Face-Off Fight Night promoters, Usman, Belousova, promise bigger show for fans after successful show | The Guardian Nigeria News

It was a night of pure entertainment and mixed martial arts as Nigerian celebrities, sports and media icons, as well as fans of MMA, thronged Landmark Center for the third edition of Face-Off Fight Night organized by 5Five 4Four Limited.

The event, promoted by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend Kamaru Usman’s outfit, African Knockout, for the third time, is sponsored by agri-fintech company, Tingo.

Usman is also a director in 5Five 4Four Limited.

Face-Off Fight Night 3 features 24 fighters from six African countries – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Togo, Ghana, and Benin.

Speaking at the end of the 12-fight promotion, an elated Usman thanked the more than 1,000 fans who flocked to the Landmark Event Center for Face-Off Fight Night 3 as Nigeria gradually became a country for MMA.

“Thank you all for coming out,” Usman said happily. “I want to thank you all. We want to grow this (Face-Off Fight Night) to continue to give all these fighters – men and women – the opportunity to continue to change the lives of their families and it happens when you all support us.

“So I would like to thank all of you who have come here. We have bigger and better things coming in 2023,” Usman added.

Some of the bigger things that US-based Usman refers to are highlighted by 5Five 4Four Limited Director, Natasha Belousova.

“This is the third and biggest event in 2022,” Ms Belousova told The Guardian. “We have more than 1,100 guests. The event is broadcast live for more than four hours in 46 African countries. We are moving and we have big plans for 2023 because there is always room to improve and make the event better, and combine sports and entertainment.

Face-Off Fight Night generated a lot of buzz in and around Lagos; so the traffic officers have trouble controlling the vehicular traffic to the place.

Moreover, fans continued to enter the venue even in the middle of the event which also featured two all-female encounters.

“We are very grateful to all our guests,” said Ms Belousova. “Nigerians are incredible. The reaction and the vibe in the hall is something that everyone should experience. Many people who come to an MMA event for the first time say that it is something they have never experienced in Nigeria. And this makes us very inspired to do more and advisable.

Ms Belousova may be modest as most fight fans who spoke to The Guardian ran out of superlatives when describing some of the evening’s highlights.

Most of them couldn’t even choose a particular enactment as the performance of the night.

From Cherif Drame’s incredible first-round knockout win over Segun ‘Machine Gun’ Ogunnoiki, to 19-year-old Jane Osigwe’s demolition of Cameroon’s Reine Kengni – and her sleek dance moves after the win – it’s hard for most to pick. certain fighters are the stars of the night.

No wonder Ms. Belousova can confidently assure fans of a bigger event in 2023.

“This is just the beginning,” said an excited Ms Belousova. “As I said, we still have a lot to improve, but in 2023, we will bring more to the fans and the fighters.”

Before the next Fight Night Face-Off arrives, Usman, Belousova and their partners will manage the African Knockout Championship (AKO).

“The next step is the AKO Championship, which will start soon and will have four weight divisions. Stay tuned and follow the announcement. It will happen soon,” added Ms. Belousova.