The Professional Fighters League is officially launching PFL Africa, the organization’s third international league, with a historic debut event on Saturday, July 26 at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa. The July 26 event in Cape Town launches the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, beginning with First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. Each division will feature an eight-man bracket, with fighters advancing through semifinals and finals.

In addition, the event will be headlined by five PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts. In the World Title main event, undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) meets Spain’s Costello van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, undefeated 2024 PFL World Champion Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) takes on Hawaii’s Sumiko Inaba (8-1). Additional Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts will be announced shortly.

The launch of PFL Africa is bolstered by strategic distribution partnerships with Canal+, ensuring broad coverage across sub-Saharian Africa. In addition, SuperSport is also a distributor, ensuring broad coverage across the region. To further expand accessibility, PFL has introduced a mobile-first platform, distributed in partnership with CFM (Content For Mobile), exclusively via the region’s leading telcos, delivering affordable fight content directly to fans across Africa. With these combined efforts, PFL Africa immediately becomes one of the most accessible sports leagues on the continent, and is on track to reach over 90% of African households.

PFL Africa will be led by global MMA icon Francis Ngannou as Chairman, who will play a central role in developing the next generation of African champions and shaping the league’s long-term growth. Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, known for its strategic investment in NBA Africa, joins as a key capital partner. Elias Schulze, a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, finance, and operations across over 20 African markets, has been appointed General Manager of PFL Africa to oversee its launch and expansion.

The inaugural PFL Africa Tournament will feature eight-man brackets in each weight class, starting with the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. The full tournament schedule and host cities for the semifinals and finals, will be announced shortly.

In the First Round of the Heavyweight bracket:Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) of Cameroon faces Justin Clarke (2-0) of South AfricaAbdoullah Kane (3-0) of Senegal meets Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4) of MoroccoIn the Bantamweight bracket:Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) of South Africa takes on Mahmoud Atef (5-2) of EgyptSimbarashe Hokonya (5-0) of Zimbabwe battles Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1) of MoroccoThe remaining tournament bouts will be announced soon.

Kicking off the PFL Champions Series in Cape Town alongside the launch of PFL Africa reflects our commitment to grow the sport of MMA throughout the continent as well as provide pathways for African fighters to compete on a global stage and become champions, said Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League. With PFL Europe, PFL MENA and now PFL Africa launching, PFL’s international growth strategy and footprint is unmatched in the sport. This is all made possible by building a great team. I’m proud to partner with Francis Ngannou and Helios Sports & Entertainment Group and excited to welcome Elias Schulze as GM of PFL Africa.

We are proud to partner with the Professional Fighters League to help bring PFL Africa to life. This initiative aligns with Helios’ mission to back high-growth, high-impact ventures across the continent. With the leadership of Francis Ngannou and a strong local foundation, PFL Africa has the potential to become a transformative platform for African athletes, fans, and the broader sports ecosystem, said Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Helios Investment Partners.

Updated PFL Africa Card:

Heavyweight First Round Bout: Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) vs. Justin Clarke (2-0) Bantamweight First Round Bout: Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) vs. Mahmoud Atef (5-2) Heavyweight First Round Bout: Abdoullah Kane (3-0) vs. Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4) Bantamweight First Round Bout: Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) vs. Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1)

Updated PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai Card:

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Middleweight World Title 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)

ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE

Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league world-wide. PFL is the only MMA organization with the “win and advance” format. PFL is broadcast and streamed to 190 countries with 20 leading media partners. PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, 885 Capital, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sport business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.

PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)

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I still remember the day I met Niyi. We were both 12 years old, sitting in the same Sunday school class at our local church in Enugu. 

He was the quiet, smart one who always carried his Bible like it was glued to his hand. I was the troublemaker who cracked jokes during sermons. Somehow, we became best friends.

For 15 years, I thought I knew everything about Niyi.

I was wrong.

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Niyi was the kind of guy parents pointed at and said, “Why can’t you be like him?” He finished top of our class, got a scholarship to study Medicine at UNIBEN, and even became a youth leader in church. Meanwhile, I was struggling to pass my courses.

Whenever I complained about life, Niyi would pat my shoulder and say, “Don’t worry, bro. God’s time is the best.”

I believed him.

Last year, something changed.

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Niyi started acting… different. He would disappear for days, then return with expensive things like new iPhones and designer shoes. Things a medical student shouldn’t be able to afford.

“Where are you getting all this?” I asked one day. He smiled. “God is blessing me, my brother.”

I wanted to believe him. I really wanted to. But something was just… off.

One Friday night, Niyi called me at 2 AM.

“Bro, I need your help. Come to No. 14 Cemetery Road. Now.”

His voice was urgent, shaky. I thought maybe he was in an accident. I grabbed my wallet and rushed out.

When I got there, the street was empty, except for one black car with tinted windows. The door opened.

“Enter inside,” a deep voice said.

Inside the car, Niyi sat between two men in black hoodies. His hands were trembling.

“Niyi, wetin happen?!” I shouted.

One of the hooded men pulled out a gun.

“Your friend has a problem,” the man said. “He joined us, took our oath, now he wants to run.”

My heart stopped.

“What oath? Niyi, what’s going on?!”

Niyi finally looked at me, tears in his eyes. “I’m… I’m a member of the Black Axe Confraternity.”

I was stunned!

The man with the gun leaned closer. “Tell your friend what happens to traitors.”

Niyi’s voice broke. “They kill them.”

I don’t know how we got out alive that night. Maybe it was the ₦500,000 bribe I gave them from my savings, maybe it was God.

My childhood friend eventually told me everything, how senior cult members recruited him in his second year at UNIBEN. How they promised him “protection and power.” How he took a blood oath in the dead of night.

“I thought I could leave after school,” he whispered. “But they own me now.”

Two weeks later, Niyi disappeared.

The last text he sent me read: “They found out I talked to you. I have to run. Don’t try to contact me.”

That was 8 months ago. I haven’t heard from him since.

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Nigeria’s first-ever marketing and media conference, MarkHack 4.0, is proud to announce the Nigerian MarTech Awards, an initiative dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the innovators, creators, and trailblazers transforming Nigeria’s marketing landscape through technology.

This award event aims to promote and honour innovation in marketing technology. The vision of the Nigerian MarTech Awards is to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where creativity and technology intersect, driving growth and engagement throughout the Nigerian market.

As the marketing technology sector continues its rapid evolution, the Nigerian MarTech Awards will provide a vital platform for showcasing exceptional contributions in this dynamic field.

With a focus on excellence, creativity, and technological advancement, the awards will highlight individuals, campaigns, and organizations that are setting new benchmarks in digital engagement, customer experiences, and marketing strategies.

Award Categories

The awards will feature three main categories—Individuals, Campaigns, and Organizations—with a total of 10 awards aimed at celebrating excellence across various dimensions of marketing technology.

1. Individual Category:

• Marketing Creator/Influencer of the Year: This award recognizes individuals who excel in engaging audiences and driving conversations through innovative marketing strategies and influence.

2. Campaign Category:

• Most Innovative Content Strategy: Celebrates exceptional content strategies that effectively engage audiences and drive measurable results, showcasing creativity and innovation in content marketing.

• Best Use of Data in a Marketing Campaign: Awards marketing strategies that effectively leverage data analytics for impactful and results-driven campaigns, demonstrating the power of insight-driven marketing.

• Best Social Media Campaign: Recognizes campaigns that effectively harness social media platforms, demonstrating strategic execution and measurable marketing outcomes.

• Most Innovative Virtual Event: Honours outstanding virtual events that advance the online experience, emphasizing creativity and audience engagement in the digital space.

• Best Use of Blockchain in Marketing: Celebrates innovative applications of blockchain technology in marketing, highlighting transparency, security, and new possibilities in marketing strategies.

• Best Use of AI in Marketing: Recognizes innovative applications of artificial intelligence in marketing practices, showcasing how AI can enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency.

• Outstanding Xtended Reality (XR) Experience: Honours remarkable XR experiences that redefine marketing and media, pushing boundaries and creating engaging interactions.

3. Organization Category:

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• Top Emerging Technology in Marketing: Celebrates breakthrough technologies that are reshaping how brands connect with audiences and grow in today’s competitive landscape.

• Best Future-Focused Marketing Team: Honours marketing teams that exemplify a commitment to innovation and a proactive, future-oriented mindset in their strategies.

Nomination Process

Nominations are now open, and you can submit entries or nominate your favorite game-changers who are shaping the future of marketing technology in Nigeria. To participate, visit the official website at markhack.tech/awards

Join in Celebrating Innovation

The Nigerian MarTech Awards aim not only to honour remarkable achievements but also to inspire collaboration and advancement in the marketing technology sector. This initiative underscores the importance of recognizing creativity and innovation as key drivers of growth in the digital marketing landscape.

For media inquiries, sponsorship, collaboration, partnerships, or more information, please contact: +2347031869646.

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