By: Hee-Dee Walenga
The BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, will check off another international sports event by hosting the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa semi-finals on Saturday.
The PFL is a mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation that was founded in 2018 and is one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world. It is the only league in MMA with the “win and advance” format.
General Manager of PFL Africa, Elias Schulze, told The Villager, “Africa has arguably the deepest pool of untapped fighting talent in the world, yet until now there hasn’t been a global organisation seriously investing in the continent. We have changed that.”
Schulze also stated that the sport has grown at a “phenomenal” rate since the PFL established itself in Africa, citing the increased number of gyms, participation from federations, and the visible inspiration that Africa’s youth are experiencing.
The Rwandan government has made concerted efforts for the better part of the last decade to position itself as a global sports hub, and Schulze reinforced that. When asked why they chose Rwanda for the semi-finals, Schulze said, “Rwanda represents what modern Africa is becoming – dynamic, well-organised, and forward-looking. They have infrastructure that can rival any other city when it comes to sports.”
In 2023, PFL Africa put the MMA world on notice by signing former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou, who hails from Cameroon. He was later appointed as the PFL Africa chairman. “Francis has been instrumental. His commitment to creating opportunities for African fighters is unmatched. He is a living embodiment of what is possible for African athletes,” Schulze expressed.
The main card consists of 11 fights spread across the featherweight, bantamweight, welterweight, and heavyweight divisions. Among the anticipated fights is the featherweight bout between Burkina Faso’s Abdul “Sankariste” Sankara and Nigeria’s Patrick “Starboi” Ocheme.
James “Labwor the Godzilla” Opio from Rwanda will look to put on a great display in front of his home crowd at the BK Arena. It is reported that 85% of tickets have already been sold.
PFL has several sub-organisations, including PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Super Fights, and PFL Africa. PFL Africa held its very first event in July at the Grand West Arena in Cape Town, South Africa. The quarter-finals then took place in Johannesburg at the Big Top Arena in August. Schulze stated the events in South Africa proved that African fighters are ready for world class MMA.
The PFL finals will take place in Porto-Novo, Benin on 20 December 2025.
