The first PFL Africa event of 2026 takes place at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. The main event is a bantamweight fight between Nkosi Ndebele and Michele Clemente. The card also features a heavyweight co-main and the welterweight tournament quarterfinals.
Main event: Ndebele vs. Clemente
Nkosi Ndebele is a former Brave CF bantamweight champion. He also fought a trilogy with Jose “Shorty” Torres while with Brave CF. Last year Ndebele won the PFL Africa welterweight tournament after beating Mahmoud Atef, Simbarashe Hokonya, and Boule Godogo.
Michele Clemente makes his PFL debut at this event. He arrives on a five-fight win streak and holds a 7-1 professional MMA record. Clemente last fought in OKTAGON in June 2024, where he submitted Aleksandar Čoti.
Co-main and heavyweights
The co-main event is a heavyweight bout between Justin Clarke and Abdoulaye Kane. Clarke reached last year’s PFL Africa heavyweight final. He beat Jashell Ticha Awa and Maxwell Djantou Nana before losing to Abraham Bably in the final.
Kane had a rough moment last year when he was disqualified in his quarterfinal bout with Joffie Houlton. He bounced back later by finishing Emmanuel Mukam and Jashell Ticha Awa.
Welterweight tournament and full card
This event holds the quarterfinals of the PFL Africa welterweight tournament. Several local and regional fighters fight for a place in the next round. The card mixes tournament fights with regular bouts across multiple weight classes.
Preliminary Card (PFL App, 12 PM ET):
- Women’s Strawweight: Felista Mugo vs. Annet Kliza
- Bantamweight: Shannon von Tonder vs. Asiashu Tshitamba
- Featherweight: Jean-Jacques Lubaya vs. Shadrick Dju Yemba
- Lightweight: Abdul Razac Sankara vs. Aureo Cruz
- Welterweight Quarterfinal: Abdelrahman Mohamed vs. David Samuel
- Women’s Strawweight: Juliet Ukah vs. Jane Osigwe
Main Card (PFL App, 2 PM ET):
- Welterweight Quarterfinal: Rivaldo Pereira vs. Kunle Lawal
- Welterweight Quarterfinal: Shido Boris Esperanca vs. Emilios Dassi
- Welterweight Quarterfinal: Yabna N’Tchala vs. Peace Nguphane
- Heavyweight: Justin Clarke vs. Abdoulaye Kane
- Bantamweight: Nkosi Ndebele vs. Michele Clemente
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Nkosi Ndebele | Won last year’s PFL Africa welterweight tournament (beat Atef, Hokonya, Godogo) |
| Michele Clemente | Five-fight win streak; 7-1 pro record; submitted Aleksandar Čoti (June 2024) |
| Justin Clarke | Reached last year’s PFL Africa heavyweight final (defeated Ticha Awa, Djantou Nana) |
| Abdoulaye Kane | DQ in 2025 quarterfinal vs. Joffie Houlton; later finished Mukam and Ticha Awa |
Watch the event for live results and highlights as fighters move through the tournament and the card. The action brings local stars and rising prospects to a packed SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
