UFC Will Debut in Africa in 2022, Thanks to African MMA Champions

By Brunno Braga

KAMARU USMAN, ISRAEL ADESANYA, and Francis Ngannou. If you are a fan of mixed martial arts, you are aware of the fact that these are three of the most important names in MMA as of late. More importantly, you also know that these athletes are African-born fi ghters.

These world champions have become huge celebrities on the continent over the past two years. Now, because of their success, the most popular MMA brand company in the world, the Ultimate

Fighting Championship (UFC), will debut in

Africa in 2022.

Nigerian-born Usman came fi rst. In 2019, he became the UFC’s fi rst ever African-born champion. Then, the same year, his fellow countryman Adesanya took home the middleweight title. In March 2021, Cameroonian fi ghter Ngannou claimed his own world title belt, beating Stipe

KAMARU USMAN ISRAEL ADESANYA Miocic to become the heavyweight champion. Mi i t b th h i ht h i Those triumphs made UFC CEO Dana White consider expanding his sport brand in Africa. In an interview with BroBible, White revealed his plans to debut the UFC in Africa, and begin promoting its operations on the continent. “We are preparing the UFC for 2022 (in Africa),” White told BroBible, however he has not revealed any specifi c host countries as of yet. In addition to holding events in the motherland, the UFC is also looking for athletes who may potentially be the next African MMA stars. White also plans to establish a branch of the UFC Performance Institute in Africa, which would be the company’s third after its branches in China and at its headquarters in Las Vegas. “We always believed that this business would be big globally, fi nding talent around the world,” said