Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman, the first African-born UFC world champion, has secured a landmark broadcast partnership between his mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, African KnockOut (AKO), and SuperSport, Africa’s leading sports broadcaster, to elevate the sport across Sub-Saharan Africa. Announced on August 14, 2025, the deal positions SuperSport as the exclusive linear broadcaster for AKO events, showcasing live fight nights, feature content, and episodic storytelling about African fighters from over 21 countries. Usman, AKO’s president and co-founder, hailed the partnership as a transformative step to inspire a new generation of champions and build a global MMA ecosystem rooted in Africa.
The collaboration aims to amplify AKO’s reach by leveraging SuperSport’s extensive audience and reputation. It includes territorial fight cards to engage local fans, alongside promotional events like weigh-ins and behind-the-scenes access. SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha praised Usman’s vision, noting that AKO’s culturally resonant MMA brand aligns with the broadcaster’s mission to deliver world-class content and support African talent. The partnership follows AKO’s growth since its 2020 launch in Lagos as a Netflix reality series, expanding into the AKO Championship in 2023 with five weight divisions, as reported by Broadcast Media Africa.
The deal comes amid rising MMA popularity in Africa, fueled by stars like Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Francis Ngannou. AKO’s next event, AKO 10, is set for August 23, 2025, at the Velodrome in Abuja, featuring a lightweight title fight between Jean Do Santos and Jibrin Inuwa Baba. The alliance is expected to enhance fan engagement and create new opportunities for brand activation across the continent.
