Cape Town is set to make combat sports history as it prepares to host Africa’s first-ever global MMA event, a landmark moment for the continent and the sport, Cape {town} Etc reports
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has confirmed that Grand Arena, GrandWest will be the battleground for the inaugural PFL Cape Town showcase on Saturday, 19 July.
The high-octane event marks the launch of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, featuring explosive first-round bouts in both the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. With eight-man brackets in each, the tournament sets the stage for a new era of African MMA talent to rise on the world stage.
But that’s just the beginning.
As part of the PFL Champions Series, five blockbuster international matchups will take centre stage later in the evening, featuring some of the biggest names in MMA. Tickets are currently available via Ticketpro.
Among the most anticipated bouts is the undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny ‘Pressure’ Eblen (16-0), who will defend his title against Spain’s Costello ‘The Spaniard’ van Steenis (16-3) in the main event. The co-main event brings together two elite women’s Flyweights, as the unbeaten ‘Dangerous’ Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) faces Hawaii’s Sumiko ‘Lady Samurai’ Inaba (8-1) in what promises to be a fiery showdown.
Fan favourite AJ ‘Mercenary’ McKee (22-2), a former Bellator champion, will return to the SmartCage to meet rising Russian star Akhmed Magomedov (11-1), a protégé of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Adding further firepower, Corey Anderson (18-6), the current Light Heavyweight World Champion, will move up to take on 2024 PFL Heavyweight Champion Denis Goltsov (36-8) in a heavyweight clash.
Also returning to the spotlight is Artur Zaynukov (16-4), who looks to continue his winning streak against Japan’s wrestling powerhouse, Takeshi Izumi (6-3).
Earlier in the day, the PFL Africa card kicks off at 4:30pm SAST, featuring a full slate of regional matchups that include:
- Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) vs Mahmoud Atef (5-2)
- Shannon Van Tonder (7-2) vs Boule Godogo (3-0)
- Maxwell Djantou Nana (6-1) vs Mikael Groguhe (6-2)
- Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) vs Justin Clarke (2-0)
- Antero Dos Santos (5-0) vs Karim Henniene (4-0)
- Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) vs Alain Majorique (5-0)
- Abdoullah Kane (3-0) vs Mohammed Ben Yahia (9-4)
- Abraham Bably (5-2) vs Badredinne Medkouri (7-2)
- Juliet Ukah (6-0) vs Ceileigh Niedermayr (3-2) – Women’s Strawweight Showcase
The main Champions Series portion of the card begins at 8:30pm SAST, with global broadcast coverage to be announced shortly. African fans can tune in via SuperSport and Canal+, while DAZN will stream the action live in the UK, Ireland, and France.
PFL’s arrival in Africa is more than just another tour stop, it’s a signal of intent. With the league’s innovative ‘win and advance’ format and growing global reach, Cape Town is poised to become a new epicentre for MMA on the continent.
As the fastest-growing MMA promotion in the world, the PFL is backed by a powerhouse roster of investors and broadcast in over 190 countries. With 650 million MMA fans worldwide and a rapidly growing African fanbase, 19 July is not just a date, it’s the dawn of something huge.
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Picture: Cooper Neill / Gallo Images
