Nigeria’s Patrick Ocheme and Raphael Uchegbu have secured places in the finals of their respective divisions at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa event in Casablanca, Morocco, setting up a December 10 showdown in Rwanda.
Ocheme produced an emphatic performance in the lightweight semi-final, knocking out compatriot Cornel Thompson with a body kick at 2:46 of the first round. The victory improved his record to 10-1 and booked him a meeting with Senegal’s Demba Seck in the final.
Seck advanced after his bout against unbeaten Hussain Al Kurdi was ruled a no-contest at 37 seconds following an accidental groin strike.
Uchegbu reached the bantamweight final without stepping into the cage after his scheduled opponent missed weight and was ruled unable to compete. He will face Liberia’s Dwight Joseph, who defeated Boule Godogo by split decision.
Both Nigerians progressed from the Lagos leg of the tournament, where Ocheme knocked out Cameroon’s Octave Ayinda, while Uchegbu and Thompson recorded unanimous-decision victories.
In the welterweight division, Angola’s Shido Boris Esperança stopped South Africa’s Peace Nguphane in the first round. He will face unbeaten David Samuel, who secured a unanimous-decision victory over Rivaldo Pereira.
The Casablanca event, held at the Mohammed V Sports Complex, marked PFL Africa’s first show in North Africa.
In the heavyweight main event, Senegal’s Abdoulaye Kane defeated Morocco’s Badr “Dastan” Medkouri by first-round technical knockout. Algeria’s Yanis Ghemmouri also claimed a unanimous-decision victory in the featherweight co-main event.
Nigeria’s Jane Osigwe added another victory for the country, defeating Morocco’s Sanaa Mandar by unanimous decision on the undercard.
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