- By Marcos Menocal Pareja
- Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Despite its limited infrastructure and resources, the country's dedication to developing the discipline has propelled it to the forefront of the continent. Its African Knockout tournament has become a benchmark for aspiring fighters.
Nigeria is a prime example of this trend. The African Knockout Championship, an MMA fighting league which began in 2020 as a televised reality show in Lagos, is already on its ninth edition. According to Ryan Fayad, chief operating officer of African Knockout, who was speaking to AFP, the formal championship began in May 2023 and has since hosted fighters from 18 countries.
Last week, the arena in the upscale Lekki district of Lagos was packed with spectators. Representatives from 18 countries were present. Boxing has long been a popular sport in Africa, and in recent years it has been seen as a means of overcoming marginalisation for some young people.
African Knockout is the leading reference for MMA in Nigeria. GETTY IMAGES Several organisations, such as the International Boxing Association, have invested in launching programmes to support the next generation, including revamping old gyms, donating equipment and enabling athletes to compete.
However, the UFC is now also making a strong impact. Born in Nigeria, former UFC world champions Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman are generating growing interest in organised MMA in this African economic powerhouse.
"African Knockout was created because Africa does not yet have a platform that is fully focused on showcasing African talent to the world and helping fighters progress to international stages," said Fayad, a Lebanese national who has lived in Nigeria for 13 years.
The tournament featured two women in its bouts. GETTY IMAGES Usman is a key supporter of the sport's future and of young athletes. He plays an active role, delivering motivational speeches and promoting the tournament on social media. Around 5,000 people attended the most recent edition in person in April, and several thousand more watched the fights via livestream. This is a major success for Nigeria.
Fighters from other disciplines are also entering MMA, including Jibrin Inuwa Baba, a 28-year-old who has won four national gold medals in kickboxing. Last week's headline bout was a lightweight clash between Jean Do Santos, from neighbouring Benin, and Nigeria's Emmanuel Nworie.
Eighteen fighters, two of them women, entered the octagon on Friday night. Roughly half of them were Nigerian, with the rest hailing from Egypt, Angola, Togo, Burkina Faso and Cameroon. Each participant's appearance in the tournament helps to open the door to MMA in their home country. This was the case for Cameroonian Styve Essono, who defeated Damilare Abdulrahim from Nigeria, stating that his victory "will open many opportunities for me."
It brought together 18 fighters from 18 countries. GETTY IMAGES "We are still developing, and I feel we have not arrived yet," said Baba, a civil engineering graduate, during the weigh-in on Thursday. "The audience comes for good fights, not just to support Nigerian fighters," commented Lois Ogunniyi, a 30-year-old media executive and founder of Fist2Fist, a small online MMA fan community.
There is a desire for continued growth, and optimism about expanding the championship to other African countries is high. However, Fayad remains realistic, noting that the lack of infrastructure and limited institutional support are hindering the sports development in Nigeria.
There is still a lack of belief in, and commitment to, achieving the kind of growth that many hope for, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa. Challenges such as obtaining visas for foreign fighters and having to rely on rented venues for bouts make things difficult. There are no permanent facilities, which requires funding. "We hope the government will help us gain access to proper infrastructure," Fayad added.
African Knockout was held in Lagos. GETTY IMAGES Across Africa, South Africa stands out as the hub of MMA, boasting the most developed infrastructure and promotional scene on the continent. Nigeria is emerging as a hotbed of raw talent, though many of its top fighters still train overseas to refine their skills. Egypt and Morocco, with their deep-rooted traditions in wrestling and boxing, are now channeling that legacy into MMA, producing technically skilled athletes. Meanwhile, in Senegal, a compelling blend of traditional lutte s�n�galaise and modern MMA is giving rise to a unique and rapidly growing combat style.
In addition to Adesanya and Usman, other fighters have also put Africa on the global MMA map. These include Francis Ngannou (Cameroon), the former UFC heavyweight champion who is now competing in the PFL and professional boxing.
Ngannou rose to wider fame after making his boxing debut against Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia and later facing Anthony Joshua. Although he lost both fights to the former world champions, he greatly increased the visibility of MMA and his home country of Cameroon. Another notable African fighter is South African Dricus du Plessis.
