What you need to know about PFL Africa

Oct 17, 2025 - 09:15

Djantou Nana Maxwell and Justin Clarke pose for pre-fight photo before Saturday’s heavyweight semifinal at BK Arena-courtesy

For the first time Rwanda is hosting the semi-finals for the Professional Fighters League Africa 3 at the BK Arena on October 18 .

The championship is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Professional Fighters League (PFL), one of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations, headquartered in the United States.

It stands apart from other promotions like the UFC due to its unique season-based format, which is similar to traditional sports leagues, featuring a regular season, playoffs, and a championship final.

PFL Africa 3 will feature semifinal fights across four divisions including heavyweight, welterweight, featherweight, and bantamweight—where fighters will battle for a spot in the continental finals.

Unlike traditional one-night tournaments, PFL Africa’s format mirrors the PFL Global structure, where fighters compete in a league-style season, earning points for victories before advancing to the playoffs.

PFL made its first major move into the African continent in 2024, announcing the creation of PFL Africa, a regional branch designed to discover and develop homegrown fighting talent.

The initiative was led by Francis Ngannou, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion from Cameroon and now PFL’s Chairman for Africa.

Ngannou’s goal was to create a legitimate platform for African fighters to compete professionally without having to leave the continent.

The league’s debut event, PFL Africa 1, was held in South Africa, followed by PFL Africa 2 in Nigeria, both of which attracted continental attention and showcased raw talent. Now, the third event, PFL Africa 3, heads to Rwanda, marking the first time in East Africa that a major international MMA event of this scale will take place.

PFL Africa’s structure follows a league-style tournament. Fighters earn points during the regular season based on their performances—three points for a win, additional points for early finishes—and advance through the standings.

The top-ranked fighters from each division qualify for the semifinals, which are now set for Kigali.

Each semifinal fight will be contested over three five-minute rounds, under the unified MMA rules that combine striking, wrestling, and submission techniques.

Winners from these bouts will progress to the PFL Africa Finals, where continental champions will be crowned and stand a chance to qualify for PFL Global Championships, where the prize pool reaches $1 million for winners.

The winners will move on to the finals in Benin, where four PFL Africa champions will be crowned—solidifying their place among the best fighters not just in Africa, but in the world.

Who will fight who at the PFL Africa 3

The card will feature eight semifinal fights, two alternate bouts, and one showcase fight:

Main card: