Sports Correspondent, CAPE TOWN – The world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is set for a seismic shift as the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brings its elite global competition to African soil for the first time. On Saturday, July 19, Cape Town’s Grand Arena at GrandWest will host the inaugural PFL Cape Town event, making history as the continent’s first-ever global MMA showcase.

This milestone moment marks the launch of the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, beginning with First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. Each weight class will feature an eight-man bracket, spotlighting the continent’s emerging combat talent. These action-packed preliminaries will set the stage for a dramatic night of elite-level MMA as part of the PFL Champions Series, headlined by five high-stakes international bouts.

“PFL Cape Town is more than just a fight night—it’s a historic turning point for African MMA,” said PFL officials in a statement. “We’re bringing top-tier global talent and a platform for African fighters to shine on the world stage.”

Tickets for this groundbreaking event are already on sale via Ticketpro, with the action beginning at 4:30 PM SAST for PFL Africa tournament fights and 8:30 PM SAST for the Champions Series main card.

Main Event: Undefeated Champion Puts Title on the Line

Headlining the night is undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny “Pressure” Eblen (16-0), who defends his belt and perfect record against Spain’s powerful contender Costello “The Spaniard” van Steenis (16-3). The co-main event will see Women’s Flyweight phenom Dakota “Dangerous” Ditcheva (14-0) go toe-to-toe with Hawaii’s striking specialist Sumiko “Lady Samurai” Inaba (8-1).

Adding more firepower to the card, former Bellator Featherweight World Champion AJ “Mercenary” McKee (22-2) returns to face Russian powerhouse Akhmed Magomedov (11-1)—a rising star mentored by MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Another must-watch bout features 2024 PFL Heavyweight Champion Denis Goltsov (36-8) taking on Light Heavyweight World Champion Corey Anderson (18-6), who moves up a division in this high-stakes clash of titans. Rounding out the Champions Series card, Artur Zaynukov (16-4) takes on Japanese wrestling specialist and RIZIN standout Takeshi Izumi (6-3) in a thrilling lightweight showcase.

Africa’s Best Ready to Shine in PFL Africa Tournament

The PFL Africa Tournament kicks off earlier in the evening, featuring fierce first-round matchups across both weight divisions:

Bantamweight First Round Bouts:

• Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) vs. Mahmoud Atef (5-2)
• Shannon Van Tonder (7-2) vs. Boule Godogo (3-0)
• Antero Dos Santos (5-0) vs. Karim Henniene (4-0)
• Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) vs. Alain Majorique (5-0)

Heavyweight First Round Bouts:

• Maxwell Djantou Nana (6-1) vs. Mikael Groguhe (6-2)
• Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) vs. Justin Clarke (2-0)
• Abdoullah Kane (3-0) vs. Mohammed Ben Yahia (9-4)
• Abraham Bably (5-2) vs. Badredinne Medkouri (7-2)

Women’s Strawweight Showcase:

• Juliet Ukah (6-0) vs. Ceileigh Niedermayr (3-2)

The PFL has promised a U.S. broadcast partner announcement soon, allowing international fans to witness this historic African debut live.

Complete PFL Champions Series Card:

Saturday, July 19 – 8:30 PM SAST / 2:30 PM EST

• Middleweight World Championship Main Event: Johnny Eblen (16-0) vs. Costello van Steenis (16-3)
• Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) vs. Sumiko Inaba (8-1)
• Featherweight Showcase: AJ McKee (22-2) vs. Akhmed Magomedov (11-1)
• Lightweight Showcase: Artur Zaynukov (16-4) vs. Takeshi Izumi (6-3)
• Heavyweight Showcase: Corey Anderson (18-6) vs. Denis Goltsov (36-8)

As PFL brings the global MMA spotlight to Cape Town, African fans and fighters alike will witness a new era for the sport—one where homegrown talent steps into the cage alongside world champions, under the brightest lights the continent has ever seen.