UFC Star Israel Adesanya Predicts Resurgence of African MMA

Israel Adesanya is proud to fly the flag for African mixed martial arts, and says that a golden era of African MMA is just around the corner.

Currently, the MMA landscape is dominated by Dagestani fighters, but two-time former UFC middleweight champion Adesanya said that the growth of the sport in Africa will eventually produce a generation of elite-level fighters who will go on to dominate the MMA world.

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“In MMA, there’s always a country or a group of people that come into the UFC and just dominate,” he told Stake.com.

“Right now it’s the Dagestanis who are here, with guys like Imamov and others with similar last names. Sometimes when you see that chin strap and you’re like: ‘Oh f**k!’

“Eventually, you will see names like ‘Olusoga and Mathias,’ and all those last names from Nigeria and people will be like ‘Oh s**t! He is from Nigeria, or the Congo, or Ghana!’

“Our time is coming when we will have that African dominance in the game. You see it with shows like African KO in Nigeria, where they bring out crazy fighters and fights. It is slowly embedded in the culture and the seed is finally growing.”

One item on the UFC’s to-do list for 2025 is to break new ground for the promotion in Africa with their first event on the continent. It’s something Adesanya, along with Kamaru Usman and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, have campaigned for over the last few years.

At the time, all three held UFC titles. But now, even though Ngannou has departed the promotion and Adesanya and Usman no longer hold their respective titles, the UFC still has an African champion in the form of South Africa’s middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis.

Adesanya lost a title tilt to Du Plessis in his last outing at UFC 305 last August, and will look to move one step closer to a potential rematch with “Stillknocks” when he takes on French contender Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Adesanya also continues to bang the drum for a UFC Africa event.

“Dana White and I have spoken on many occasions about UFC Africa,” he continued.

“One thing about Africa is that we can be our own worst enemies. The one percent sometimes f**k over a lot of their people just to stay rich and keep their friends rich.

“It’s a lot of red tape. It’s a matter of staying out of our own way so we can be great. It’s about helping the entire community and not just their small communities to keep themselves rich. It will happen (but) we just have to get out of our own way.

“I like the way the Burkina Faso president Ibrahim Traore is operating. He is one of the guys leading the charge and allowing his country to take back what is rightfully theirs.

“That way they will be able to get rid of all the riff raff and all the corrupt government and officials. I think a lot of African nations should take a look at this and take note.”

Ngannou may no longer be a part of the UFC, but he’s doing his part to grow MMA in Africa. His contract with the PFL included him becoming the president of PFL Africa, with the establishment of a regional PFL league in Africa a condition in his deal.

That league will have its inaugural season in 2025, with Ngannou likely to feature heavily in a promotional capacity. But his fighting career is still very much alive and well, with the big-punching heavyweight likely to compete in both boxing and MMA this year.

A defense of his PFL heavyweight superfights title is likely to take place in the second half of 2025, with PFL co-founder Donn Davis predicting that Ngannou will make a return to the boxing ring before his next MMA appearance.

Rumors have linked Ngannou with a bout against former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, and Adesanya said that he’d pick his former UFC colleague to claim the victory and pick up his first big win as a professional boxer.

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“I would back my boy Francis to win this fight,” he stated.

“It also depends where Deontay is at mentally. In one of his last interviews he spoke about going to the jungle and doing ayahuasca so who knows where he is at.

“For me, It’s going to be Francis who wins this fight. I admire his story and his rise against all odds. I will always back him. I haven’t heard about this fight, but it’s an interesting one to have.”

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