PFL Wows as Sold-Out JHB Crowd and Celebs Beg for More

A packed-to-capacity Johannesburg crowd was treated to a night of nail-biting action as eight more fighters punched their tickets to the PFL Africa Semifinals.

The African debut of the series continued at the Big Top Arena in Carnival City, with the continent’s top Featherweights and Welterweights delivering explosive finishes that brought the house down.

PFL Africa General Manager, Elias Schulze, summed up the atmosphere:

“This was electric, it was aspirational. From the first fight to the very end, you saw heart and soul on display – the kind of spirit that’s rare even globally. Friends and family around the world have been telling me the same thing: tonight, we saw the very heart of the fighter come alive.”

Main Event – Ocheme Overcomes Camara to Clinch Semifinal Spot

In the main event, Patrick Ocheme (7-1) sealed his place in the PFL Africa Featherweight Semifinals with a unanimous decision win over Mohamed Camara (5-3-1).

After a cautious opening round, Ocheme turned the tide in the second, dropping Camara with a heavy shot before taking control through the final round.

Ocheme credited his determination to a special spectator at cage-side:

“Seeing South Africa’s Springbok captain Siya Kolisi there played a big part for me. To have someone so respected make time to come and enjoy the show was truly inspiring.”

Co-Main Event – Esperanca’s Lightning Submission

It took just 34 seconds for Shido Boris Esperanca (10-1) to dispatch Ibrahima Mané (13-6) via rear naked choke. Charging forward at the bell, Esperanca took Mané’s back, locked in the submission, and forced the tap in under a minute.

The Angolan striker says his PFL Africa journey is about more than fighting:

“I see myself as an ambassador for PFL Africa and for MMA on the continent. I want to support African fighters and help younger athletes grow. This is huge, and I can see myself being part of it for many years.”

Other Highlights

• Octave Ayinda (6-0) advanced in the Welterweight Semifinals with a first-round TKO of British Boloyoang (3-2). Ayinda escaped an early guillotine attempt before raining down heavy shots to force the stoppage at 1:55.
• Yabna N’tchala (12-2-1) outstruck and outgrappled Sanon Sadeck (7-3) over three rounds, earning a unanimous decision to book his place in the Welterweight Semifinals.
• Elsewhere, Emilios Dassi, Wasi Adeshina, Dwight Joseph, Abderahman Errachidy, Abdoul Razac Sankara, and Kunle Lawal all secured big wins to move forward in the tournament.

Semifinals Now Set

Featherweight Division

• Patrick Ocheme vs Abdoul Razac Sankara
• Wasi Adeshina vs Dwight Joseph

Welterweight Division

• Shido Boris Esperanca vs Octave Ayinda
• Yabna N’tchala vs Emilios Dassi

PFL Africa First Round: Johannesburg – Official Results

• Patrick Ocheme def. Mohamed Camara – Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
• Shido Boris Esperanca def. Ibrahima Mané – Submission (rear naked choke) 0:34 R1
• Octave Ayinda def. British Boloyoang – TKO 1:55 R1
• Yabna N’tchala def. Sanon Sadeck – Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
• Emilios Dassi def. Osvaldo Benedito – KO (punches) 2:12 R1
• Wasi Adeshina def. Jean Jacques Lubaya – Submission (rear naked choke) 3:14 R2
• Dwight Joseph def. Wilker Nsamo – KO (knee) 4:57 R2
• Abderahman Errachidy def. Elbert Steyn – TKO (knee) 0:14 R2
• Abdoul Razac Sankara def. Shadrack Yemba – KO (head kick) 2:01 R1
• Kunle Lawal def. Desmond Tamungang – Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

About the Professional Fighters League (PFL)

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league in the world.

PFL is the only MMA organisation with the “win and advance” tournament format and offers three fight products: PFL World Tournament, PFL Champions Series, and PFL International Leagues.

PFL events are broadcast and streamed live in 190 countries through 20 leading media partners. The league is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, 885 Capital, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.

MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and a truly global revenue base.

Website: PFLmma.com
Instagram: @PFLmma | Twitter: @PFLMMA | Facebook: /PFLmma