Rwanda is making its first appearance at the African Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championship, with two fighters representing the country at the continental competition taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from October 12 to 16, 2026.
The Rwandan delegation comprises Binego Abdoul Karim and Binego Djibril, accompanied by coach Sinzi Tharcisse. Both fighters are members of GAMMA Rwanda, an organization working to develop mixed martial arts in the country.
The athletes departed Kigali on October 11 ahead of the championship, whose competitive events are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 13. The competition marks an important milestone for Rwanda as the country expands its participation in international combat sports.
The championship is organized by the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), in collaboration with Côte d’Ivoire’s national mixed martial arts federation.
GAMMA Rwanda Targets International Success
GAMMA Rwanda President Mwizerwa Dieudonné described the country’s participation as a historic achievement, noting that the sport is still relatively new in Rwanda.
Speaking to IGIHE, Mwizerwa said the team had spent considerable time preparing for the competition and expressed confidence that the fighters could deliver positive results.
He said Rwanda’s participation in the inaugural African championship was an important step toward establishing the country on the international MMA stage.
Mwizerwa added that the federation hopes to build on this experience by preparing for additional international competitions, including a world championship scheduled to take place in Türkiye in December 2026.
According to the GAMMA Rwanda president, the federation is also working to expand the sport nationally by encouraging more people to take up MMA and providing athletes with technical training and opportunities to compete internationally.
He said the organization plans to introduce a domestic championship in the near future as part of its efforts to strengthen the sport’s development.
Competition Schedule
The African championship begins with youth categories on October 13, while senior competitors, including Rwanda’s representatives, are scheduled to compete on October 14 and 15.
The event brings together athletes from across Africa to compete in mixed martial arts, a combat sport that combines techniques from different disciplines, including wrestling, boxing and other martial arts.
For Rwanda, the championship offers an opportunity to gain valuable international experience as the country seeks to develop its athletes and improve its competitiveness in the sport.
Rwanda Expands Its MMA Programme
GAMMA Rwanda began its activities in late 2025, with the aim of promoting mixed martial arts and training local fighters.
The federation’s participation in Abidjan follows Rwanda’s first international MMA outing in April 2026, when Rwandan athletes competed at Anza Fight Nights 008 in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together fighters from across East Africa.
Rwanda was represented in the amateur category by Ntakirutimana Jonathan, Niyigena Amani and Binego Djibril. Italian fighter Lorenzo also participated in the event after choosing to compete as a fighter representing Rwanda, according to the information provided.
Djibril’s participation in both the Nairobi event and the African championship highlights the growing opportunities for Rwandan fighters to gain experience beyond
