By: Natasha Archary

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has announced plans to bring the nxt Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to South Africa.
This follows the remarkable victory of South African MMA middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis over the weekend.
Sharing behind-the-scenes plans that have been ongoing to make this possible, Mckenzie said an official announcement will be made soon.
“We have silently worked on it. The South African Sport, Arts & Culture Department met with UFC today in Australia and we are very close to an official announcement.
We have some things to do and fix but the fight is definitely happening in SA. I want to thank Dricus Du Plessis management team for assisting all the way.
We are excited at how close we are to realising this goal, and an announcement will be made soon. UFC are keen to bring this incredibly popular sport to Africa, and a now established African champion is making it even more likely.”
We have silently worked on it, @SportArtsCultur met with @ufc today in Oz and we are very close to an official announcement, we have some things to do and fix but the fight is definitely happening In SA. I wanna thank @dricusduplessis management team for assisting all the way https://t.co/SdKAuwqs5U
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) August 18, 2024
South Africa has a growing mixed-martial arts (MMA) community, with several fighters making their mark on the global stage. However, the sport has yet to reach its full potential within the country.
McKenzie’s plans to bring the UFC to South Africa could boost the local MMA scene by inspiring young athletes, increasing participation in the sport, and providing a platform for local fighters to showcase their talents in front of a global audience.
Bringing the UFC to South Africa is no small feat. It requires substantial investment, infrastructure, and coordination with both local and international stakeholders.



