Luanda: The National Director of Sports, Matos Cardoso, chaired on Tuesday the inauguration ceremony of the 9th African Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championship at Cidadela pavilion in Luanda. The event, which marks the third time Angola has played host, will run until April 19 and features competitors from 12 countries across youth, junior, and senior categories. The Angolan national team, which holds the current continental title from 2025 with an impressive haul of 87 medals-including 37 gold-aims to defend its status on home soil.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Angolan squad is made up of 148 athletes spread across the three age groups in both male and female categories. The team's goal is to surpass their performance from the previous edition. Participating nations include Algeria, Cameroon, C´te d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Mauritius, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Republic of Congo, along with host Angola.
The Angolan team's roster features 83 youth competitors, 41 seniors, and 24 juniors. Among them are renowned athletes such as world and African champions Maria Kitoko (70 kg), Milfa Nicolau (88 kg), St©lvia Munhanha (48 kg), Daniela Mandanji (61 kg), and Mayra Lemos (61.2 kg). The contingent also includes notable figures like Cl¡udio Fountoura, Lunhinga Joo, Elfran Marques, and H©lder Manuel.
Angola previously hosted the African MMA Championship in 2023 and 2025, both times at the Kilamba Multipurpose Pavilion. The country's experience in organizing such major events is expected to contribute to the smooth running of this year's championship.
