Kenya fighters put on a gallant show during the 8th edition of the ANZA Mixed Martial Arts held Sunday evening in Nairobi.
Fighters were drawn from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Italy with some representing multiple gyms including: Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy, Mombasa Sharks, GAMMA Rwanda, Kigali BJJ, Guardian Uganda, Hardcore Gym, Tristar Gym Nairobi, Shadow Strikers and Kenya Wrestling Team.
Eight of the nine bouts on card ended either with TKO,Submission or KO underlining the strengths that the event is growing and the quality of the field that took part.
Kenya’s Samuel Laurian of Nairobi Jiu Jitsu Academy forced into submission his opponent Rwanda’s Jonathan Ntakirutimana to win the nights main event,the feather weight clash.
In the welterweight co-main event, Italy’s Lorenzo Cardanelli representing Kigali BJJ edged out Kenya’s Amos Eboso by submission, in a thrilling rematch.
Lorenzo and first faced each other at the first ANZA MMA event in June 2025, where Lorenzo ruled the cage winning the contest through submission.
Shadrack Otieno secured a blistering lightweight victory with a 30-second rear-naked choke over Aman Niyigena.
In the last fight of the main card, Jared Otieno lost to Uganda’s Shaffik Assuma by disqualification in a highly charged flyweight bout.
In the only match up decided by the judges, Bantamweight Matthew Lwano outclassed Maina Morgan. Steve Munyi delivered a powerful TKO win over Kamya Pison while Martin Mwanza capped off the preliminary category with a TKO victory over Djibril Binego.
The event,its 8th edition attracted several mixed martial arts luminaries including high flying and Kenya’s sole Profesional Fighters League,PFL and MMA star Felista Mugo,as well as Director of Sports Ministry of Sports Joel Atuti and PFL Director of Marketing and Operations Daniel Kijo among others
Meanwhile the next leg of the ANZA MMA is set to be held on June 26th at the BroadWalk Mall in Nairobi.
The event is expected to feature some of the country’s top fighters including Ouhsummer Ali Abad, Kevin Odongo, Georgi Itumo, and rising prospect Alhassan Mosala.
The event is also set to attract top East African talent, with fighters from Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan all coming to Nairobi for a regional celebration of Mixed Martial Arts.
FULL FIGHT CARD RESULTS
Main Card
Featherweight: Samuel Laurian (Kenya) def. Jonathan Ntakirutimana (Rwanda) by submission
Welterweight: Lorenzo Cardanelli (Italy) def. Amos Eboso (Kenya) by submission
Lightweight: Shadrack Otieno (Kenya) def. Aman Niyigena (Rwanda) by submission
Flyweight: Jared Otieno (Kenya) lost to Shaffik Assuma (Uganda) by disqualification
Preliminary Card
Bantamweight: Martin Mwanza (Kenya) def. Djibril Binego (Rwanda) by TKO
Flyweight: Steve Munyi (Kenya) def. Kamya Pison (Kenya) by TKO
Bantamweight: Matthew Lwano (Kenya) def. Maina Morgan (Kenya)
Featherweight: Eric Ngari (Kenya) def. KO Gordon Juma (Kenya)
Featherweight: Kennedy Adaki (Kenya) def. Eugine Oyugi (Kenya) by submission
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