UFC Fight Night: Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman showcases Africa's MMA rise

Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and ex-welterweight king Kamaru Usman will meet in one of the biggest fights of the year at UFC Fight Night this weekend.

While the bout carries significant implications inside the Octagon, it also represents something much bigger. Between them, and alongside former Middleweight supremo Israel Adesanya, the South African and Nigerian-born stars have helped transform perceptions of African mixed martial arts, proving the continent can consistently produce world champions capable of competing at the very highest level.

Long before du Plessis became a UFC champion, however, he was building his reputation in the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC), the promotion that has become the leading platform for African MMA talent.

Dricus du Plessis' journey began in EFC

Before capturing UFC gold, du Plessis established himself as one of EFC's biggest stars.

The Pretoria native won both the EFC welterweight and middleweight championships, combining explosive striking with an aggressive finishing style that quickly made him one of the promotion's standout attractions.

His dominance in South Africa earned opportunities abroad, first with KSW before eventually joining the UFC, where he completed one of the sport's most remarkable rises by becoming world champion.

Although his success has come on the biggest stage in MMA, many of the qualities that define him today were first showcased in EFC.

African MMA has never been stronger

Du Plessis is far from the only African fighter to make an impact internationally.

Usman became the first African-born UFC champion in 2019, while former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and heavyweight Francis Ngannou helped usher in a golden era for the continent.

More recently, fighters such as Cameron Saaiman and Themba Gorimbo have continued to demonstrate the depth of talent emerging from Africa, with several competitors beginning their professional journeys in regional promotions before reaching the UFC.

The success of those athletes has inspired a new generation of fighters who now believe a route from African promotions to the sport's biggest organisations is achievable.

EFC continues to develop tomorrow's stars

As African MMA continues to grow, EFC remains at the centre of that development.

The promotion has produced numerous fighters who have gone on to compete internationally and continues to provide rising prospects with the opportunity to gain experience against high-level opposition.

Today's EFC cards feature athletes hoping to follow the path forged by du Plessis and others, using strong performances to earn opportunities on the global stage.

With events broadcast to audiences around the world through DAZN, those prospects now have greater exposure than ever before.

A reminder of where it all began

This weekend's showdown between du Plessis and Usman is another landmark moment for African MMA.

For du Plessis, it is also a reminder of the journey that took him from fighting for EFC titles in South Africa to competing in some of the UFC's biggest main events.

While the spotlight falls on two of Africa's most accomplished mixed martial artists, EFC continues to build the foundations for the next generation of stars hoping to follow in their footsteps.

How to watch the Extreme Fighting Championship on DAZN

All EFC events will be broadcast live and FREE worldwide* on DAZN. 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....

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

*excluding Sub-Saharan Africa and Poland