Kigali is set to make history in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) when the state-of-the-art host the highly anticipated semi-finals of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa on October 18. It will be the first time a PFL event takes place in East Africa, placing Rwanda on the global map of combat sports. Four high-profile fights will decide who advances to the grand finals in Benin later this year. “This is a historic moment for PFL and for the sport across Africa,” said PFL CEO John Martin. “We’re proud to bring the semi-finals to Kigali and showcase Africa’s finest talent on such a big stage.” The semi-finals bring together fighters from across Africa, each aiming to advance to the finals. The fight card features four explosive bouts across four weight classes. In Featherweight Main Event, Nigeria’s Patrick Ocheme (7 wins – 1 loss) will face Burkina Faso’s Abdoul Razak Sankara (7 wins – 4 losses). Ocheme is known for his patient, technical style, while Sankara shocked fans in his last fight in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a dramatic head-kick victory. In Bantamweight Co-Main Event, South Africa’s Nkosi Ndebele (9–3) will take on Zimbabwe’s Simbarashe “Simba” Hokonya who hasn’t lost in his last six fights (6–0). This bout carries extra drama as Hokonya trains with the fighter who last defeated Ndebele, giving this fight a “revenge and redemption” storyline. The Welterweight Semifinal will see Angola’s Shido Boris Esperança (10–1), who recently won in just 34 seconds, meet Cameroon’s unbeaten Octave “Bantu Warrior” Ayinda (7–0), who impressed with a first-round stoppage. Both men are fan favourites known for their electrifying celebrations. And in Heavyweight Semi-final, Cameroon’s Maxwell Djantou Nana (7–1) takes on South Africa’s Justin Clarke (3–0). Nana is feared for his knockout power, but Clarke has already eliminated one Cameroonian earlier in the tournament and now aims for another big win.
