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MMA

02nd Apr 2020

The brutal world of African mixed martial arts

Wayne Farry

“The time for killing has come”

Ultimate Fighting Championship has seen an influx of Nigerian fighters competing for the top belts. Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya have both wowed crowds with their skills lately, but what do you know about the fighting styles of Nigeria?

We spoke to Maxwell Kalu, the founder of a promotion called African Warriors Fighting Championship, which aims to bring the ancient combat sports of Nigeria to the global stage.

Kalu talks about the history and popularity of Dambe, a form of boxing in Nigeria, and wrestling, as well as the popularity of fighters who are putting it all on the line for a chance to give themselves a better life.