Cape Town is about to step into the global MMA spotlight, with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) making history by bringing its first-ever African showcase to the Grand Arena at GrandWest on Saturday, 19 July, Cape {town} Etc reports.
It’s the start of something massive, a fusion of world-class talent, local promise and a continent hungry for its place on the global fight stage.
This milestone event will ignite the launch of PFL Africa, a regional league designed to unearth and elevate African fighting talent, starting with the opening bouts of the 2025 tournament. The Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions kick things off, each stacked with an eight-man bracket packed with raw power and ambition. It’s Africa’s first brush with a tournament of this global calibre, and it’s happening right in the Mother City.
Beyond the local heat, the night is supercharged with star-studded showdowns under the PFL Champions Series banner. Fight fans will be treated to a top-tier featherweight clash featuring AJ ‘Mercenary’ McKee (22-2), the former Bellator kingpin, squaring off against Russian phenom Akhmed Magomedov (11-1), a disciple of none other than Khabib Nurmagomedov. That bout alone promises fireworks.
Raising the stakes even higher is a jaw-dropping heavyweight battle between Light Heavyweight World Champion Corey Anderson (18-6), who’s jumping up a division, and PFL’s reigning heavyweight king, Denis Goltsov (36-8). Expect grit, ground-and-pound, and knockout power when these two collide.
There’s more global flavour, too. Russian standout Artur Zaynukov (16-4), fresh off a five-fight tear and a breakout performance at Battle of the Giants, returns to take on Japan’s Olympic wrestling standout and RIZIN vet Takeshi Izumi (6-3), who’s still riding high after outpointing Spike Carlyle in his last cage appearance.
But the main event promises to shake the rafters. Undefeated middleweight Johnny ‘Pressure’ Eblen (16-0) is defending his crown and pristine record against Spanish brawler Costello ‘The Spaniard’ van Steenis (16-3), who’s earned his shot with a trail of blood and brilliance.
Women’s MMA will also take centre stage in the co-main event as the UK’s Dakota ‘Dangerous’ Ditcheva (14-0), considered one of the best female fighters on the planet, meets Hawaiian powerhouse Sumiko ‘Lady Samurai’ Inaba (8-1) in a fight that’s expected to be as tactical as it is brutal.
The action starts at 4:30pm SAST (10:30am EST) with the PFL Africa matchups, while the PFL Champions Series explodes into life from 8:30pm SAST (2:30pm EST). A broadcast partner in the US is set to be announced, further cementing this event’s global reach.
Tickets are already up for grabs via Ticketpro – and if early hype is anything to go by, this could be one of the most electric nights in South African sports history. The cage is coming to Cape Town, and it’s bringing the world with it.
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Picture: Darrian Traynor / Gallo Images