SA’s mixed martial fighters shine as PFL Africa ‘walks the talk’ in Pretoria

The Professional Fighters League’s (PFL) second season at SunBet Arena in Pretoria has been hailed as a success.

The event brought together the continent’s leading mixed martial artists (MMAs), and some from further afield, to Pretoria with South African fighters coming out victorious on home soil.

PFL Africa general manager Elias Schulze, in a thinly-veiled dig at rival body the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), said: “We don’t just talk. We put our money where our mouth is.”

Schulze was delighted at the success of the event and hailed its progression from last year’s inaugural fights, with more than 5,000 tickets sold this year.

While fans were left disappointed when the UFC’s plans to stage an event in Africa failed during the reign of middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, Schulze said the PFL will continue to invest in fighters from the continent.

“We say Africa is important. We believe in the talent in Africa,” he said.

“We show up in Africa and we deliver world-class fights with world-class athletes and fighters. We don’t want to be the only global league coming into Africa. We believe in a free and full competitive atmosphere but please, let others come,” Schulze said.

“We started here and we will continue to invest here. I think we have the best fighters and it doesn’t matter who comes after.”

The international body held the second leg of the Africa series, after its debut in Cape Town and Johannesburg last year, at Times Square SunBet Arena on Friday.

Combat sport fans, celebrities and former MMA champions filled the arena where excitement was palpable as they witnessed the continent’s finest PFL fighters go blow for blow.

One of those was 2025 PFL Africa bantamweight champion Nkosi ‘King of Many Nations’ Ndebele, the fighter from Diepsloot, who trains in Bali, and who took on Italy’s Michele ‘Arrow’ Clemente in the main event.

Ndebele was crowned the first PFL Africa bantamweight champion last year, where former PFL and UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou wrapped the belt around his waist.

On Friday night, Nkosi applied forward pressure on Clemente, while displaying good take-down defence when the Italian brought him down in the first round.

Despite a clear difference in arm reach, with Nkosi at a near 22cm advantage that proved to be a challenge for Clemente, the pair traded punches as Nkosi led with telling strikes.

The champ displayed the ability to counter each attack while giving the crowd an impressive, entertaining performance.

After going the full three rounds, the judges unanimously crowned Ndebele the winner with a score of 30-27, raising Ndebele’s record to 12 wins and three losses. Clemente’s losing record increased to two losses, remaining at seven wins.

Nkosi described his opponent as resilient with a good heart, stressing facing international athletes comes with challenges. “You have to be smart. Of course, I expected it, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Earlier in the week, Ndebele had suggested the event would be his last fight on the continent as he aims for global platforms.

“This might be the last time I fight in front of my crowd after almost eight years and at least they had the opportunity to see what I have and enjoy the show,” he said. “This fight is a step closer to exactly where I want to be and where I belong.”

The heavyweight bout delivered full entertainment when Pretoria’s own Justin Clarke took on a wild and vicious Abdoulaye Kane from Senegal, an undefeated fighter who had no decision wins.

Clarke fights from the CIT Performance Institute gym in Pretoria with former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis as a training partner, under coach Morné Visser, who all walked out with the huge heavyweight to be in his corner.

Clarke started the fight fast with an immediate right hook in the first round, which was returned by a left jab by Kane. Kane’s explosive fists, reach advantage and close distance saw Clarke almost get taken down in the first minute of the opening round where he was cornered after landing strikes and knees, causing damage that led to bleeding from the nose.

After absorbing a series of upper cuts, combinations of strikes and a jumping knee, Clarke’s sudden left hook saw the big Senegalese knocked out in his first loss, sparking a roar from SunBet arena at Clarke’s excellent performance in his hometown.

A relieved Clarke admitted the fight was chaotic from the start.

I did say I would finish this guy in the second round. I was very close. I hurt him in the body, and I could hear him breathing very heavily, and it was just a matter of time.

—  Peace Nguphane

“Out of his first barrage, I stepped out and was a bit dazed and I worked around a bit and did nothing to try to buy time and get my vision back. He kept pushing and pushing and every time. I’m not going to lie, I was struggling to crack the puzzle.

“And eventually he had me against the cage and I figured we were 50/50. I covered up and saw an opportunity and took it. But the reach was a problem.

“I am glad this is over. I am relieved. It was a tall order. Kane has been eating his way through people and we are talking about the mental aspects of fighting [when you face him]. I had to keep my wits about me and on the fight throughout the week.”

Another South African victory on the main card was Peace Nguphane, who fought Guinea-Bissau’s Yabna “The Panther” N’Tchala. The tough fight started with heavy blows from The Panther, but Nguphane eventually took him down several times and retained control while swinging with ground-and-pound, leading to another local victory by a unanimous decision.

“I did say I would finish this guy in the second round. I was very close. I hurt him in the body, and I could hear him breathing very heavily, and it was just a matter of time,” Nguphane said.

“In round three, he came in hard, but I could tell he was done and already tired and I just had to keep the pressure and keep moving forward. I am very happy with the victory. The upset is there, but I am very happy.”