EIIGHANA! AFRICA.

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to make its African debut with a groundbreaking MMA event in Cape Town, featuring world-class fighters and marking a major milestone in the continent's sporting landscape.
📅 Event Details
Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025 (moved up from July 26)
Venue: GrandWest Arena, Cape Town
Format: PFL Champions Series 2, headlined by “Eblen vs van Steenis” and the opening rounds of the PFL Africa heavyweight and bantamweight tournaments .

🔥 Headliners
Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis – A middleweight showdown featuring the current PFL middleweight champion against the rising Dutch contender .
Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba – The undefeated 2024 women’s flyweight champion makes her African league debut, seeking to extend her streak .

🌍 Additional Star Power
A.J. McKee vs. Akhmed Magomedov (lightweight) and Corey Anderson vs. Denis Goltsov (heavyweight): Former Bellator champions added to an already stacked card .

👑 Leadership & Legacy
PFL Africa is spearheaded by Francis Ngannou, former UFC heavyweight champion, who serves as Chairman and holds an equity stake in the league—part of his ongoing commitment to developing MMA talent across Africa .
The league adopts PFL’s signature season-playoff-championship format and is funded in partnership with Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, backed by major investment to open professional MMA opportunities on the continent .
📌 Why It Matters
First-ever continent-wide professional MMA league, giving African fighters a global platform and reducing the need to relocate abroad .
Aligns with PFL’s expansion strategy; joins PFL Europe and PFL MENA to build a “Champions League of MMA” .
Offers new broadcast access across TV and digital platforms—promising to grow audiences and investment in Africa's sports infrastructure .


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🎯 Event Snapshot
Feature Details
Date & Venue July 19, GrandWest Arena, Cape TownMain Events Eblen vs van Steenis; Ditcheva vs InabaSpecial Matches McKee vs Magomedov; Anderson vs GoltsovChairman Francis NgannouFormat Regular season → Playoffs → ChampionshipBroadcast ESPN2, ESPN+, other regional platforms


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PFL Africa's launch in Cape Town marks a pivotal moment for MMA on the continent. With unmatched leadership, top-tier fighters, and global infrastructure, it promises to elevate African martial arts to new heights. Want a highlight reel, fighter interviews, or social-ready graphics? Just say the word!