.AFC suggestions FCT to turn out to be Africa’s Blended Martial Arts hub
The First Sunday Dare Nationwide Blended Martial Arts (MMA) Championship resulted in Abuja, on the weekend, with a complete of six fights in several weight classes.The occasion, which held on the MKO Abiola Nationwide Stadium’s velodrome, featured the nation’s prime MMA abilities who competed for glory from October 26 to twenty-eight.
Devoted to the previous Sports activities Minister, Sunday Dare, the championship celebrated his function within the approval of Nigerian Blended Martial Arts Federation (NMMAF) as a nationwide federation, which has led to a speedy rise within the reputation of the game.The championship additionally served as a platform to grade and recognise the nation’s rising MMA stars and their officers, in addition to, set a brand new benchmark for the game within the area.
Talking on the pre-fight press briefing in Abuja, NMMAF President, Henry George, described the African Combating Championship’s (AFC) choice to carry the championship in Nigeria as a constructive step.
He mentioned: “Blended Martial Arts is a brand new sport. Nevertheless it has gone mainstream due to the acceptance. And Nigerians are within the forefront selling the game. We learn about our superstars who’re artists, we learn about individuals like this one, and plenty of different fighters”.
“We’ve impressed quite a lot of youth. And our youth are naturally robust. And this can be a sport that has welcomed quite a lot of fighters from internationally. We talked about judo, karate, taekwondo, and all that. So, now we have quite a lot of fighters who’re motivated and able to combat.”
The ten fighters on the championship have been Bitrus Jeb Philemon (A.Ok.A the African Spartan), who confronted Dany The Nice in a light-weight co-main occasion, and Osoba Pelejah, fondly referred to as the bridge, who battled with Abdul Razac (Sankara Burkino Faso) in one other light-weight co-main occasion.
Octave Tiphaine Ayinda “the Bantu Warrior” slugged it out with Ozooma Orji within the featherweight class, Victor Felix met Jeremiah Akpan in a welterweight bout, whereas Nani Chima (Younger Nightmare) took on Emmanuel Christian within the mild heavyweight class.
In the meantime, the co-founder of the African Combating Championship (AFC), George Oladipupo Younes, has expressed his organisation’s need to place Abuja because the premier hub for Blended Martial Arts (MMA) in Africa.
Talking in the course of the remaining bouts of the championship, yesterday, Younes emphasised the game’s potential for development in Nigeria, describing AFC 001 as the start of thrilling developments for Abuja, the fighters, and combined martial arts in Nigeria.
He mentioned: “It’s a dream come true having the ability to not simply host this occasion in my metropolis, within the capital metropolis, but in addition to have the ability to stand within the centre of the octagon and discuss these fighters who’ve turn out to be my pals.“This major AFC 001 is just the start of much more issues to come back, not only for town, however for the fighters themselves and combined martial arts in Nigeria as an entire.”
