Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is experiencing a surge in global popularity, with approximately 550 million fans captivated by its dynamic mix of skill, tactics, and athletic prowess. Nevertheless, representation within Africa has been sparse—until now. The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is preparing to unveil PFL Africa in 2025, a groundbreaking initiative designed to highlight African fighters on an international stage.
Kicking off regional competitions in May, PFL Africa will introduce its signature structure to African audiences, featuring regular seasons, playoffs, and championships, thus creating fresh opportunities for both athletes and fans.
PFL Africa will enhance the league’s expanding network, which includes PFL Europe and PFL Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Additionally, there are plans to establish leagues in Latin America and Asia over the coming two years.
The inaugural season of PFL Africa will include four weight classes, featuring eight fighters from Africa in each class, alongside alternates and development athletes.
“PFL Africa will contract 60 fighters, including those on our roster, who will participate in both the season and development programs,” says Peter Murray, CEO of PFL. “We aim to establish a premier league in Africa, deeply integrated into the continent, with [Cameroonian MMA star] Francis Ngannou serving as the chairman.”
Despite the vast potential, Africa’s diversity brings considerable logistical and cultural challenges. With 54 countries, more than 2,000 languages, and varying infrastructure, creating a unified MMA experience will necessitate flexibility and local insight.
To support this ambitious vision, PFL has partnered with Helios Sports and Entertainment Group (HSEG), a branch of Helios Investment Partners, bringing regional expertise and financial backing to the project.
PFL plans to utilize HSEG’s portfolio— which includes investments in NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL)—to boost visibility. Events will be shared across linear, digital, and mobile platforms, to guarantee broad accessibility for fans throughout the continent.
This announcement has piqued significant interest; according to Nelson Reids, PFL’s African marketing partner, the campaign has generated over $9 million in advertising value.
Ngannou’s journey
Francis Ngannou’s role as chairman stands as a powerful symbol of the league’s goals. Hailing from the peaceful village of Batié in Cameroon, his extraordinary journey from modest beginnings, including working in gold mines as a child, to achieving global fame is nothing short of inspiring.
Driven by his childhood icon, boxing legend Mike Tyson, Ngannou left Cameroon at 26. His journey was fraught with danger, crossing the Algerian desert while enduring extreme heat and cold, subsisting on contaminated water, and evading both thieves and authorities as he concealed himself in rugged terrain.
Upon reaching Morocco, he encountered additional hurdles, facing multiple failed attempts to enter Spain by land and sea. It was only after seven attempts—nearly a year after leaving Cameroon—that he succeeded, arriving in the Spanish exclave of Melilla in North Africa.
Even then, his struggles continued. Ngannou spent almost two months in a Spanish detention center before being released. Undeterred, he made his way to Paris, where he found refuge in a parking garage, starkly contrasting the life he had envisioned.
With no finances and no acquaintances, Ngannou discovered a boxing gym that became his sanctuary. Encouraged to try the MMA Factory in Paris, he quickly displayed his exceptional talent. Within two years, he signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)—a leading entity valued at $11.3 billion by Forbes—rapidly rising to capture the UFC heavyweight title and establish a reputation as one of the sport’s most formidable fighters.
However, his aspirations extend beyond titles. In 2023, feeling limited by his UFC contract and eager for new ventures, he shocked the sports world by stepping into boxing, earning $25 million from high-profile bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He later returned to MMA with the PFL in October, obtaining an equity stake in the organization.
Now, as both a star fighter and league chairman, Ngannou is dedicated to inspiring a new generation. “Francis had to leave the continent, like many athletes in boxing and other sports, to pursue his dreams,” explains Murray. “Now, he has the opportunity to return and nurture the next generation of great athletes and fighters, who won’t need to leave Africa to go professional.”
Young Africans hungry for content
PFL Africa is positioned to capitalize on favorable demographics. As the youngest continent, Africa has a median age of merely 19.2 years, according to the United Nations. Urbanization is accelerating, with over 45% of Africans—more than 670 million people—now living in urban settings. The African Development Bank notes that the middle class has tripled in the past three decades, surpassing 310 million individuals. This demographic shift is generating an increasing demand for quality entertainment, elite sports, and training facilities.
The martial arts studio and club industry in the U.S. was valued at $9 billion just last year. As MMA continues to penetrate Africa, new gyms are emerging in major urban areas, with indications that the UFC may soon set up a performance institute in South Africa.
“We see Africa as more than just a market; it’s a global talent reservoir,” asserts Murray to African Business. “The combination of a youthful population, digital connectivity, and a passion for combat sports positions this region as ideally suited for our expansion efforts.”
Launching MMA in Africa, however, involves more than simply setting up an octagon, securing fighters, and anticipating an audience. The logistical challenges are significant, from navigating regulatory frameworks to selecting venues that conform to international standards.
PFL Africa aims to differentiate its approach from that of the UFC, which often emphasizes monetizing fans through event attendance or pay-per-view purchases. Instead, PFL’s seasonal sports model promotes regularity, offering events nearly every week to cultivate a reliable connection with audiences. This consistency is anticipated to make MMA a familiar and dependable presence for African viewers, establishing the league as the first global MMA organization to make a comprehensive commitment to the continent.
Developing fighters who can achieve the renown of figures like Francis Ngannou while ensuring affordability remains a challenge, with plans to offer some tickets for as low as $1 to widen the sport’s reach.
Despite these considerable challenges, South Africa exemplifies MMA’s potential on the continent. In 2024, SuperSport broadcasts of middleweight South African world champion Dricus Du Plessis’ UFC fights against Sean Strickland and Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya broke viewership records, with the matchup against Adesanya attracting over 528,767 unique viewers.
Nielsen Sports, an audience measurement firm, highlighted that 28% of viewers re-watched the fight, as fans eagerly revisited the action-packed strikes, takedowns, and submissions that characterize the sport.
While PFL anticipates harnessing Africa’s deep-rooted enthusiasm for combat sports, MMA remains overshadowed by football, the continent’s reigning favorite. However, the international accolades of champions like Ngannou and Du Plessis have elevated MMA’s profile, igniting renewed interest across Africa, as noted by Jabu Mtwa, a South African sports entrepreneur and co-host of the Africa Business of Sports podcast.
“For PFL Africa, this represents broader changes in Africa’s developing sports industry. This initiative is part of a larger trend toward the global expansion of sports organizations and the international growth of sports leagues,” explains Mtwa. “Recently, we’ve seen an uptick of American and European-based sports organizations establishing divisions in Africa and engaging with local diversity.”
SuperSport’s broadcasts in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa are enhancing accessibility and capturing attention, fueling the increasing interest in combat sports among diverse populations.
While PFL strives to make MMA accessible, Mtwa expresses concern regarding economic realities that may restrict audience reach. Many African households prioritize essential needs, rendering even modest ticket prices or streaming subscriptions unattainable for a large segment of the population.
Electrifying moments
In response, PFL aims to cultivate numerous world champions and national icons, hoping to replicate the electrifying experiences observed in Batié and Yaoundé, where communities pause as fans gather at home or in local venues to cheer on their heroes.
“We are creating pathways for exceptional athletes across Africa to rise as both regional and global champions,” asserts Murray. PFL scouts are actively engaging throughout the continent, building connections with local MMA promotions and participating in grassroots development, including Olympic disciplines.
Founded in 2009, South Africa’s Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) has become a vital platform for a new generation of African fighters. The promotion has attracted over 100 competitors from nations like Zimbabwe, Angola, Senegal, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, drawing millions of viewers across the continent. It has also served as a launchpad for Du Plessis’ career.
This network has nurtured upcoming fighters poised to make their mark globally, with local promotions recently staging events in various cities, including Banjul, The Gambia, and Kigali, Rwanda.
At the heart of PFL’s initiative is the league’s development program. A select group of athletes is already training in the United States, honing their skills in elite gyms under the guidance of world-class coaches and seasoned competitors.
“Iron sharpens iron” serves as the guiding ethos—pairing raw talent with top-tier resources aimed at developing future champions, according to Murray. In Africa, PFL is also coordinating training clinics in multiple nations, inviting international trainers and athletes to share expertise and attract more fans to the sport.
According to Mtwa, MMA’s allure for African audiences is closely linked to the continent’s rich heritage of combat sports. Wrestling has long been a fundamental aspect of African sports culture, with regional styles representing a diverse array of traditions. For example, wrestling is the premier national sport in Senegal, even eclipsing football, despite the country’s recent successes in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The dambe legacy
This connection also extends to striking disciplines like dambe, an ancient combat sport from northern Nigeria that intertwines grappling and striking techniques. These traditional fighting styles create a cultural relevance for MMA, appealing to African audiences familiar with intense, skillful contests.
According to Mtwa, the African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC) has gained momentum with strategic support from sports and technology investor Silverbacks Holdings and sponsorship from the cryptocurrency betting platform Stake.com. This backing has increased awareness of African martial arts while enhancing the commercial viability of combat sports throughout the continent.
Other fighters, such as Mouhamed Tafsir Ba and Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane (featured on the front cover), blend MMA with kickboxing.
The AWFC has established a significant presence, achieving 500 million views across various platforms and accumulating 600,000 social media followers. Its success has also caught the attention of major media outlets, solidifying its reputation as a pioneer in African sports.
PFL Africa’s synthesis of rich combat traditions, increasing commercial interest, and expanding viewership may provide an ideal environment for MMA to thrive. Sponsorships and brand partnerships are essential, with sectors such as telecommunications, beverages, technology, and consumer goods eager to engage with Africa’s blossoming sports fan base. “A robust platform like PFL Africa enables brands to connect with an engaged audience that’s emotionally invested,” asserts Mtwa.
Nevertheless, Africa’s sports landscape has seen numerous ambitious initiatives from international organizations—many of which have floundered when financial goals were unmet. Several once-promising football academies have faded into obscurity due to corruption and mismanagement. For PFL, success will depend on building a lasting and meaningful presence that withstands the test of time and earns the continent’s trust.
“In 2025, we will host 35 PFL Africa events following our signature format in four different markets,” shares Murray. “Over time, we envision expanding this to as many as six markets.”
Abidjan, Cape Town, Dakar, Kigali, and Lagos are potential venues for May’s inaugural event, with the final decision expected in January. As expectations rise, Murray recognizes the formidable challenges ahead. Many regions lack facilities designed for premier large-scale events, and the logistical complexities of organizing tournaments across several nations are significant. Coordinating equipment transport, ensuring safety for athletes and fans, and organizing events across diverse locales presents formidable operational hurdles.
DAZN’s broadcasting advantage
Nonetheless, PFL believes that a top-tier broadcast experience will unlock multiple revenue sources, with distribution at the forefront. Collaborations with Canal+, SuperSport, and DAZN ensure the league’s outreach spans linear television, digital streaming, and mobile platforms.
To boost accessibility, initiatives like “People’s Fights” will make key events free to view, allowing fans from different economic backgrounds to engage with the sport.
Fundamental to this initiative are multi-year agreements with leading broadcasters SuperSport and Canal+, which will provide PFL programming to millions of homes in Sub-Saharan Africa. SuperSport caters to English-speaking audiences, while Canal+ offers French-language PFL coverage to nearly eight million households, along with viewers in Myanmar and Haiti.
These partnerships will bring major events like PFL Super Fights, the Bellator Champions Series, and now PFL Africa to audiences across various linear and digital platforms.
Furthermore, a partnership with DAZN, a global leader in combat sports streaming, increases PFL’s visibility. “We’ve positioned ourselves as the premier platform for combat sports worldwide,” states Joe Pickering, DAZN’s rights director, highlighting DAZN’s collaborations with major boxing promoters like Matchroom and Golden Boy. “Primarily, we are recognized as market leaders in boxing, broadcasting nearly every significant boxing match.” Recently, DAZN has widened its reach into various markets and combat sports, including MMA, aiming to showcase PFL Africa to millions of viewers in North America, Asia, and Europe. “Recognizing the potential with PFL, we aspire to elevate it further by providing a global stage for their events and pay-per-view (PPV) fights,” explains Pickering.
DAZN’s collaboration with PFL encompasses the distribution of PPV events in Africa, in addition to coverage of regular-season matches that award six champions with $1 million prizes annually. “Next year, we are very excited about expanding this partnership with the launch of PFL Africa,” informs Pickering to African Business. “We plan to provide a global platform for the best up-and-coming African MMA talent. There’s a wealth of exciting talent joining the promotion next year, and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
From gamifying experiences to incorporating influencers into their programming, the platform is revolutionizing how audiences engage with combat sports content. “We’ve invested heavily in creating a product that’s tailored for the 2020s—and we aim for it to remain relevant well into the 2030s,” emphasizes Pickering. To achieve this, DAZN is merging technology with strategic partnerships, ensuring easy access and engagement across multiple markets. Its emphasis on seamless payment systems and localized pricing models addresses entry barriers, while partnerships with telecom operators facilitate integration for fans loyal to existing services.
This strategic approach aligns with PFL’s methodology, where live events act as both revenue generators and catalysts for regional economic growth. By hosting competitions in African cities, PFL Africa aims to enhance ticket sales, hospitality packages, and merchandise while collaborating with national tourism boards to magnify economic impact. Title fights and related activities are expected to elevate the profiles of host nations as dynamic sporting destinations.
PFL has demonstrated the viability of this model in the Middle East. A multi-year agreement with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism will bring the Champions Series to the Coca-Cola Arena, featuring stars like Bellator lightweight world champion Usman Nurmagomedov. This follows PFL’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia, where five tournaments, including Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA, received widespread acclaim.
In 2023, PFL sold a $100 million minority stake to Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment to support its MENA expansion, solidifying PFL’s position as the world’s second-largest MMA promoter.
Expected PFL Africa fighters include Nigeria’s Kunle Lawal and Julie Ukah, who trains locally while competing internationally. Ukah noted that PFL’s entry could serve as inspiration for young girls to build confidence and pursue their aspirations.
“As Francis Ngannou puts it, it’s all about ‘shaking the flag’,” announces Murray. “The aim is for young children, fans, and future athletes to rally behind the best African athletes from different nations, proudly representing their countries.”
