Abuja played host to an electrifying night of mixed martial arts on Sunday, as Emmanuel Benard and Victoria Uduak delivered standout performances to claim top honours in the men’s and women’s divisions at the Akalaka fight event.
A total of 16 fighters entertained spectators during the “Spirit of the Warrior” showcase held at the 21 Arena, National Council for Arts and Culture.
Branded “Battle of Gwarinpa,” the event featured contests across featherweight, bantamweight, lightweight, and strawweight categories.
In the headline clash, Emmanuel “Knockout Machine” Benard squared off against Yakubu “Black Scorpion” Solomon, while the co-main event saw Victoria “The Hunter” Uduak take on Blessing “Chibok Girl” Shettima.
Benard emerged as the best male fighter after securing a unanimous decision victory over Solomon in the 61kg bantamweight bout, widely regarded as the most thrilling contest of the evening.
Reflecting on his performance, Benard credited his win to discipline, tactical execution, and experience, noting that preparation played a key role against a resilient opponent. He also dedicated the victory to his coach and supporters who travelled from Lagos.
In the women’s category, Uduak earned the best female fighter award after defeating Shettima via a first-round technical knockout in their 65kg featherweight bout.
Other results saw Nasirudeen Abdulkareem stop Sunday George in the first round of their 61kg bantamweight contest, while Balikis Quadri submitted Cynthia Philips with a rear naked choke in the second round of the 53kg strawweight division.
Michael Dawodu recorded a second-round TKO win over Destiny Ekpo in the 66kg featherweight class, and Joseph James fought to a draw with David Ezekiel in the 70kg lightweight category, with both fighters scoring 74 points.
Christopher Swande secured victory over Cornelius Godpower via triangle choke in the 60kg bantamweight division, while Peter Onuh defeated Goodluck Opara by first-round TKO in the 67kg featherweight bout.
Speaking after the event, Akalaka President, Dr. Ebere Benard, highlighted the role of MMA in youth development, describing it as a tool for instilling discipline and steering young people away from negative influences. He added that the platform helps identify and nurture talent while offering athletes opportunities to compete at higher levels.
He also stressed the importance of values such as respect, self-control, and peaceful coexistence, urging leaders and communities to prioritise dialogue and unity in addressing societal challenges.
Idowu Olusareyo, CEO of Option A International and sponsor of the event, praised the organisers for their commitment to grassroots sports development, noting that the competition provided valuable exposure for emerging fighters and marked the promotion’s third outing in Abuja.
Technical partner Abubakar Marwa of Marwa Self Defence also commended the success of the event, saying it brought excitement and energy to the capital city.