The Professional Fighters League (PFL), a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, has announced the launch of its third regional league, PFL Africa, with its debut event set for July 26 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The event, titled PFL Cape Town, will feature five elite matchups from the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, a global initiative aimed at expanding PFL’s footprint in emerging MMA markets.
In the World Title main event, the undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) will face a stern test against Spain’s formidable Costello van Steenis (16-3).
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The co-main event promises further excitement as the undefeated 2024 PFL World Champion Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) squares off against Hawaii’s Sumiko Inaba (8-1). Additional high-stakes Champions Series: Road to Dubai matchups are expected to be announced shortly.
Spearheading PFL Africa as chairman is MMA icon Francis Ngannou. Ngannou will play a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of African MMA champions and strategically guiding the league’s long-term expansion across the continent.
The inaugural PFL Africa tournament will feature thrilling eight-man brackets in key weight classes, initially focusing on the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions.
The complete tournament schedule, along with the host cities for the highly anticipated semifinals and finals, will be revealed shortly.
“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,” stated Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League.
