In this episode of Combat Sports in Africa, we delve into the exciting world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) at the 13th African Games, which took place in Accra, Ghana, from March 8th to March 23rd. This year's games were not just about traditional combat sports like Wrestling, Boxing, Judo, Taekwondo, and Karate; MMA made a significant appearance as a demonstration sport, marking a notable moment for the sport on the continent.Overseen by the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA),  the MMA tournament unfolded over two days, from March 10th to March 12th, amidst a broad array of 30 disciplines, including 6 other demonstration sports. This event, organized by the African Union, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, the Association of African Sports Confederations, and the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa, showcased eight disciplines serving as qualifiers for the upcoming Paris 2024 Games. Our guest for this episode is Mr. Jeff Taylor, the President of Ghana's Mixed Martial Arts Association. In an insightful interview, Mr. Taylor shares Team Ghana's experiences at the games, highlighting their standout moments, the preparation process, the impact of their participation on MMA and sports development in Ghana, and what the future holds for Team Ghana in MMA on both local and international stages.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

In this riveting episode of the "Combat Sports in Africa" podcast, we connect with the formidable Veja Hinda, the pride of Team Namibia, fresh from his recent silver medal victory at the IMMAF Africa Championships in Luanda, Angola. Join us as Hinda unravels his journey in the championship, offering personal insights into the preparations, the undeniable camaraderie within Team Namibia, and the collective spirit that fueled their remarkable showing at the championship.As the conversation unfolds, Hinda sheds light on the intricacies of his opponents' techniques and the moments that defined his bouts. Moreover, he shares his keen observations on the burgeoning African MMA scene, the escalating competition standards at the IMMAF Africa Championships, and his ambitious plans and focus areas for honing his skills in anticipation of future tournaments, potentially including a stint at the IMMAF Worlds. Immerse yourself in this deep discussion that brings you closer to the heartbeat of African combat sports, portraying the dedication and fervor driving the continent's emerging champions.Tune in to witness a narrative of passion and perseverance, encapsulated in the journey of one of Africa's bright sporting stars.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

In this latest episode, we ventured into the heart of São Tomé and Príncipe, a picturesque island nation nestled in the Gulf of Guinea, to explore the emerging judo scene under the guidance and leadership of André Rosa, the fervent president of the São Tomé and Príncipe Judo Federation. Rosa, whose own journey with judo is woven into his childhood, imparted an in-depth narrative of his personal connection to the sport and his robust visions for its future in the nation. Our conversation ventured through the initial stages of the federation's establishment, highlighting the relentless efforts in nurturing a robust judo community in spite of a host of challenges.Through Rosa's steadfast leadership and the collaboration and support from various stakeholders, the federation has carved out significant milestones, including the development of training centres and the successful execution of national championships. In addition to the grassroots development, Rosa brought to light the country's recent involvement in the African Senior Championships Individuals 2023, showcasing a pivotal moment in São Tomé and Príncipe's journey in the world of judo. Tune in to get an in-depth view of how judo is steadily marking its territory in the nation's sporting landscape, fostering unity and nurturing positive values in the community through the vehicle of sport.São Tomé and Príncipe's Judo Global on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/judoglobalIJF articles regarding "São Tomé and Príncipe Judo" https://www.ijf.org/country/stp/newsFollow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

In this quick update from the "Combat Sports in Africa" podcast, we journey through the dynamic sphere of African judo, revisiting significant milestones and recent events. From celebrating the 60-year legacy of the African Judo Union to the remarkable victories at the 2023 African Judo Championships in Casablanca, we cover it all.Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for more vibrant updates from the heart of African combat sports, and don't miss the deeper dive into these topics through the following articles:60 years of the African Judo Union: IFJ Awards Gold Medal to AJU for Work Done https://www.africajudo.org/news/show/60-ans-de-l-uaj-la-f-d-ration-internationale-de-judo-d-cerne-une-m-daille-d-or-l-union-africaine-de-judo-pour-le-travail-accompliAfrican Senior Championships Individual 2023 Morocco, Casablanca: Egypt wins two gold medals for this first day of competitionhttps://www.africajudo.org/news/show/african-senior-championships-individual-2023-morocco-casablanca-egypt-wins-two-gold-medals-for-this-first-day-of-competition2023 African Judo Championships in Morocco: Algeria, Morocco and Madagascar in Gold for This 2nd Day of Competitionhttps://www.africajudo.org/news/show/championnats-d-afrique-senior-de-judo-2023-au-maroc-l-algerie-le-maroc-et-madagascar-en-or-pour-cette-2e-journee-de-competitionThe African Judo Community Expresses Sympathy to the People of Morocco for Lives Lost in the Recent Earthquakehttps://www.africajudo.org/news/show/la-communaut-africaine-du-judo-exprime-sa-sympathie-au-peuple-marocain-pour-les-vies-perdues-lors-du-r-cent-tremblement-de-terreAfrican Judo Championships 2023 in Casablanca: The National Anthems Did Not Sound During the Medal Ceremony. The AJU in Solidarity with the Victims of the Earthquake and the Moroccan People Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

In this quick update from the "Combat Sports in Africa" podcast, we bring you exhilarating highlights from the Paris 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix. Dive deeper into the heart-stopping confrontations, like the fierce clash between Cisse and Cunningham, that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Stay connected and passionate about African combat sports by following us on Facebook and Instagram.   For more in-depth coverage of the event, don't forget to check out these articles:Opening day of Paris 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prixhttp://worldtaekwondo.org/competition/view.html?nid=140422&mcd=D30&sc=neParis 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix concludes with golds for France and Cote D’Ivoirehttp://worldtaekwondo.org/competition/view.html?nid=140439&mcd=D30&sc=neStay tuned for more updates!Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

In this special episode, we sit down with Oon Yeoh, the Judo journalist behind JudoCrazy and coach at KL Judo Dojo, to explore the art of the throw. We dive into his article, "How do you develop a throw?", comprising 1,998 words of keen insights, and discuss why he felt compelled to write it. From the evolution of classical techniques to the importance of proper instruction and RANDORI! Don't miss this exclusive conversation!Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Catch a quick glance at the AFBC Men's and Women's African Boxing Championships 2023! From medal counts to the excitement of the finals, this episode offers a bite-sized overview of Africa's top boxing event in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Want to dive deeper? Check out the links below!For More Details and to Rewatch the Matches:AFBC Men's and Women's African Boxing Championships - IBA Boxing (YouTube)Mohammed Rabii's Semi-Finals ShineZacharie Mvogo Amougou's Final AdvanceFull Fight Results – Yaounde 2023Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Tune in for an overview of the Dakar 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge, a stepping stone to Paris 2023. This short episode draws on reference material from World Taekwondo. For comprehensive results, click here.To watch the entire tournament, find it here. Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Join us in our latest episode where we discuss amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) in Nigeria with none other than Amb Henry George, President of the Nigerian MMA Federation. We talk about the sport's growth, grassroots involvement, and the Federation's strategies for talent identification and athlete development. We also touch upon the Federation's partnerships, plans for international representation, and safety measures in place.  Amb George provides an inside look at MMA in Nigeria and shares his vision for the future of the sport in Nigeria!Follow the Nigerian MMA Federation (NMMAF) on their Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube page  for updates and insights into MMA in Nigeria.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Unmasking the Sand Titans: In this episode, we dive into the power-packed world of Beach Wrestling at the 2nd 2023 African Beach Games. From Senegal's dominant performance to Blessing Oborududu's sand debut, we're covering it all. Don't miss out on this ringside seat to African combat sports! For more detailed information, check out our reference materials:"Traditional wrestling hotbed Senegal dominates African Beach Games" - Check it out here"African Beach Games: Olympic medalist Oborududu solid on sand" - Read moreThe official UWW Beach Wrestling rules - Get the detailsFor more exciting updates on African combat sports, follow us on our Facebook page: Combat Sports in Africa.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Unlocking the Arena: Join us as we delve into the thrilling action of the World Taekwondo Championships 2023 in Baku! Hear the inspiring comeback tale of Ivorian legend Cheick Sallah Cissé, who claims his first World Taekwondo Championships title seven years on from Olympic gold. For a closer look at the competition, check out our references:"Côte d'Ivoire's Cheick Sallah Cissé claims World Taekwondo Championships" - Read more"World Taekwondo Championships Baku Day 7 Report" - Check it out here Stay updated with more exciting stories from the world of African combat sports. Follow us on our Facebook page at Combat Sports in Africa and join in the exhilarating journey!Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Judo Unleashed: Journey with us into the electrifying arena of the Baku 2023 World Judo Championships. From Younes Saddiki's compelling performance to Soumiya Iraoui's stunning passes, and Dris's incredible feat of defeating the reigning Mongolian World Champion Tsend Ochir, we've got it all covered! Tap in for the exhilarating details on how Morocco finished fifth in the mixed team's event! For more in-depth information, refer to our sources:"World Judo Championships 2023 Day 1: Morocco's Younes Saddiki takes 7th place in the 60kg category" - Check it out here"World Judo Championships Day 2: Morocco's Soumiya Iraoui passes two rounds" - Read more"WJC 2023 Day 3: Algeria's Dris creates the feat by eliminating reigning Mongolian World Champion Tsend Ochir in the 73kg category" - Read here"World Judo Championships Doha 2023: Mixed teams - stunning Morocco finished fifth" - Get the details Stay tuned for more action-packed episodes on African combat sports, and don't forget to follow us on our Facebook page: Combat Sports in Africa.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Dive into the world of boxing in this powerful episode! We recap the Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, where Morocco's Khadija El Mardi packed a punch, clinching Africa's first gold. We also take you to the Men's World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for an electrifying rundown of Africa's participation. Gloves on, and let's step into the ring! Reference Material:Get the full blow-by-blow details from these championships by visiting:Results and Statistics for Africa at the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships, New Delhi, India - AFBC - African Boxing Confederation Khadija El Mardi Wins First Gold Medal for Morocco, Africa in Women's Boxing - Morocco World News 2023 Results and Statistics for Africa at the 2023 Men's World Boxing Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan - AFBC - African Boxing ConfederationFollow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Veja Hinda from Namibia shares his thoughts on the 2022 IMMAF World Championships in Serbia in an interview after his impressive debut at the global competition.  He was proud to represent Team Namibia, along with his teammates and coach, on the global stage in the largest IMMAF World championship ever! Hinda demonstrated his fighting spirit and skills by finishing his opponent with an impressive guillotine choke submission win. In this interview Hinda talks about the current state of mixed martial arts and combat sports in Namibia, his development as a mixed martial artist and journey into the sport, along with some of the challenges and opportunities along the way.The SouSa MMA Studios team was proud of their debut performance, and they thanked IMMAF for the chance to participate. Let's continue to support Namibia's journey to building a competitive mixed martial arts environment and brand back home!Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Morocco hailed after thrilling IBA World Boxing Tour Golden Belt Series event concludes in MarrakeshFebruary 13th, 2023 / World Boxing TourInternational Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev has praised Morocco’s boxing family after the World Boxing Tour Golden Belt Series event in Marrakesh drew to a close on Friday.Africa’s inaugural Golden Belt Series event was a resounding success, with local spectators creating a tremendous atmosphere at the 2,500-seat M’Hamid competition venue as they captured outstanding action in the ring.Moroccan boxing fans certainly had plenty to cheer, with four of their athletes reaching gold medal bouts and Khadija Mardi claiming gold in the women’s heavyweight final to wrap up a thrilling event in Marrakesh.However, the event was an international triumph, with boxers from 14 different countries contesting gold medal bouts across 25 weight categories to demonstrate the global reach of the men’s and women’s competitions.“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported this excellent event in Marrakesh,” Kremlev said. “A great deal of credit should go to the boxers and their support teams as the contests on display were of a supremely high quality.“The competition has demonstrated beyond any doubt that Morocco has a growing passion for boxing, and we look forward to returning to the country soon. Marrakesh has set an excellent standard for future World Boxing Tour events to follow as the 2023 campaign continues.”The IBA confirmed last week that it is close to signing World Boxing Tour event-hosting agreements with a number of other cities.The World Boxing Tour comprises a series of events that are classified into three categories: Golden Belt, Silver Belt and Bronze Belt tournaments, which contribute to the new IBA ranking system that will help to define the most successful boxers at the end of the year. The top four athletes in each weight category will fight to be named the best of the best at the annual Diamond Belt Series event.Marrakesh hosted the third event on the World Boxing Tour, the IBA’s groundbreaking new competition series, after successful Silver and Golden Belt Series tournaments in Slovenia and Mexico, respectively, last year.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

It’s almost 2023! With the New Year quickly approaching, we follow up with Zimbabwe’s Lewis Mataya, the 2022 IMMAF African Lightweight champion! We talk about 2022 and his combat sports journey post IMMAF's Africa Championship 2022. In this frank interview Mataya speaks  about the tumultuously challenging year he’s had personally and professionally.  Along with his desire to keep training and competing, while inspiring a new generation of young Zimbabwean combat sports athletes and future competitors!Make sure to follow Lewis Mataya on social media! Here's the first interview we had after IMMAF's Africa Championship 2022.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

The President of Mixed Martial Art Federation Mauritius, Avinash Ramtohul joins us to discuss the popularity  of amateur mixed martial arts on the island of Mauritius. We also discuss the history of how the sport was developed, as well as the challenges and opportunities to its development.  President Avinash Ramtohul also shares his opinions on the the state of amateur and professional mixed martial arts in Africa, the value of strategic planning, collaboration and leadership, as well as IMMAF’s (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) role and contributions to mixed martial arts in Africa. Mixed Martial Arts Federation Mauritius Recognised As The Governing Body For MMA In MauritiusMMAFM to conduct monthly trials to spot up-and-coming fightersMauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,100 nautical miles) off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon.Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

IMMAF’s Director of Development, Dr. Andrew Moshanov joins us to discuss: the development of amateur mixed martial arts , the 2022 Youth Worlds Championships, coaching younger athletes, IMMAF’s grading system, the challenges and opportunities for the development of the sport worldwide and the importance of coaching and coaches role in developing and athletes and the sport.  Recent articlesYouth Events Are A Great School For Children and Their Future SuccessIMMAF coaching courses held in Middle East and Central Asia before Youth World ChampionshipsFollow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

Film maker, stuntman and actor Eric Mazimpaka is working on a documentary project that will look at the history and future of Kung Fu in Tanzania and east Africa, titled “AFRICA: A Kung Fu Story!”. He believes that “that one can find FREEDOM THROUGH CINEMA.” Kung Fu and film making!Eric tells us about “Shaolin Tanzania”,  Master Mfaume and the community of dedicated, creative and talented young martial artists. Eric and his team’s goal is “to help foster creative growth in these talented kids while giving them the confidence and the tools to be leaders in the development of their local film industry.” They'll be fostering this creative growth by hosting a series of filmmaking workshops in Tanzania for the “Shaolin Tanzania” community!  How cool is that!? Check out his GoFundMe page “FREEDOM THROUGH CINEMA: A Film Making Workshop”. https://www.gofundme.com/f/freedom-through-cinema-a-film-making-workshopShaolin Tanzania: https://www.youtube.com/c/MasterMfaume/videosFollow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram

South African judoka Geronay Whitebooi won the African Championships title in 2019 in Cape Town. She captured a silver medal at the African Games in Rabat in 2019. She claimed a bronze medal at the African Open in Dakar in 2019. She secured a silver medal at the European Cup in Dubrovnik in 2022.In this interview  Geronay  talks about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics , and her matches and experience from recent tournaments such as he Dubrovnik Senior European Cup 2022, the African Championships Oran 2022 and the Grand Slam Ulaanbaatar 2022. She openly shares her journey into the sport, how her judo is progressing and evolving, the lessons learned on and off the tatami, along with the challenges and opportunities for African and South African judoka, in addition to her motivation, passion and drive to train and compete!Follow Combat Sports in Africa on facebook and Instagram