Cameroonian mixed martial arts prospect Emilios Dassi is set to return to the cage when the Professional Fighters League kicks off Season Two of its continental tournament, PFL Africa, next month.
The first global MMA organization to launch such a structured league on the continent, PFL Africa will begin its 2026 season on Friday, April 10 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. The event builds on the momentum of the inaugural season, which crowned four pioneer champions across the heavyweight, welterweight, featherweight and bantamweight divisions last year.
Among the fighters on the action-packed card for the first event of the 2026 season is Cameroon’s Emilios Dassi. The power puncher from the Francis Ngannou Foundation in Batié, in the West Region of the country, will face Angola’s Shido Boris Esperança, a finalist in the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament. The pair will meet in a high-stakes welterweight bout as both begin their chase for divisional gold and the $100,000 prize.
Nicknamed “Le Fils du Prédateur” or “Son of the Predator,” Dassi joined the Francis Ngannou Foundation gym in 2020, crediting the rise of Cameroonian heavyweight star Francis Ngannou for inspiring him and many others to pursue the sport.
Possessing frightening knockout power reminiscent of his mentor, Dassi competed in the inaugural season of PFL Africa last year, defeating Angola’s Osvaldo Benedito by first-round knockout in Johannesburg to secure a place in the semifinals.
However, his title hopes were halted in Kigali, where he lost a hard-fought semifinal bout by unanimous decision to Guinea-Bissau’s Yabna N’tchala, who went on to win the title and become the division’s inaugural champion.
Dassi now returns to the SmartCage determined to reinvent himself and fly the Cameroonian flag high as he attempts to write his name in PFL Africa history.
Standing in his way is Angola’s finishing specialist Shido Boris Esperança, one of the standout welterweights from last season who reached the final before falling to N’tchala.
Season Two of PFL Africa will showcase rising African prospects alongside established contenders from more than 10 nations across the continent, according to the organization.
Several compelling matchups have already been confirmed for the opening card, which will be headlined by inaugural bantamweight champion Nkosi Ndebele. He will return to the PFL SmartCage in a showcase bout against Italy’s Michele Clemente, an Oktagon MMA standout currently riding a five-fight winning streak as he makes his PFL Africa debut.
In line with its pledge to give women fighters in Africa more opportunities, PFL has also scheduled two women’s strawweight showcase bouts on the card.
The opening fight will see Kenya’s Felista Mugo face Uganda’s Annet Kiiza in a matchup that marks a significant moment for African MMA, as two regional standouts step onto one of the sport’s most visible platforms.
Another exciting contest will feature an all-Nigerian showdown between undefeated Nigerian Police Corporal Juliet Ukah and compatriot Jane Osigwe, a bout expected to ignite the crowd.
