Marc-Philippe Ngatchou had passion for and hoped to make a career in football while growing up as a teenager. He started playing football but quickly switched to combat sports when he turned 20.
Inspired by his father, Louis Pergaud Ngatchou, Cameroonian professional boxer who won Gold for the country at the 1976 Summer Olympics and his uncle, mixed martial arts (MMA) world champion Francis Ngannou, Ngatchou chose MMA over football.
From his first fight as an amateur in 2021, Ngatchou, 23, has stayed focused on his dream to fight on the MMA global stage and become world champion like the famous Francis Ngannou.
The professional MMA fighter who has signed with London-based MMA promotion, Cage Warriors, won the second edition of the Francis Ngannou Foundation Challenge in Batie, West Region of Cameroon on Saturday, March 30.
Being his first fight in his home country, Ngatchou who is based in Germany recorded victory following unanimous decision after an intense three-round fight with Moly Christopher from DR Congo.
“I feel very happy with this victory. It was a difficult fight, but I won. It is a pleasure to fight in my home country and to represent the Cameroonian flag,” Ngatchou said, adding that: “My inspiration comes from my father and my uncle Francis Ngannou. They have showed me that everything is possible no matter where you are from and that determination leads to success”.
Nurturing next generation of African fighters
In its second edition this year, the Francis Ngannou Foundation Challenge, an initiative of Professional Fighters League (PFL) heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, offers an opportunity for up-and-coming African fighters to showcase their talents.
The second edition brought together over 20 professional fighters from six African countries including Cameroon, fighting in five weight divisions.
“The event was quite a success in all ramifications,” said Cameroonian MMA expert analyst Giovanni Wanneh who was co-commentator at the event.
Six of seven athletes from the Francis Ngannou Foundation who fought in the second edition put out exceptional performances, but for Djiki Fanfan who lost to DRC’s Romain Kasese in the heavyweight category.
Among the Foundation’s trainees is Emilios Dassi who beat Jeremy Etiko from the DRC winning by technical knockout in the second round in the 77kg category. Inspired by the one he calls his mentor, Francis Ngannou, Dassi who has been training at the Foundation since 2019 said in front of a rapturous crowd at the event that the victory gives him confidence and encouragement to work more again for the next challenge.
“My source of inspiration is of course my mentor, Francis Ngannou. He is a model for me whether in or outside the octagon. His fighting spirit inspires me just like my other peers at the gym. I am doing all to be like him,” Dassi told NewsWatch.
“My dream is to become a great champion in MMA, on the national, continental and international scene. My goal is to sign with a big MMA promotion [like PFL] and become a world champion of my category,” he said further.
African fighters dream to fight for fortune and glory
Like Dassi, the dream of many African fighters is to fight for fortune and glory – fight in the PFL. This ambition could soon become more of a reality as the promotion expands its international footprints to Africa. The Africa league will commence this year with Francis Ngannou serving as chairman.
“As we have seen, there is a great wealth of talent in Africa just waiting to be given a global stage,” the PFL Africa chairman said. “I am so very proud to give back to my homeland and to provide great content to a region with such a passionate and diverse fan base,” Ngannou said further in a statement.
MMA is the fastest-growing sport globally, but its profile remains low in Cameroon and Africa where football is dominant sports in most countries.
In Cameroon, sports lovers know the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and some popular current and former players of the national football team, but many are unaware of the Cameroon Federation of Mixed Martial Arts and Affiliated Disciplines (FECAMMADA) highlighting the sports’ neglect.
Wanneh agrees MMA is not as popular on the continent as other sporting disciplines like football, but says with former and current MMA champions from Africa like Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou, Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya, and South Africa’s Dricus Du Plesis shining the light, the continent is slowly accepting the sport.
PFL Africa to spotlight homegrown talents
PFL Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Loren Mack said the upcoming PFL Africa season will “grow the sport of MMA and put the spotlight on homegrown talent from the region”.
However, for MMA to thrive on the continent, governments and other stakeholders in the sport have to step up their game especially in infrastructural development.
In Cameroon for example, there are no state-of-the-art gyms by government whereas according to Wanneh, such academies play a vital role in the growth of the sports.
Wanneh says thanks to the Francis Ngannou Foundation, some top talents in Cameroon like Desmond Awa and Emilios Dassi amongst others have emerged, attesting to the fact that the country and Africa in general is endowed with talents that need just a platform to demonstrate.
Athletes say competitions like the Francis Ngannou Foundation Challenge should be encouraged and multiplied.
“Competitions like this one organised by our mentor Francis Ngannou help a lot especially that it gives us more experience and visibility. Through this, a big promotion can spot you…, then your dream just materialises,” Dassi said.
African governments have been making efforts
In addition to personal initiatives like the one by Francis Ngannou, African governments have been putting in efforts to enhance MMA on the continent. In Cameroon, the government recognised the MMA Federation last year. Prior to that, a group of experts – including Wanneh, had been putting in some energy in promoting the sport.
“With the federation’s recognition, things can only get better [with MMA in Cameroon],” Wanneh hoped.
With the ongoing efforts by stakeholders and PFL Africa – the third international franchise of the promotion commencing in the second half of this year, fighters like Ngatchou and Dassi could be next generation of African big names in MMA history.
