Combat Sports in Africa

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...

Morocco hailed after thrilling IBA World Boxing Tour Golden Belt Series event concludes in Marrakesh February 13th, 2023 / World Boxing Tour International 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...

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...

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 mart...

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 articles Youth E...

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 m...

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...

Dr Tsegaye Degineh is the  founder of the Judo & Ju-Jitsu Associations and Clubs in Ethiopia and is also the Vice President of the Ju-Jitsu African Union (JJAFU) and a member of the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) Ethics commission. Dr  Degineh answers the following questions:  What did you think of the Ethiopian team’s performance at the 2022 African Jujitsu Championship held in Luan...

In this episode, I speak with the 2022 IMMAF African Lightweight Champion, Zimbabwe’s Lewis Mataya about his dominant Gold medal performance at the 2022 IMMAF Africa Championship! Mataya also share his approach to training, competing, along with his journey into the sport of amateur mixed martial arts.  Lewis Mataya’s Hardfought Journey to Africa Championships Gold https://immaf.org/2022/05/06/lew...

Colin Stewart updates us on the Ethiopian Jiujitsu team’s recent competition at the 2022 edition of the AFRICAN JU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP, which was  held on March 23rd to the 26th  at the Kilamba Arena, in Luanda, Angola. Ethiopia sent two athletes, Yared Negusse and “Mita” Negash Tsehaye Alemayehu, both grapplers are versed in Judo, Jujitsu, Brazilian Jiujitsu and NoGi. "Mita” Negash Tsehaye Al...

In this episode, I speak with Malawian Judoka Harriet Bonface about her journey into the sport of Judo, the state of Judo in Malawi, her  hopes to inspire Malawian women to practice Judo and her role as a member of the IJF Athletes' Commission. Harriet also shares her experience as the first ever Malawian Judoka to ever compete at the Olympics. For more on Harriet Bonface and Judo in Malawi  ...

 In this episode, I speak with MMA Zambia President  Benjamin Bush about: Team Zambia’s overall performance at the 2022  IMMAF Africa Championships, The level of mixed martial arts (MMA) talent across Africa, MMA Zambia being recognized as the Best National Federation for 2021, MMA Sports development,  Youth Development initiative in Zambia, President Benjamin Bush's “combat sports’ story” an...

The 2022 International Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s (IMMAF) Africa Championship were held in Johannesburg, South Africa on April 28 to 30th. This was the first time in 3 years since IMMAF held an event on African soil! In this episode of the Combat Sports in Africa podcast, I speak with IMMAF President Kerrith Brown about the Africa Championship, the state of amateur mixed martial arts in Afric...

 In this episode we go to Zimbabwe to speak with Natsiraishe Maritsa , she’s an 18 year old Taekwondo trainer doing incredible work for young girls in her community and country. She’s using the sport of Taekwondo to engage, empower and educate her community to fight against child marriage in Zimbabwe.  Her project combines taekwondo lessons with discussions about the risks of early marriage, desig...

 The 2022 edition of the AFRICAN JU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP will be held on March 23rd to the 26th  at the Kilamba Arena, in Luanda, ANGOLA!    In this episode of the Combat Sports in Africa podcast, I’ll be speaking to Colin Stewart about Brazilian Jiujitsu in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Also, please make sure to check out the following GoFundMe campaign to Support Female Combat Sport Athletes :  https://w...

Mbagnick Ndiaye Medalist in Portugal "It is with great joy that we followed the magnificent journey of Mbagnick Ndiaye (SEN) in the +100kg on the last day of the Portugal 2022 Grand Prix, organized by the International Judo Federation. Perfectly focused from the start to the end of the competition, the Senegalese only lost to the Hungarian Richard Sipocz in the quarter-finals, before winning...

Mr. Johannes Daxbacher is an active member of the IJF Military and Police commission. He's a   police commissioner in the Bavarian Police (in Germany) and a Judoka who has been actively involved in the development of Judo in Ethiopia .  Questions Please give us a summary of your Judo career (from competitor to coach) and overall involvement in the sport of Judo?  How and why did you get invol...

Dr Tsegaye Degineh is the  founder of the Judo & Ju-Jitsu Associations and Clubs in Ethiopia and is also the Vice President of the Ju-Jitsu African Union (JJAFU) and a member of the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) Ethics commission. Dr  Degineh answers the following questions regarding the development of Jiujitsu in Ethiopia: What is the current state of Jiujitsu and Judo in Ethiopia,...