Latest news with #PFLAfrica2025
IOL News
12-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Ngannou's no-shows at PFL Africa events leave fans and officials disappointed
Francis Ngannou has yet to explain his absence from PFL Africa's first two events despite serving as the promotion's chairman. Photo: PFL Image: Suuplied African MMA fans were left outraged and puzzled by the absence of heavyweight superstar Francis Ngannou at both recent PFL Africa events in South Africa. The PFL announced the launch of PFL Africa last year as part of its global expansion plan, generating huge excitement within the continent's combat sport communities. The promotion is ranked among the top two MMA organisations in the world, and Ngannou — a former UFC heavyweight champion — was confirmed as an equity owner and chairman of the African branch. PFL Africa aims to showcase the continent's top talent, with champions earning a pathway to the PFL Global season. The project was inspired in part by Ngannou's own extraordinary journey, which saw him endure hardship and danger while travelling across Africa and Europe before finding success in professional MMA. Following the inaugural PFL Africa event in Cape Town, PFL founder Donn Davis addressed Ngannou's absence when questioned by Independent Media. 'You'll have to ask Francis that,' Davis said. 'I am disappointed that he is not here; this was part of his vision, and we are here because of him. I expected him to be here. PFL Africa is here so that all those fighters out there don't have to leave the continent like he did. 'We worked for two years on this together, for this moment tonight, to help realise this vision. I would have loved him to be here… I am disappointed that he is not here,' Davis added. The Cape Town show featured bantamweights and heavyweights competing for a place in the PFL Africa 2025 tournament finals later this year. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ This past weekend, at the Big Top Arena in Carnival City, featherweights and welterweights took centre stage in front of a sold-out crowd. Stars such as Nigeria's Patrick Ocheme and Angola's Shido Boris Esperança impressed, but fans were again left disappointed by Ngannou's absence. Ngannou signed a two-fight deal with the PFL after leaving the UFC, committing to MMA bouts exclusively in the PFL's PPV Super Fight Division alongside fellow stars Jake Paul and Kayla Harrison. He made his debut in the division last year, stopping Brazil's Renan Ferreira in Saudi Arabia. His contract also allows him to compete in other combat sports. Ngannou has previously boxed against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and is reportedly pursuing further big-money bouts. Boxing promoter and Saudi General Entertainment Authority chief Turki Alalshikh is exploring match-ups for Ngannou, including a possible clash with Deontay Wilder and even a bout with recently retired UFC legend Jon Jones. Independent Media has reached out to Ngannou for comment, but the Cameroonian fighter has yet to respond. He recently posted images of himself doing boxing drills with coach Dewey Cooper, further fuelling speculation about his next move.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
PFL Africa launches in Cape Town with Inaugural MMA tournament this July
Former UFC Heavyweight king and current PFL Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is the acting PFL chairman and will play an integral role in building the PFL Africa brand and building its talent Image: BRAVE CF South Africa's Mixed Martial Arts scene will receive a significant boost this year as the Professional Fighters League (PFL) launches the historic and much-anticipated PFL Africa tournament in Cape Town this July. The PFL is one of the biggest MMA brands alongside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and it will now be the first major organisation to break ground on the continent. The PFL has confirmed that July 26 will mark the official opening of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament. The show will run in conjunction with the PFL Champions Series in a joint event, which will be rolled out at the GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World's Grand Arena. The PFL Africa 2025 tournament will comprise four events across Africa, featuring 24 top fighters from 14 African countries. The Cape Town leg of the PFL Africa Tournament will showcase athletes in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. Former BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele has signed with the Professional Fighters League and will debut at PFL Africa on July 26 at the Grand Arena in Cape Town. Photo: PFL Image: PFL Each division will feature an eight-man bracket, with fighters progressing through semi-finals and finals. Among the fighters on the day will be South Africa's former BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion, Nkosi Ndebele, who will take on Egypt's Mahmoud Atef. Another fan favourite and EFC star, Zimbabwe's unbeaten Simbarashe Hokonya, will battle Morocco's Abderrahman Errachidy in the same division. In the Heavyweight category, South Africa's Justin Clark will face Cameroon's Jashell Ticha Awa, while Senegal's Abdoullah Kane meets Morocco's Mohammad Ben Yahia. Ndebele recently bid farewell to BRAVE CF after becoming the promotion's first 'homegrown' champion. Many were up in arms wondering where he would go next, and it seemed inevitable that he would join one of the major brands. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ The debut night of the PFL Africa Tournament will include five major international bouts as part of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai. The PFL Champions Series features MMA world champions and top PFL stars competing in title fights, with each event culminating in a showdown in Dubai. In the world title main event at the Grand Arena, undefeated middleweight world champion Johnny Eblen will face Spain's Costello van Steenis. The co-main event will see the formidable Dakota Ditcheva go head-to-head with Hawaii's Sumiko Inaba in a world-class Women's Flyweight clash. In July 2024, the PFL announced its third international league — PFL Africa — after PFL Europe and PFL MENA, aiming to showcase African talent on the world stage. Former UFC Heavyweight and current global combat sports superstar, Cameroon's Francis Ngannou, is the acting chairman of the league and will also play a pivotal ambassadorial role in growing the Professional Fighters League on the Mother Continent, as well as in discovering and developing the next generation of African champions. Francis Ngannou. Photo: AFP Image: AFP '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 are 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 full tournament schedule, including future host cities and dates, will be revealed soon. Ticket and broadcast details will also be announced in due course.
