A.J. McKee is set to make his return to the featherweight division as the Professional Fighters League (PFL) debuts in Africa on July 19th.
The landmark event is set to take place at the Grand West Arena in Cape Town, South Africa, and will feature some of the organization’s biggest stars. McKee (22-2), a former Bellator featherweight champion, will face Akhmed Magomedov (11-1) in a 145-pound bout as part of the PFL Champions Series. This marks McKee's first fight since his split-decision loss to Paul Hughes in October 2024.
Magomedov recently made his first appearance in the PFL smartcage, picking up an impressive submission win over Irish star Nathan Kelly at the promotion’s Road to Dubai event in January. Prior to that the Dagestani had gone 1-1 under the Bellator banner.
The event will also feature former Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC), who is moving up to the heavyweight division to face Denis Goltsov, the 2024 PFL heavyweight tournament winner. This marks Anderson's return after more than a year on the sidelines.
The main event will showcase undefeated middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) defending his title against Costello van Steenis (16-3). In the co-main event, 2024 PFL women's flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) will take on Sumiko Inaba (8-1). Additionally, the inaugural PFL Africa tournament will commence, featuring first-round matchups in the heavyweight and bantamweight divisions. The event is part of PFL's expansion into Africa, with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou serving as the league's chairman.
This historic event is expected to bring significant attention to the sport of MMA in Africa and provide a platform for African fighters to showcase their talents on a global stage.
Fights Confirmed for PFL Africa
- Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis – for middleweight title
- Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba
- A.J. McKee vs. Akhmed Magomedov
- Corey Anderson vs. Denis Goltsov
- Justin Clarke vs. Jashell Ticha Awa – PFL Africa heavyweight quarterfinal
- Mahmoud Atef vs. Nkosi Ndebele – PFL Africa bantamweight quarterfinal
- Abdoullah Kane vs. Mohammad Ben Yahia – PFL Africa heavyweight quarterfinal
- Abderrahman Errachidy vs. Simbarashe Hokonya – PFL Africa bantamweight quarterfinal
- Mikael Groguhe vs. Maxwell Djantou Nana – PFL Africa heavyweight quarterfinal
- Boule Godogo vs. Shannon Van Tonder – PFL Africa bantamweight quarterfinal
- Antero Dos Santos vs. Karim Henniene – PFL Africa bantamweight quarterfinal
