The Professional Fighters League (PFL) held an open workout ahead of the debut of the inaugural season of PFL Africa, which is set to take place on Saturday, July 19th at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town, South Africa.
The open workout took place at the Champions Academy RDC Gym in Kinshasa, Congo, and featured Nigeria’s Juliet Ukah and South Africa’s Ceileigh Niedermayr. The two PFL Africa stars will face off in a Showcase Women’s Strawweight bout at PFL Cape Town.
In front of the fans and media in attendance, Ukah and Niedermayr showcased their skills in a public training session before facing off for the first time ahead of their highly anticipated showdown.
Juliet Ukah said: “I’m very happy to be on the first PFL Africa card, and my fight with Ceileigh is going to be an exciting one. We’re going to be representing the two biggest MMA nations in Africa, and we want to help put African MMA in the global spotlight. Compared to her, I think I’m the more experienced fighter and the better striker, so I’m comfortable wherever the fight goes. I expect to get the finish, but I don’t mind going to a third round if needed.
“Ceileigh, let’s bring out the best in each other and show the world how well African women can fight!”
To Ceileigh Niedermayr, “It’s truly an honor to be part of the first-ever women’s fight in PFL Africa. This fight camp isn’t just about preparing for my next opponent — it’s a reflection of my lifelong dedication to martial arts. I’m always pushing myself to grow, to evolve, and to become the best fighter I can be.”
“On fight night, I’m bringing a new level of Smiley Savagery to the SmartCage. I have a lot of respect for Juliet as a fighter, and I welcome the chance to test myself against her, but I don’t think she’s ever faced anyone like me. I’m expecting an exciting, high-level battle — and I’m ready for it.”
The historic PFL Cape Town event will kick off the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, featuring First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. The event will also be headlined by five must-see PFL Champions Series bouts, including a Middleweight World Championship main event between titleholder Johnny “Pressure” Eblen (16-0) and challenger Costello “The Spaniard” van Steenis (16-3).
PFL Cape Town begins at 4:30 PM SAST / 10:30 AM EST with the PFL Africa Tournament, followed by the PFL Champions Series, which begins at 8:30 PM SAST / 2:30 PM EST. A U.S. broadcast partner will be announced shortly.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league world-wide. PFL is the only MMA organization with the “win and advance” tournament format. PFL has three fight products: PFL World Tournament, PFL Champions Series, and PFL International Leagues. PFL is broadcast and streamed live to 190 countries with 20 leading media partners. PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, 885 Capital, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth and global sport business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams
