tainment. Consequently, the MMA has seen a boost in attraction and attendance and in financial gains, with young and aspiring fighters trooping in to seek a career in the bout sport.


Traditional wrestling has been practiced in Africa for the past 100 years, especially in West Africa and North Africa.


The Egyptians used to do stick fencing and fist fighting respectively known as Tahtib and Kuta, while the South Africans have upheld their indigenously originated knuckle fist fighting known as Musangwe and the Nguni stick fighting.


But Senegal’s Laambe wrestling remains one of the most developed and followed martial arts events in Africa, raking more than $300,000 per annum, with fighters earn- ing more than $50,000 per tournament.


The northern Nigeria’s local boxing known as Demba and Sudan’s combined stick fighting and wrestling called Nuba fighting have been stagnant in evolution, and are yet to fully integrate the MMA.


But the main issue is how far and good are African MMA masters doing at interna- tional events?


The majority of African MMA contingent have always come home from international competitions with uninspiring results, due to fierce adversary from Asian and South American fighters, who master the discipline more, and who train in better conditions.


However, with the introduction of the MMA in high schools and tertiary institutions across Africa, as well as the floating of local and national competitions, there is hope that the sport would gain broader grounds in the near future, if incentives from authori- ties follow though.


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