3 days ago
South Africa's Elbert Steyn set for PFL Africa clash in Ekurhuleni
Following a sold-out debut in Cape Town last month, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa is gearing up for its second event on 9 August at the Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Brakpan.
A media briefing at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park on 6 August introduced some of the continent's top MMA fighters set to compete in the upcoming show.
South Africa's Elbert Steyn will be the only local fighter on the card, facing Morocco's Abderrahman Errachidy in a first-round featherweight bout.
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Steyn, 25, is undefeated professionally with a 3-0 record and is aiming to secure his place in the PFL Africa semifinals.
Speaking at the briefing, Steyn shared his excitement about competing at home and the impact of crowd support.
'PFL Africa is definitely a history-making event, and everyone there on Saturday is going to be part of history. I am super excited to be there and I know the crowd is going to absolutely bring it.
'I have a lot of supporters, and I'm going to carry them on my back. That pressure helps shape and motivate me, so I love to have that support and deal with the pressure it brings,' he said.
Describing the opportunity as 'a dream come true,' Steyn added that he never expected to compete at such a major event on South African soil.
Other fighters present at the briefing included Nigeria's Patrick Ocheme and Wasi Adeshina, Angola's Shido Boris Esperanca, Morocco's Abderrahman Errachidy, and Cameroon's Octave Ayinda.
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Ocheme, who headlines the event against Mohamed Camara from Guinea, emphasised the importance of PFL Africa as a platform for local talent.
'There are a lot of guys who are constantly training, just waiting for the opportunity to show the world what they can actually do. PFL Africa provides that opportunity to showcase our talents on a global stage,' he said.
The 2025 PFL Africa season will feature 32 fighters from 15 African countries competing across four divisions, as the league embarks on a continent-wide quest to crown its first-ever champions.