Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman: Ranking Africa's greatest UFC fighters

Few regions have transformed mixed martial arts quite like Africa.

For years, the continent produced world-class athletes in boxing, wrestling and kickboxing, but relatively few reached the summit of the UFC. That changed dramatically over the past decade as a generation of African stars reshaped the sport, capturing world titles, headlining pay-per-views and inspiring thousands of young fighters to follow in their footsteps.

This weekend, that legacy takes centre stage once again as South Africa's Dricus du Plessis meets former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in one of the biggest fights of the year. It is more than a clash between two elite competitors. It is a meeting of two fighters who have helped define African MMA on the sport's biggest stage.

From pioneering contenders to multiple world champions, Africa has produced some of the most influential fighters in UFC history. But where do Du Plessis and Usman rank among the continent's very best?

5. Manel Kape (Angola)

Manel Kape may not have captured UFC gold yet, but few African fighters outside the continent's four champions have enjoyed as much success inside the Octagon.

Born in Angola before moving to Portugal, Kape arrived in the UFC as a former RIZIN bantamweight champion and has established himself as one of the promotion's leading flyweights. His explosive striking, knockout power and aggressive style have made him one of the division's most entertaining competitors, while victories over several top-ranked opponents have kept him firmly in the title picture.

A UFC championship remains the one major achievement missing from his résumé, but Kape has already built one of the strongest careers of any African fighter outside the continent's title winners.

4. Dricus du Plessis (South Africa)

No South African had ever captured UFC gold until Dricus du Plessis changed history.

Already a two-division champion in the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) before signing with the UFC, Du Plessis steadily climbed through one of the promotion's toughest divisions, defeating former champions Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya on his way to becoming middleweight champion.

His relentless pressure, unconventional striking and remarkable durability have made him one of the UFC's most distinctive champions, while his willingness to take on every challenge has earned widespread respect.

Victory over Usman would add another elite name to his résumé and strengthen his claim to climb even higher on this list before his career is over.

3. Francis Ngannou (Cameroon)

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Few fighters have enjoyed a rise quite as remarkable as Francis Ngannou.

After leaving Cameroon in search of a better life, Ngannou eventually reached the UFC and developed into one of the most feared heavyweights the sport has ever seen. His devastating knockout power became legendary, producing a string of unforgettable finishes before he finally dethroned Stipe Miocic to claim the heavyweight title in 2021.

Although his time in the UFC ended sooner than many expected, Ngannou's impact on the organisation and African MMA remains immense. He proved that fighters from the continent could become global superstars.

2. Israel Adesanya (Nigeria)

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At his peak, Israel Adesanya redefined what elite striking could look like inside the UFC.

The two-time middleweight champion combined exceptional movement, precision and composure to establish one of the division's defining title reigns. Victories over Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori cemented his place among the sport's elite, while his rivalry with Alex Pereira became one of the defining storylines of modern MMA.

1. Kamaru Usman (Nigeria)

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Until someone surpasses his achievements, Kamaru Usman remains Africa's greatest UFC fighter.

The former welterweight champion dominated one of the promotion's deepest divisions, defending his title five times while defeating a succession of elite contenders including Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal.

At his peak, Usman was regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, blending dominant wrestling with increasingly polished striking to establish himself as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history.

This weekend presents another opportunity to enhance an already remarkable legacy. Defeating the reigning middleweight champion would rank among the finest victories of his career and further strengthen his place at the top of African MMA.

Where will Africa's next UFC star come from

Many of Africa's leading MMA stars begin their professional journey long before reaching the UFC, and few organisations have played a bigger role in that pathway than EFC.

Based in South Africa, EFC has established itself as one of the continent's premier mixed martial arts promotions, helping develop future international stars, including Dricus du Plessis before his move to the UFC.

You can watch the continent's premier MMA competition live on DAZN globally.*

If you already have a DAZN subscription or free account then Extreme Fighting Championship is already available to you.

If you have yet to sign up for a DAZN FREE account, then all you need to do is enter an email address and away you go. 

With the DAZN app, you can watch on almost any device, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming devices like Fire Sticks, games consoles like PlayStations, and laptops / PCs / Macs.

To get the DAZN App, just follow these instructions....

1. Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device
2. On a laptop or PC, visit www.DAZN.com/home
3. Select 'Get started' or 'log in'
4. Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options
5. You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the Matchroom boxing channel and FIFA+
6. Then find the  EFC page to start watching

*excluding Sub-Saharan Africa and Poland