we stand now' Nkosi said he was pleased with the result considering his side hadn't played any warm-up matches. 'We were somewhat apprehensive after not playing a warm-up game, but as the game went on we found ourselves,' said Nkosi. 'We were still a bit rusty, but that's to be expected after not playing a warm-up. But the more we train and play in the coming weeks the better it will be, when it comes to making contact. You can only simulate so much in training. 'The decision-making will also get sharper. We've played a game now, and know where we stand, what we need to improve. 'Overall, it was a good start, I am happy with the level of performance, so I'll take it.' The Lions next face Western Province, also in Joburg, this coming weekend. Wins for the Bulls, Pumas and Boland The Bulls, losing URC finalists for a third time in four seasons just a few weeks ago, also got their Currie Cup campaign off to a rollicking start, winning 48-23 in Cape Town against Western Province. Again, both unions fielded younger, less experienced players, as they're likely to do throughout the competition, but they both produced some sparkling rugby at times. The Bulls scored eight tries, while flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain was excellent off the kicking tee. The Bulls next host the Sharks. In the competition opener on Friday, the Pumas were too good for Griquas, winning 49-28 in Mbombela. The Pumas will have aspirations of going all the way again, like they did in 2022. They're next away to the Cheetahs. The Boland Cavaliers, in their return to top-flight rugby, shocked the Cheetahs in a thrilling 10-try game in Wellington late Sunday. The home side scored their winning try eight minutes into 'over-time'. They are away to Griquas next. Results Pumas 49 Griquas 28 Lions 46 Sharks 5 WP 23 Bulls 48 Boland 37 Cheetahs 35


Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Who will steer the R55bn marriage of MultiChoice and Canal+?
There's a new power couple in African media. After nearly five years of courting, Canal+ has finally put a ring on MultiChoice to form a pan-African content colossus with global ambitions. French media titan Canal+ has secured the final go-ahead to acquire MultiChoice in a landmark R55-billion deal. After years of quiet manoeuvring and regulatory hurdles, the merger is now a question of who controls what. The Competition Tribunal's conditional approval, granted late last week, closes the chapter on a five-year 'creeping takeover' and opens a new era in African broadcasting. Now it's a balancing act weighing foreign capital with national sovereignty on a digital scale with local content. Enter the media monarchy In return for its princely sum, Canal+, owned by the French conglomerate Vivendi, gets access to MultiChoice's 14.5 million Anglophone and Lusophone subscribers, the DStv powerhouse, sports juggernaut SuperSport, and a foothold in streaming via Showmax. MultiChoice, facing rising costs and subscriber declines, finds itself rescued by a suitor with deep pockets and pan-African ambition. Combined, the merged entity will serve more than 24 million subscribers across 50 countries — instantly becoming the largest pay-TV and streaming provider on the continent. However, if Canal+ was hoping for free access, South African regulators had other plans. The deal's approval came wrapped in layers of red tape — not as a deterrent, but as a deliberate design feature. Transformation goals Central to the regulatory conditions is the creation of LicenceCo, an independent company that will hold MultiChoice South Africa's broadcast licence. It will be majority-owned and controlled by historically disadvantaged South Africans and employees. Crucially, Canal+ has no control and no board seats. This structural firewall protects South Africa's legal requirements around media ownership, ensures transformation goals are met and serves as a template for foreign investment in other sensitive sectors. Phuthuma Nathi, the B-BBEE shareholder darling, increases its economic interest in LicenceCo to 27%, with a new employee trust added. The licence, and the local airwaves it governs, stay South African. The R30bn lobola The Competition Tribunal didn't just demand structural separation; it also extracted a commitment package valued at more than R30-billion. This includes: A three-year moratorium on retrenchments linked to the merger; Significant investment in local content production, sports broadcasting, SMME procurement and Corporate Social Investment programmes; Ongoing free-to-air broadcast access for key sporting events, safeguarding the public's ability to view major matches without a subscription; and Local skills development through Canal+'s 'University Programme', to train historically disadvantaged individuals in broadcasting and production. In a media environment where Netflix and Amazon Prime are increasingly dominant, this local-first approach is designed to future-proof South African media. Showmax, SuperSport and scale Behind the regulatory muscle lies a clear commercial imperative. MultiChoice has struggled in recent years, shedding 2.8 million linear subscribers and burning cash to prop up Showmax 2.0, its streaming reboot built on Comcast tech and bolstered by NBC Universal's 30% equity stake. Canal+ brings financial stability and scale. It also inherits Irdeto, MultiChoice's profitable cybersecurity unit, and Showmax's potential to become Africa's answer to global streamers. Vivendi, Canal+'s parent company, views this merger as critical to its own transformation and part of a plan to split into three listed entities, with Canal+ as its global growth engine. Listing Canal+ on the JSE within nine months of deal completion is a further nod to local inclusion, visibility, and capital market confidence. The shiny ring can't cover controversial holes While South Africa celebrates a structurally sound deal with tangible local benefits, not all observers are convinced. Critics warn that Canal+'s track record and the Bolloré Group's 30.4% stake in it come with baggage. Vivendi's past includes one of the largest corporate losses in history and regulatory infractions that still cast a shadow. Vincent Bolloré, the billionaire behind the curtain, faces corruption charges in France and has been accused of turning Canal+'s French media outlets into right-wing political mouthpieces. With Canal+ now embedded in South Africa's broadcasting ecosystem, some fear creeping influence over editorial independence, particularly if there are future attempts to deepen ownership or control beyond the current firewall. Marriage isn't buying a horse Mergers are easy to announce but hard to manage. However, the competition bodies have played their hand cleverly — extracting commitments, safeguarding jobs and setting a precedent for how global capital must behave when it enters South Africa's strategic sectors. The long-term test lies ahead. Can Showmax truly compete with Netflix? Can SuperSport keep its sports crown as global streamers outbid for rights? Will LicenceCo be a transformative force or a regulatory box-ticker? Will Canal+ respect the firewall, or try to chip away at it over time? The merged entity is now king of the hill in African broadcasting, but it's a kingdom that won't run on size alone. Trust, execution and transformation will be the currencies of success. DM


eNCA
13 hours ago
- eNCA
Spanish veteran Garcia wins stage 2 of women's Tour de France
Spanish veteran Mavi Garcia won the second stage of the women's Tour de France on Sunday as Mauritius' Kim Le Court finished the day in the race leader's yellow jersey -- a first for an African rider. The 41-year-old Garcia, of the Liv-AlUla-Jayco team, attacked with 10km to go and it paid off as she crossed the line three seconds ahead of the chasing peloton. Garcia is the oldest rider in the Tour peloton and her victory beat the former age record for a stage winner set by Annemiek Van Vleuten (39 years 9 months 23 days) in 2022. "I've been racing for a long time and I hadn't been having my best year, but this win really gives me a massive boost of energy," said Garcia. "I really didn't believe I was going to win at the end. I've tried many times like that and it never worked out, so I just couldn't believe it until I was five metres from the line and I turned around and saw they wouldn't catch me. "It was only then that I knew I'd really done it. It's been a long, long time since I had any feeling this good in my career." Le Court took over atop the overall standings from Marianne Vos, who won Saturday's opening stage. The duo are tied with the exact same time at the top of the general classifications, with the Mauritian earning the yellow jersey courtesy of her combined stage finish placings over the first two days of racing. "My team said we can take yellow today, but I could not believe it, to be honest I think I'm still a bit shocked," said Le Court. "The ultimate goal of the team is to fight for GC towards the end of the Tour for the overall, but our goal was also to win a stage. "I've come close twice, but now that I have the yellow jersey on my shoulders, it's already a massive achievement for the team and for myself." Dutch sprinter Charlotte Kool, who won the opening two stages of last year's Tour, was a late withdrawal from the peloton, which now counts 152 riders. The Picnic-PostNL rider, who finished 7:40 off Vos' pace on Saturday, fell in competition last week and after consulting her team's medical staff opted to withdraw. Kool's withdrawal was the second of the Tour following that of Swiss rider Marlen Reusser (Movistar), who had been expected to push for the podium but who was sick. Monday's third stage is a flat 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. The women's Tour features nine stages, culminating in a mountain ascent for a summit finish in the ski resort of Chatel on August 3.