Latest news with #PFLAfricaTournament
IOL News
11-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Unorthodox Patrick Ocheme offers high praise for Mohamed Camara after PFL Joburg
Patrick Ocheme (7-1) defeated Mohamed Camara (5-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) in the main event of PFL Africa this past weekend. Picture: PFLAfrica Image: PFLAfrica Nigeria's Featherweight star Patrick Ocheme (7-1) showcased his maturity and composure against the resilient Mohamed Camara (5-3-1) in the inaugural PFL Africa Tournament this past weekend. Following an absolute humdinger show in Cape Town last month, the PFL rolled out its second PFL Africa show at Big Top, Carnival City in Johannesburg on Saturday where the Feather and Welterweight athletes got their turn to compete for a spot in the Tournament Finals, that will see the promotion crown its first African champions in Benin at the end of the year. In the main event, Ocheme and Guinea's Camara put on a show befitting of a headliner as these two warriors went toe-to-toe for three rounds. Ocheme eventually walked away victorious via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) after dominating the exchanges on all fronts. The South African-based Ocheme gave the Joburg crowd a taste of his dynamic and unorthodox style, producing an array of strikes that mixed beautiful elbows, switch kicks, and knees. 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. 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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 ✕ Ocheme's Decisive Moment: A Lethal Knee and Elbows Overwhelm Camara in the Second Round In the second round, Ocheme delivered a beautifully timed teep kick to the midsection of Camara, before the latter unleashed some powerful bombs, including a telling left to the head of Ocheme. The Nigerian stayed on point with his reads and timing, and in one decisive moment, he launched with a lethal knee to Camara's body that dropped the Guinean. At that moment, the crowd thought the fight was over as Ocheme overwhelmed the grounded Camara with elbows as the referee kept a beady eye on the situation. 'I thought he was going to quit at that point, but he is an absolute warrior. He earned my respect in there today. When the referee said 'move or defend yourself', he said, 'I am still fine'. 'But I could also see that he was still in there,' said Ocheme of Camara. It has to be said, Mohamed Camara's conditioning is something to admire and strive toward. The man was in impeccable shape and showcased some of the best cardio and control in mixed martial arts, always coming forward with balanced breathing. Camara's Resilience and Ocheme's Triumph in the PFL Africa Featherweight Tournament Even after the adversity faced in the second round, Camara stepped up to the plate in the final five minutes and lifted his tactical game with good head movement, a strong jab, and counters, all from the base of a solid tank. This fight was a textbook example for upcoming athletes and proved yet again that a good gas tank plays an imperative role. In the end, Ocheme remained the sharper athlete with more accuracy, a higher volume, and a higher work rate. 'I never panicked, at any point in the fight,' says Ocheme when asked about the pressure and durability of Camara. 'When my coaches (like Dwain Meredith) are pleased with my preparation in fight camp, then I am happy and confident, regardless of anything. This is the fight game; the wheel can turn at any point, but I always stay positive.' Ocheme, who has been training out of Pandamonium Gym in Johannesburg, South Africa, will now advance to the semi-final of the PFL Africa Featherweight tournament and will face Burkino Faso-born Abdoul Razac Sankara next. While he has recently made South Africa his home, Ocheme still enjoys strong ties with his place of birth and is proud to fly the vertical triband. 'Maybe someday in the future, I would love to represent South Africa as well, but I was born and brought up in Nigeria. I am very proud of my national colours and I have a lot of support from my people back home, from all the kickboxing and MMA gyms and institutions, as well as the athletes. I'm very honored to be representing my country and my gym. It's all the same for me, it's about representing my family and friends.'
Qatar Tribune
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Ukah, Niedermayr face off in Kinshasa ahead of historic PFL Africa debut
Tribune News Network Doha The Professional Fighters League (PFL) held an open workout ahead of the debut of the inaugural season of PFL Africa, which is set to take place on Saturday, July 19th at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town, South Africa. The open workout took place at the Champions Academy RDC Gym in Kinshasa, Congo, and featured Nigeria's Juliet Ukah and South Africa's Ceileigh Niedermayr. The two PFL Africa stars will face off in a Showcase Women's Strawweight bout at PFL Cape Town. In front of the fans and media in attendance, Ukah and Niedermayr showcased their skills in a public training session before facing off for the first time ahead of their highly anticipated showdown. Tickets for the event are on sale now via Ticketpro. Juliet Ukah said: 'I'm very happy to be on the first PFL Africa card, and my fight with Ceileigh is going to be an exciting one. We're going to be representing the two biggest MMA nations in Africa, and we want to help put African MMA in the global spotlight. Compared to her, I think I'm the more experienced fighter and the better striker, so I'm comfortable wherever the fight goes. I expect to get the finish, but I don't mind going to a third round if needed. 'Ceileigh, let's bring out the best in each other and show the world how well African women can fight!' Ceileigh Niedermayr said: 'It's truly an honor to be part of the first-ever women's fight in PFL Africa. This fight camp isn't just about preparing for my next opponent — it's a reflection of my lifelong dedication to martial arts. I'm always pushing myself to grow, to evolve, and to become the best fighter I can be. 'On fight night, I'm bringing a new level of Smiley Savagery to the SmartCage. I have a lot of respect for Juliet as a fighter, and I welcome the chance to test myself against her, but I don't think she's ever faced anyone like me. I'm expecting an exciting, high-level battle — and I'm ready for it.' The historic PFL Cape Town event will kick off the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, featuring First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. The event will also be headlined by five must-see PFL Champions Series bouts, including a Middleweight World Championship main event between titleholder Johnny 'Pressure' Eblen (16-0) and challenger Costello 'The Spaniard' van Steenis (16-3).
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
PFL Africa 2025: second leg set for Johannesburg's Big Top Arena on Women's Day
Angola's Shido Boris Esperanca (9-1), who was victorious in his PFL debut, returns to action against Gambia's Ibrahima Mané (14-5) in a Welterweight bout. | PFL Angola's Shido Boris Esperanca (9-1), who was victorious in his PFL debut, returns to action against Gambia's Ibrahima Mané (14-5) in a Welterweight bout. | PFL Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. The 2025 PFL Africa Tournament will include four events across Africa, featuring 32 top fighters from 15 African countries, all aiming to chase PFL gold (in four different divisions) and an opportunity to open even bigger doors within the PFL business model. The first round of the tournament will take place at the Grand Arena, GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, Cape Town, on 19 July. That show will include first-round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions, each featuring an eight-man bracket, as contestants aim to advance to the semi-finals set for October. On 9 August, the Welterweight and Featherweight divisions will be on display as the inaugural tournament continues towards crowning the first-ever PFL Africa champions. Headlining the second show is a Featherweight first-round bout featuring Nigeria's Patrick Ocheme (6-1) against Guinea's Mohamed Camara (5-2-1) in a high-stakes matchup between two of the best West Africans in the world. In the co-main event, Angola's Shido Boris Esperança (9-1), who was victorious in his PFL debut, returns to action against Gambia's Ibrahima Mané (14-5) in a Welterweight first-round bout. Additional matchups will be announced shortly. The rest of the fight card is yet to be confirmed. Next month, at the very first show, 18 African fighters are locked in for a showdown at Grand Arena. Among the fighters competing in PFL Africa's first show will be South Africa's former BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele, who takes on Egypt's Mahmoud Atef. Also competing in the Bantamweight knockout tournament will be EFC star and Zimbabwe's unbeaten Simbarashe Hokonya, who battles another unbeaten prospect, Cameroon's Alain Majorique. In the Heavyweight category, South Africa's Justin Clark takes on Majorique's compatriot Jashell Ticha Awa, and Senegal's Abdoullah Kane meets Morocco's Mohammad Ben Yahia. In a showcase Women's Strawweight bout, the dangerous and unbeaten Nigerian Juliet Ukah takes on South Africa's Ceileight Niedermayr, who is no stranger to the pressure of the bright lights on the international stage. This card will be headlined by five high-stakes PFL Champions Series fights featuring elite global talent. The main event will see undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny 'Pressure' Eblen put his perfect record and title on the line against Spain's surging contender Costello 'The Spaniard' van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, Women's Flyweight phenom 'Dangerous' Dakota Ditcheva, widely considered one of the top pound-for-pound female fighters in MMA, faces Hawaii's elite striker Sumiko 'Lady Samurai' Inaba in a thrilling penultimate bout. Tickets for PFL Africa Johannesburg go on sale this Thursday, 12 June, via TicketPro. Fight fans are encouraged to secure seats early for what promises to be another electric night in the SmartCage.
IOL News
02-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
PFL Africa debuts in Cape Town with landmark 14-fight card
Current Light Heavyweight World Champion Corey Anderson will move up a division to face 2024 PFL Heavyweight Champion Denis Goltsov on the Champions Series card on July 19 at Grand West Casino in Cape Town. Photo: PFL Image: PFL Fight fans will be pleased to know that the first PFL Africa fight card is officially locked in. The Professional Fighters League is one of the biggest MMA brands alongside the UFC, and will now be the first major organisation to break ground on the continent next month in Cape Town, South Africa. On 19 July, at the Grand Arena in GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, some of Africa's most talented mixed martial artists will have the opportunity to make a big statement and embark on a journey to PFL gold in the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament. The show will also feature world-renowned combat sports stars, forming part of an exciting and historic 14-fight card. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ This event marks a landmark moment for South Africa and the African continent as the PFL continues its global expansion plan following the launch of other leagues, including PFL MENA and PFL Europe. This vision aims to bolster the African combat sports market and ecosystem. The launch of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament will include first-round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions, each comprising an eight-man bracket. The tournament will span four events across Africa and feature 24 elite fighters from 14 African countries. In addition to tournament bouts, next month's show will be headlined by five high-stakes PFL Champions Series fights featuring elite global talent. Among the fighters competing on the PFL Africa card will be South Africa's former BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele, who takes on Egypt's Mahmoud Atef. Also fighting in the Bantamweight knockout tournament is EFC star and Zimbabwe's unbeaten Simbarashe Hokonya, who will face another undefeated prospect in Cameroon's Alain Majorique. In the Heavyweight bracket, South Africa's Justin Clarke meets Majorique's compatriot Jashell Ticha Awa, while Senegal's Abdoullah Kane clashes with Morocco's Mohammad Ben Yahia. In a showcase Women's Strawweight bout, the dangerous and unbeaten Nigerian Juliet Ukah faces South Africa's Ceileigh Niedermayr, a seasoned competitor under the bright international lights. In the Champions Series, fans can expect to see some of their favourite global stars. At 145 pounds, former Bellator Featherweight World Champion AJ 'Mercenary' McKee returns to the SmartCage to face Akhmed Magomedov, a rising Russian talent and protégé of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov. Also confirmed is a Heavyweight showcase featuring current Light Heavyweight World Champion Corey Anderson, who moves up a division to take on 2024 PFL Heavyweight Champion Denis Goltsov. Artur Zaynukov returns to the PFL following an impressive showing at Battle of the Giants, aiming to extend his win streak to six. He faces RIZIN veteran Takeshi Izumi of Japan, a decorated wrestler who earned a unanimous decision over Spike Carlyle in his most recent outing. Headlining the evening is undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny 'Pressure' Eblen, who puts his perfect record and title on the line against Spain's surging contender Costello 'The Spaniard' van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, Women's Flyweight phenom 'Dangerous' Dakota Ditcheva, widely considered one of the top pound-for-pound female fighters in MMA, takes on Hawaii's elite striker Sumiko 'Lady Samurai' Inaba in a thrilling penultimate bout. In July 2024, the PFL announced its third international league—PFL Africa—following the launches of PFL Europe and PFL MENA, with the aim of showcasing African talent on the global stage. Former UFC Heavyweight and current global combat superstar, Cameroon's Francis Ngannou, serves as acting chairman of the league. He will also take on a pivotal ambassadorial role to grow the Professional Fighters League in the Motherland and develop the next generation of African champions. '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 PFL Cape Town event begins at 4:30 p.m. SAST / 10:30 a.m. EST with the PFL Africa portion of the card, followed by the PFL Champions Series at 8:30 p.m. SAST / 2:30 p.m. EST. A U.S. broadcast partner will be announced shortly. Tickets for this landmark event are on sale now via Ticketpro and are moving quickly.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
PFL Africa moves debut event to July 19; tickets on sale this Thursday
Former UFC Heavyweight and current global combat superstar, Cameroon's Francis Ngannou, is the acting chairman of PFL Africa and will also play a pivotal ambassadorial role in further growing the Professional Fighters League on the Motherland and finding and developing the next generation of African champions. | Professional Fighters League PFL Africa's first event has officially been brought forward by one week, with tickets set to go on sale this Thursday, 22 May. Originally scheduled for 26 July, the event will now take place on 19 July at the Grand Arena in GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, located in Goodwood, Cape Town. In an exclusive interview with Independent Media and MzansiMMA, PFL Africa's General Manager, Elias Schulze, confirmed that South African ticketing platform TicketPro will be the official distributor for the event. 'We like TicketPro's approach, we like their reach, and we believe that they will offer us a viable way to access the right market. We want people to have this access across whatever mechanisms—if it's purely mobile, that's fine. If they need to purchase tickets at selected stores offering the service, such as PostNet or Spar, that's also fine. Let's go where the people are,' said Schulze. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00 am SAST. The arrival of PFL is set to be a major boost for African MMA, as the global mixed martial arts promotion continues to grow in popularity, rivalling even the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Grand Arena will make history as the first venue in Africa to host a major international MMA event. The night will feature 18 top African athletes entering the SmartCage as they begin their journey to claim the PFL Africa title in a knockout tournament. Headlining PFL Africa's inaugural event will be South Africa's Nkosi Ndebele (8-3), who faces Egypt's rising contender Mahmoud Atef (5-2) in a thrilling Bantamweight semi-final. In the co-main event, Cameroon's Maxwell Djantou Nana (6-1) squares off against Ivory Coast's Mikael Groguhe (6-2) in a battle of heavy-handed finishers. The card will also showcase a special Women's Strawweight bout featuring undefeated Nigerian prospect Juliet Ukah (6-0). Her opponent is to be announced shortly. The PFL Africa Tournament will kick off with eight-man brackets in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. The full tournament schedule and remaining host cities for the semi-finals and finals will be announced soon. In total, 32 fighters representing 15 African nations will compete across four weight classes in 2025, as the league begins a continent-wide journey to crown the first-ever PFL Africa Champions. The launch event will also set the stage for the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai card, bringing the world's best MMA talent to Africa. Headlining that card will be undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen, who defends his title against Spain's Costello Van Steenis. In the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva will face Sumiko Inaba in a Women's Flyweight clash. Additional bouts in the Champions Series will be announced in due course. In July 2024, PFL announced the creation of its third international league, PFL Africa, following the success of PFL Europe and PFL MENA. The league aims to showcase African talent on a global platform. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current global combat sports icon, Cameroon's Francis Ngannou, serves as the acting chairman of the league and plays a pivotal ambassadorial role, aiming to develop the next generation of African champions. The PFL Africa launch is further supported by strategic broadcast partnerships to ensure wide-reaching distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. For those unable to attend the event in person, all fights will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Coverage will also be available on Canal+, the official broadcaster for French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa. To further expand access, PFL has launched a mobile-first platform, distributed in partnership with Content For Mobile (CFM) through leading telecommunications providers. This initiative aims to deliver affordable MMA content directly to fans and reach over 90% of African households. More details on streaming and broadcasting will be shared in the coming weeks.
