Justin Clarke gearing up for PFL Africa Heavyweight clash in Rwanda

Justin Clarke gearing up for PFL Africa Heavyweight clash in Rwanda

The undefeated mixed martial artist Justin Clarke says he is ready to topple Maxwell Nana on October 18 in the semifinals of the PFL Africa heavyweight tournament.

The PFL will stage a fight night in Kigali, Rwanda, for the first time, and Clarke is eager to make an impact on foreign soil after his first-round TKO triumph over Jashell Ticha in Cape Town back in July.

The winner of this upcoming bout will book his place in the heavyweight final in Benin on the 20th of December, and Justin Clarke is embracing the challenge that lies ahead.

"I'm excited to see Rwanda and experience a new city. I've heard from a lot of people that Kigali is an amazing place.

"Obviously, you do get slightly lonely because your family won't be there to back you, but that's fine, I've fought on foreign soil before.

"With regards to Maxwell Nana, he comes from a Sambo background, and in Sambo, you're allowed to commit takedowns and wrestle.
 

 

"After watching some of his previous fights, I've picked up that he likes to strike and he reserves his wrestling for when it is necessary."

Kigali has a higher elevation above sea level than Pretoria, and Clarke believes this gives him a distinct advantage because Maxwell Nana, although Cameroonian, fights out of Manchester, England, which is closely situated to sea level.

In fact, out of the four remaining heavyweights in the PFL Africa tournament, Justin Clarke is the only fighter who still trains on African soil, whereas the rest are all based in the United Kingdom.

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Clarke made the switch from the locally based EFC organisation to the Professional Fighters League Africa earlier this year, with the ambition to elevate his MMA career to new heights.

"I started in the EFC, and then the switch came about when I was in between fights and getting over injuries. 

"I know the PFL is a big organisation, so I was very excited to shift over."

The PFL is uniquely different from other organisations because it stages eight-man knockout tournaments, and if Clarke is to extend his undefeated record in Kigali, he will face either Abraham Bably or Joffie Houlton in December. The winner of the PFL Africa tournament will then be invited to compete in the global

PFL tournament at some point in 2026, and Justin Clarke is poised to further amplify the global ascent of South African MMA.

Clarke admitted that it is tough to balance the demands of his MMA career with his job as a personal trainer, but he has been able to tailor his work days to fit into his pro-MMA lifestyle, which requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice.

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