Sports
Adeshina to headline historic PFL Africa Lagos debut
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has confirmed the full fight card for its first West African event as PFL Africa 2: Nigeria prepares to make its debut at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
The event is being billed as a landmark moment for mixed martial arts (MMA) in West Africa, featuring a mix of tournament bouts and high-profile showcase fights that will bring together top fighters from across Africa and international contenders.
Nigeria’s Wasi “The Nigerian Jaguar” Adeshina will headline the card in a featherweight showcase bout against Spain’s Ignacio Campos in what is expected to be the biggest fight of the night. Adeshina, who holds a 10–3 record, previously made history by winning the PFL Africa featherweight title in Cotonou and is widely regarded as one of the continent’s leading MMA athletes. Known for his strong wrestling and tactical ground control, he will be fighting in front of a home crowd in Lagos for the first time at this level.
His opponent, Campos, enters the bout with a 7–2 record and is coming off strong performances on the international circuit, setting up a high-intensity contest that will test Adeshina’s status as a rising face of African MMA.
The co-main event will see Nigeria’s Patrick Ocheme face Cameroon’s Octave Ayinda in a lightweight tournament first-round clash. Ocheme, who carries an 8–1 record, will rely on home support as he looks to advance in the competition, while Ayinda enters the fight with a reputation for aggressive finishing ability.
The Lagos card will also mark the start of the 2026 PFL Africa bantamweight and lightweight tournament quarterfinals, where fighters are competing for a place in the finals and a $100,000 prize. The lineup includes a highly anticipated unbeaten clash between Algeria’s Karim Henniene and South Africa’s Thimna Mhlauli, while Nigeria’s Cornel Thompson is set to face Congolese former champion Tsilomba Mikixi in another key lightweight matchup. In addition, a regional rivalry bout will see Nigeria’s Yahaya Yahuza take on Cameroon’s Jordan Fongno in the middleweight division, while Nigeria’s Juliet Ukah returns to action in a women’s showcase fight against Brazil’s Elisandra Ferreira.
PFL Africa General Manager Elias Schulze described the Lagos debut as a major milestone for the promotion’s expansion strategy, noting that Nigeria’s deep combat sports culture and passionate fan base make the country an ideal host for the organization’s West African entry.
The event will be broadcast live to more than 170 countries, with SuperSport and Canal+ serving as key broadcast partners. With international fighters expected to arrive in Nigeria ahead of fight week, Lagos is set to become the center of global attention when the PFL Africa showcase takes place in June.
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