🗓️ Coming in 2025#PFLAfrica
pic.twitter.com/oAWhQpCMwL
— PFL (@PFLMMA)
July 10, 2024
The foundation has been laid for the Professional Fighters League to plant its flag in Africa.
The organization announced Wednesday that PFL Africa will debut in the second quarter of 2025. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, a Cameroonian, will serve as the league’s president. PFL Africa will follow a similar format to its regional sister leagues PFL Europe and PFL MENA, featuring fighters from across Africa in a regular season and postseason.
“I am incredibly honored to serve as President of PFL Africa, a league that forms the foundation of mixed martial arts in Africa,” Ngannou said in a statement. “As we have seen, Africa is home to an incredible amount of talented fighters waiting to step onto the world stage. I am incredibly proud to be able to give back to my home country and bring great content to a region with such a passionate and diverse fanbase.”
PFL Africa is backed by investment from Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, known for its partnership with the NBA on NBA Africa, which will have an equity stake in the new promotion.
“African talent has enjoyed overwhelming success on the global MMA stage, but MMA currently has a low number of events despite strong demand, creating a tremendous opportunity for growth as Africa’s youth consume more digital content on their devices,” said Tope Lawani, co-founder and managing partner at Helios Investment Partners. “We are excited to partner with PFL, a world-class organization, and Francis Ngannou, who epitomizes African talent succeeding on the global stage.”
“…There are several areas of direct synergy between PFL Africa and HSEG’s existing unique portfolios and we are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring to the continent.”
The future is bright
#PFLAfrica
The first press conference was held today in Lagos, Nigeria, and the cameras were out! pic.twitter.com/t56ZRENHYi
— PFL (@PFLMMA)
July 10, 2024
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