JOINT FIGHT EVENT OF PFL AFRICA AND PFL CHAMPIONS SERIES AT GRANDWEST
ARENA IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA ON SATURDAY, JULY 26
PFL AFRICA LED BY CHAIRMAN FRANCIS NGANNOU WITH CAPITAL PARTNER HELIOS
PFL AFRICA 2025 TOURNAMENT WILL HAVE FOUR EVENTS ACROSS THE CONTINENT
FEATURING 24 TOP FIGHTERS FROM 14 AFRICAN COUNTRIES
CANAL+ NAMED OFFICIAL BROADCASTER THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT (FRENCH
LANGUAGE)
SUPERSPORT NAMED DISTRIBUTION PARTNER THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT
PFL CHAMPIONS SERIES WORLD TITLE FIGHT OF JOHNNY EBLEN VS. COSTELLO VAN
STEENIS AND CO-MAIN EVENT OF DAKOTA DITCHEVA VS. SUMIKO INABA
NEW YORK – May 7, 2025 - The Professional Fighters League is officially launching PFL Africa, the organization’s third international league, with a historic debut event on Saturday, July 26 at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa. The July 26 event in Cape Town launches the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, beginning with First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. Each division will feature an eight-man bracket, with fighters advancing through semifinals and finals.
In addition, the event will be headlined by five PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts. In the World Title main event, undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) meets Spain’s Costello van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, undefeated 2024 PFL World Champion Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) takes on Hawaii’s Sumiko Inaba (8-1). Additional Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts will be announced shortly.
The launch of PFL Africa is bolstered by strategic distribution partnerships with Canal+, ensuring broad coverage across sub-Saharian Africa. In addition, SuperSport is also a distributor, ensuring broad coverage across the region. To further expand accessibility, PFL has introduced a mobile-first platform, distributed in partnership with CFM (Content For Mobile), exclusively via the region’s leading telcos, delivering affordable fight content directly to fans across Africa. With these combined efforts, PFL Africa immediately becomes one of the most accessible sports leagues on the continent, and is on track to reach over 90% of African households.
PFL Africa will be led by global MMA icon Francis Ngannou as Chairman, who will play a central role in developing the next generation of African champions and shaping the league’s long-term growth. Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, known for its strategic investment in NBA Africa, joins as a key capital partner. Elias Schulze, a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, finance, and operations across over 20 African markets, has been appointed General Manager of PFL Africa to oversee its launch and expansion.
The inaugural PFL Africa Tournament will feature eight-man brackets in each weight class, starting with the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. The full tournament schedule and host cities for the semifinals and finals, will be announced shortly.
In the First Round of the Heavyweight bracket:
Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) of Cameroon faces Justin Clarke (2-0) of South Africa
Abdoullah Kane (3-0) of Senegal meets Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4) of Morocco
In the Bantamweight bracket:
Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) of South Africa takes on Mahmoud Atef (5-2) of Egypt
Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) of Zimbabwe battles Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1) of Morocco
The remaining tournament bouts will be announced soon.
“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,” said 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 is 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.”
“We are proud to partner with the Professional Fighters League to help bring PFL Africa to life. This initiative aligns with Helios’ mission to back high-growth, high-impact ventures across the continent. With the leadership of Francis Ngannou and a strong local foundation, PFL Africa has the potential to become a transformative platform for African athletes, fans, and the broader sports ecosystem,” said Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Helios Investment Partners.
Updated PFL Africa Card:
Heavyweight First Round Bout: Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) vs. Justin Clarke (2-0)
Bantamweight First Round Bout: Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) vs. Mahmoud Atef (5-2)
Heavyweight First Round Bout: Abdoullah Kane (3-0) vs. Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4)
Bantamweight First Round Bout: Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) vs. Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1)
Updated PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai Card:
Middleweight World Title Main Event: Johnny Eblen (16-0) vs. Costello van Steenis (16-3)
Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) vs. Sumiko Inaba (8-1)
ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league world-wide. PFL is the only MMA organization with the “win and advance” format. PFL is broadcast and streamed to 190 countries with 20 leading media partners. PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, 885 Capital, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sport business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.
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