The rise of MMA and the prospect of the UFC putting on their first show in South Africa during 2025 has been making waves in the news. A sport that was once something of a pariah on the global stage has now entered the mainstream. Add in the fact that the incomparable Dricus Du Plessis has lifted UFC gold and you start to see just how far the sport has come.
To show you what you can expect in the year ahead, we’re going to take a look at where the sport is going. Enjoy the ride and keep an eye open for a crazy knockout or last-second submission along the way!
More than a one-hit wonder
The UFC is the premier fight league in the sport, of that there is no doubt. The terms ‘UFC’ and ‘MMA’ are used interchangeably by casual fans and journalists alike — that’s all the proof you need of Dana White’s impact on the sport. But is the rise of MMA in South Africa purely down to the fact that (at time of writing) we have a domestic champion?
While it would be easy to jump to this conclusion, a closer look introduces you to a thriving domestic fight scene that is full of feeder leagues. Young talent now has a pathway to the UFC that starts in the towns and cities that make up our country. It’s just not realistic to expect anyone with a passing interest to jump on a plane and head to the US to take classes — no one does that. What South Africans have been able to do in recent years is take themselves to the hundreds of gyms and combat sports schools that are popping up all over the country.
A country on a mission
It would be overly simplistic to say that boxing is dead and has been killed off by MMA, but it certainly looks that way in many of the gyms around the country. The UFC has packaged up a new sport in a media-friendly way and made the next generation want to give it a try. Today, you’ll find thousands of kids taking MMA classes and rolling on the wrestling mats when a generation ago they would have been doing karate.
While there may not be a concerted effort from the top down to produce champions, the fact that DDP lives and trains at home shows it’s certainly possible. His combination of cardio, grit, and awkwardness make him more than a match for many challengers in the elite ranks. Sprinkle in a way with words on the mic and the look of a fighter and he has become a media darling. Exactly what you want when you’re looking to take a thriving sport to the next level.
Athletes start to cross over
Rugby and cricket are still by far and away the most popular sports at home, and with good reason. National teams that have beaten all comers for decades are rightly revered and looked up to, but they no longer have every promising athlete within their grip.
MMA’s use of weight classes mean that smaller athletes who would not necessarily be drawn to rugby can find a place to test their mettle. The fascinating thing here is that it’s a trend you can already see playing out years ahead in the US. College football athletes and boxers now routinely cross-train and look to switch over to MMA. The clear pathway to the UFC and the lack of political record padding that is rife in boxing makes MMA an attractive proposition for many athletes, and it’s not just the guys.
A truly inclusive sport
Go back 20 years and female sport would rarely be on the TV outside of the Olympics and WTA. Even 10 years ago women’s boxing was something of a novelty with a single fight often put early on in a boxing card. Step forward Ronda Rousey and MMA became one of the most inclusive sports in the world virtually overnight.
The UFC focuses on putting on the best fights in the world, whether male or female, and decides the running order on the night based on the status of the fighters. Female fights have regularly headlined cards, female champions are cheered to the rafters, and women around the world can see themselves represented in what was once a purely male domain. The trend has continued in every country because local gyms see big business in allowing women to train, and South Africa is no exception. All of this means more fights for the fans!
A live fan experience unlike any other
Watching live sport lends itself to a number of sources of online appointment. Constant connectivity means that fans have plenty of options when they want to occupy themselves between fights. Netflix now offers integrated mobile games on its app, sites like Bonus Focus offer online casino games, and others take to TikTok to post their live reactions to knockouts and shocking upsets. The UFC has figured this out better than any other sport on the planet right now and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
The fights roll quickly from one contest to the next, the promos are crisp and captivating, and in-show announcements get everyone excited for the next fight card. It’s a masterpiece of promotional cohesion that lets everyone watching or in attendance know that when they want to watch a great fight, the UFC is the only game in town. Local promotions are constantly learning from these massive UFC shows and using the lure of the UFC to showcase fighters who might just be the next big thing.
One thing is for sure: the fight world is more exciting than it has ever been, and South Africa is set to see a whole new wave of athletes follow in DDP’s footsteps!
