The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has officially announced PFL Rwanda, scheduled for December 12, 2026, at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. The highly anticipated event will feature the conclusion of the PFL Africa Welterweight, Lightweight and Bantamweight tournaments, with three championship titles on the line as six of Africa’s top mixed martial artists compete for gold.
According to the Professional Fighters League (PFL), PFL Rwanda will bring the 2026 PFL Africa season to a close with three championship matchups. Headlining the event will be Angola’s Shido “Machine” Boris Esperança (13-2) against undefeated Nigerian contender David Samuel (7-0) in the Welterweight Tournament Final at 170 pounds. Esperança advanced with a first-round finish in the semifinals, while Samuel secured his place with a decision victory to maintain his unbeaten record.
The co-main event will feature Nigeria’s Patrick “Star Boi” Ocheme (10-1) facing Senegal’s Demba “Black Tiger” Seck (11-3) for the Lightweight Championship at 155 pounds. Ocheme enters the final following an impressive first-round body-kick knockout in his semifinal matchup. Meanwhile, Liberia’s Dwight Joseph (17-3) will battle Nigeria’s Raphael Uchegbu (11-2) for the Bantamweight Championship at 135 pounds, with both fighters looking to secure championship gold.
PFL Africa General Manager Elias Schulze emphasized the importance of bringing the championship event to Kigali and showcasing African MMA talent on an international stage. PFL Rwanda will broadcast across Africa on SuperSport for English-speaking audiences and Canal+ for French-speaking viewers, with additional free-to-air coverage available through SportyTV.
