The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to make history with its inaugural African event, PFL Africa 1, scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa. This landmark event marks the launch of PFL Africa, the league’s third international branch, following the success of PFL Europe and PFL MENA. The event will feature a blend of global MMA stars and top African talent, showcasing the continent’s rising prominence in the sport.
Event Details
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Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025
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Venue: GrandWest Arena, Cape Town, South Africa
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Start Time: 2:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM SAST
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Broadcast: SuperSport (English – Africa), Canal+ (French – Africa), DAZN (UK, Ireland, France)pflmma.com
Main Card Highlights
Middleweight Championship Bout
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Johnny Eblen (16-0) vs. Costello van Steenis (16-3)
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Undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen defends his title against Spain’s Costello van Steenis in the main event.pflmma.com
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Women’s Flyweight Bout
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Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) vs. Sumiko Inaba (8-1)
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2024 PFL World Champion Dakota Ditcheva faces Hawaii’s Sumiko Inaba in a high-stakes co-main event.Tapology+6pflmma.com+6MMAmania.com+6
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Featherweight Bout
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A.J. McKee (22-2) vs. Akhmed Magomedov (11-1)
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Former Bellator Featherweight Champion A.J. McKee returns to action against rising contender Akhmed Magomedov.
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Heavyweight Bout
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Corey Anderson (19-6) vs. Denis Goltsov (32-7)
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Former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Corey Anderson makes his heavyweight debut against 2024 PFL tournament winner Denis Goltsov.
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PFL Africa Tournament Bouts
The event also kicks off the PFL Africa Tournament, featuring top African fighters competing in the Bantamweight and Heavyweight divisions.Wikipedia+3pflmma.com+3IOL+3
Bantamweight Quarterfinal
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Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) vs. Mahmoud Atef (5-2)
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South Africa’s Nkosi Ndebele takes on Egypt’s Mahmoud Atef in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup.IOL+1Tapology+1
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Heavyweight Quarterfinal
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Abdoullah Kane (3-0) vs. Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4)
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Senegal ‘s Abdoullah Kane faces Morocco’s Mohammad Ben Yahia in a battle of heavy-handed finishers.
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Bantamweight Bout
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Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) vs. Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1)
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Zimbabwe’s Simbarashe Hokonya squares off against Abderrahman Errachidy fromMorocco .
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Heavyweight Bout
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Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) vs. Justin Clarke (2-0)
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A heavyweight clash between Jashell Ticha Awa and Justin Clarke adds further excitement to the card.
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Tickets and Broadcast
Tickets for PFL Africa 1 are available through TicketPro and selected retail outlets like PostNet and Spar. For fans unable to attend in person, the event will be broadcast live on SuperSport, Canal+, and DAZN, ensuring wide accessibility across Africa and beyond.pflmma.com+5IOL+5pflmma.com+5
Stay tuned for more updates and coverage as PFL Africa 1 approaches, marking a significant milestone in the global expansion of mixed martial arts.