Preview: 2025 PFL Africa 1

PFL Africa Heavyweight Quarterfinal

Maxwell Djantou Nana (6-1, 1-0 PFL) vs. Mickael Groguhe (6-2, 1-1 PFL): Nana shined in his PFL debut last August with a second-round knockout. The Cameroonian “Leonidas” is a massive puncher who’s on a six-fight knockout streak. Grouguhe has had a similar career and has fought in the PFL SmartCage twice. This could be a clash of two of the biggest punchers in the field.

PFL Africa Heavyweight Quarterfinal

Jashell Tika Awa (3-1, 0-0 PFL) vs. Justin Clarke (2-0, 0-0 PFL): Born in Cameroon like his idol, Francis Ngannou, Awa is a muscle-bound heavyweight who isn’t very tall but packs a lot of power in his stocky frame. He faces a lighter but lankier heavyweight in Clarke, who fights out of South Africa and has never been past the first round.

PFL Africa Heavyweight Quarterfinal

Abdoulaye Kane (3-0, 0-0 PFL) vs. Jouffie Houlton (7-4, 0-0 PFL): Senegal’s Kane is a beast of a man. Standing 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Kane uses his frame to bully opponents into submission. The 26-year-old still has a lot of skills to develop, but there’s no question that the potential is there. Houlton represents England and the SBG Manchester gym. He’s five years older and two inches shorter than Kane but dwarfs him in experience.

PFL Africa Heavyweight Quarterfinal

Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze (8-5, 0-0 PFL) vs. Abraham Bably (5-2, 2-2 PFL): Bably stormed out to a 5-0 start in his career but has dropped back-to-back split decision losses against more accomplished and experienced foes. Dropping down in competition could allow Bably to turn things around. Gnaze, 32, has alternated wins and losses in each of his past six appearances.

PFL Africa Bantamweight Quarterfinal

Nkosi Ndebele (8-3, 0-0 PFL) vs. Mahmoud Atef (5-2, 0-0 PFL): Ndebele clinched the bantamweight title in Brave Combat Federation and now has his sights on a bigger prize. Atef fights out of Egypt and has suffered from inconsistency throughout most of his career, but he is looking to notch his third straight knockout win.

PFL Africa Bantamweight Quarterfinal

Shannon Van Tonder (7-2, 0-0 PFL) vs. Boule Godogo (3-0, 0-0 PFL): Angola’s Godogo kicked his career off with three straight wins but hasn’t fought in over three years. Van Tonder is the local favorite from Johannesburg and could present multiple problems for the unbeaten prospect. Van Tonder is a rangy 5-foot-11-inch bantamweight with impressive submission skills. Coupled with his experience and activity, he could be a favorite in the tournament.

PFL Africa Bantamweight Quarterfinal

Asiashu Tshitamba (6-4, 0-0 PFL) vs. Karim Henniene (4-0, 0-0 PFL): Henniene comes out of the famed TriStar gym in Montreal and also has an unblemished record, though all four of his wins have come by decision. Tshitamba, 33, has spent his entire career in the Extreme Fighting Championship organization and enters his PFL debut on the strength of back-to-back victories.

PFL Africa Bantamweight Quarterfinal

Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0, 0-0 PFL) vs. Frans Mlambo (15-6, 2-1 PFL): Hokonya hails from Zimbabwe but trains out of Johannesburg. He’s been unbeaten since turning pro in 2022 but hasn’t faced much competition yet. Mlambo, on the other hand, has been developed by the world-renowned SBG Ireland gym and has beaten more established fighters. Mlambo advanced to the 2023 PFL Europe bantamweight final but hasn’t fought since that second-round knockout loss. After a two-year layoff, he hopes to redeem himself with the inaugural PFL Africa bantamweight title.

Women’s Strawweights

Juliet Ukah (6-0, 0-0 PFL) vs. Ceileigh Niedermayr (3-2, 0-0 PFL): Nigeria’s Ukah is a lanky strawweight who has never tasted defeat. She enters her first fight of 2025, coming off a second-round TKO win 13 months ago. Niedermayr hails from Durban, South Africa, and will enjoy a boost from the local crowd. Niedermayr started her career in 2021 before taking a three-year hiatus. She’s won two of her last three fights since her return to the cage.



Jump To »
Eblen vs. Van Steenis
Ditcheva vs. Inaba
McKee vs. Magomedov
Zaynukov vs. Izumi
Anderson vs. Goltsov
The Prelims