The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to make history in Africa as the full card is announced for the PFL Africa Finals in Cotonou, Benin this December 20 at the iconic Sofitel Dome.
The PFL Africa Finals will also be broadcast across Africa by Canal+, SuperSport, SportyTV, StarzPlay, PFL’s streampflafrica.com and ten more broadcasters on the continent. In the States, fans can watch live for the first time on VICE TV, and through the PFL APP.
Fabrice Faux, CANAL+ Director Content, Sport and General Entertainment, French-speaking Africa said: “As part of our commitment to foster fight sports for our African audience, we are proud to host and broadcast this historic event. The Republic of Benin, as well as the Professional Fighters League can rely on their long-lasting partner CANAL+ SPORT to promote and expose this championship widely across the Continent.”
Four PFL Africa Champions will be crowned across the Heavyweight, Welterweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight divisions. Each division winner will claim a $100,000 prize, representing one of the highest payouts for professional athletes in Africa, and earn the title of the inaugural PFL Africa Tournament Champion.
Headlining the card are elite Bantamweights Nkosi “King of Many Nations” Ndebele (10-3) of South Africa who faces undefeated Karim “The Kryptonian” Henniene (6-0) of Algeria for tournament gold. In the co-main event, Angola’s Shido Boris Esperança (11-1), with a 82% finish rate, will collide with striking ace Yabna N’Tchala (13-2-1) of Guinea-Bissau in the PFL Africa Welterweight Finals.
Prior to the co-main, Benin’s own Jean Do Santos (9-1) makes his PFL debut after securing the AKO Lightweight title with an impressive 8-second jumping knee knockout of his opponent. He faces Nigeria’s Cornel Thompson (10-3) in a Lightweight Showcase Bout against neighboring rival nations.
In the Heavyweight division, South Africa meets the Ivory Coast as undefeated Justin Clarke (4-0), who boasts a 100% finish rate, takes on Abraham Bably (7-2), who has 5 out of 7 finishes, for PFL gold. Undefeated Cameroonian Alain Majorique (6-0) will look across the cage at Nigeria’s Wasi Adeshina (9-3) who is on a five-fight win streak, in the Featherweight finals.
African Women’s MMA will also be spotlighted on the card with two female showcase bouts at Strawweight. Opening the night, 2025 IMMAF African Championships Gold Medalist and 2025 IMMAF Worlds Silver Medalist, Shelda Chipito (0-0) of Zambia, makes her professional debut after coming up from the amateur circuit where she had a decorated 9-4 record. She will face Miracle Andrew (1-1) of Nigeria. Meanwhile, undefeated Nigerian stand out Juliet Ukah (7-0) takes on boxer turned MMA contender, Maryam Gaber (3-0) of Egypt, where she went 5-1-1 in boxing.
The full bout lineup is listed below, with 11 matchups spanning across 12 different countries, with four of those matchups having title implications.
PFL Africa Finals Card:
Sofitel Dome, Cotonou, Benin
VICE TV & PFL APP (U.S.) | Canal + (Africa – French) | SuperSport (Africa – English)
5 pm WAT | 4 pm GMT | 11 am EST | Saturday 20 December
PFL Africa Bantamweight Finals: Nkosi Ndebele (10-3) v. Karim Henniene (6-0)
PFL Africa Welterweight Finals: Shido Boris Esperança (11-1) v. Yabna N’Tchala (13-2-1)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Jean Do Santos (9-1) v. Cornel Thompson (10-3)
PFL Africa Heavyweight Finals: Justin Clarke (4-0) v. Abraham Bably (7-2)
PFL Africa Featherweight Finals: Alain Majorique (6-0) v. Wasi Adeshina (9-3)
Women’s Strawweight Showcase Bout: Juliet Ukah (7-0) v. Maryam Gaber (3-0)
Light Heavyweight Showcase Bout: Styve Ngono (6-1) v. Mélèdje Yedoh (1-0)
Heavyweight Showcase Bout: Abdoulaye Kane (4-1) v. Jashell Ticha Awa (3-2)
Welterweight Showcase Bout: Mouhamed Ba (3-1) v. British Boloyoang (3-2)
Bantamweight Alternate Bout: Boule Godogo (4-1) v. Thimna Mhlauli (5-0)
Women’s Strawweight Showcase Bout: Shelda Chipito (0-0) v. Miracle Andrew (1-1)
