In a momentous announcement, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has revealed that tickets for its inaugural PFL Africa event will go on sale at 10:00 AM South Africa Standard Time on Thursday, 22 May. This highly anticipated event marks a groundbreaking chapter in mixed martial arts (MMA) as Africa prepares to make history.
Scheduled for Saturday, 19 July, at the GrandWest Arena, PFL Africa 1 will be the first major MMA event hosted by a global organisation on the continent. Fans can look forward to witnessing 18 elite African athletes showcasing their skills inside the PFL SmartCage, signifying a significant milestone for the sport.
The event will feature thrilling match-ups across the Bantamweight and Heavyweight divisions, with the headline bout seeing South Africa’s own Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) go toe-to-toe with Egypt’s rising star Mahmoud Atef (5-2) in a Bantamweight semifinal. The co-main event promises to deliver excitement as Cameroon’s Maxwell Djantou Nana (6-1) faces Ivory Coast’s Mikael Groguhe (6-2), both renowned for their finishing power.
Adding to the anticipation, the card will include a special Women’s Strawweight Showcase Bout featuring the undefeated Nigerian prospect, Juliet Ukah (6-0). Details regarding her opponent are expected to be announced shortly.
The PFL Africa tournament will feature eight-man brackets in both the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions, setting the stage for an exhilarating competition. The full tournament schedule, along with the host cities for the semifinals and finals, will be revealed in due course.
In total, 32 fighters from 15 African nations will compete across four divisions in 2025 as the PFL embarks on a continent-wide journey to crown the first-ever PFL Africa Champions.
Furthermore, PFL Africa will precede the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai card, bringing world-class MMA talent to Africa. The headline bout will feature Johnny “Pressure” Eblen (16-0), who aims to maintain his undefeated record and defend his World Championship against Spain’s Costello “The Spaniard” van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, Dakota “Dangerous” Ditcheva (14-0), widely regarded as the best women’s pound-for-pound MMA fighter, will face off against Hawaii’s elite, Sumiko “Lady Samurai” Inaba (8-1).
MMA fans eager to be part of this historic event can purchase their tickets starting Thursday from Ticketpro. Excitement is palpable as Cape Town gears up for a night that promises to leave an indelible mark on the sport’s history in Africa.
