Leisure Collective
Author
ANZA Contenders 9 delivered 11 bouts across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania at The Alchemist, with a surprise Redsan set. See the full results and what is next.
Nairobi got a double bill on Thursday, 29 October. Inside the cage, 11 fights showcased the next generation of East African MMA. Outside it, Kenyan dancehall star Redsan walked on for a surprise performance that sent the crowd at The Alchemist into overdrive. ANZA Contenders 9, the ninth edition of ANZA MMA’s amateur series, had both sport and entertainment covered.
The card brought together fighters from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in a mix of knockouts, submissions and closely contested decisions, with Kenyan athletes taking most of the victories.
DJ Kace kept the energy up throughout the evening before Redsan made his unannounced appearance. His set added another dimension to the night, bringing music lovers and fight fans into the same room and giving the event a festival feel that ANZA has been steadily building across its editions.
The flyweight main event saw Norman Mondo defeat fellow Kenyan Martin Chite by TKO, bringing the headline bout to an emphatic close. In the featherweight co-main event, ANZA fan favourite Samuel Laurian submitted Uganda’s Olanya Richard with a Von Flue choke, once again showing why he remains a name to watch on the local circuit.
Joshua Ojow took a unanimous decision over Hamza Fahim in another featherweight contest, while Asad Abdulkadir returned after time abroad with a rear-naked choke win over Edwin Ndegwa at welterweight.
The undercard was just as competitive. Shadrack Otieno stopped Tanzania’s Muhammad Salim by TKO at lightweight, and Hassan Jaffar claimed a flyweight TKO over Uganda’s Simon Okwera. Alex Njathi secured a featherweight stoppage against Dickson Mupe, Zach Chira won a unanimous decision over Edgar Ngua, and Martin Mwanza beat Ryan Peter by TKO at bantamweight. Abdirahman Swaleh stopped Tanzania’s Kazwenge Kayebe at strawweight, and Jace Ndegwa opened the card with a TKO over Maina Morgan.
ANZA MMA Founder Peng Chen explained the purpose of the Contenders series.
“Contenders is about building something sustainable for MMA in this region. We want to give fighters regular opportunities to compete, test themselves against quality opposition and develop the experience they need to progress towards professional MMA. Seeing the level of competition, the energy from the crowd and the way the sport is bringing people together shows just how much potential MMA has in East Africa.”
The event also drew clubs and training teams from across the region, including Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy, Chanua Self-Defense, Shadow Strikers, Hardcore Gym, Kenya Wrestling Team, Sharks MMA Academy Mombasa, Arusha Grappling Club, MMA Dar and Gulu MMA Warriors. Their presence reflects a growing network of gyms supporting MMA talent across East Africa.
ANZA Contenders 9 was supported by Cheza Cheza and powered by HustleSasa, with additional support from Acai Oasis, Anyiko PR and other partners.
ANZA MMA is already looking ahead to its next professional fight night on Saturday, 5 December 2026 at Village Market, Nairobi. Professional fighters will return to the cage, with the fight card and ticket information to be released in the coming weeks.
ANZA MMA describes itself as East Africa’s leading amateur MMA promotion, and its track record backs that up. In 2025, KO Fight Night by ANZA MMA delivered Kenya’s first professionally sanctioned MMA event. With Contenders feeding fighters toward the professional stage, Kenya is steadily becoming a serious destination for combat sports in the region.
0 comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
