Emmanuel Benard and Victoria Uduak emerged as the top winners in the men's and women's categories at the Akalaka Spirit of the Warrior Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event held in Abuja. A total of 16 fighters thrilled fans at the Akalaka Spirit of the Warrior showdown at the 21 Arena, National Council for Arts and Culture. Tagged "Battle of Gwarinpa," the fight night featured bouts across the featherweight, bantamweight, lightweight, and strawweight divisions.
The headline clash saw Emmanuel "Knockout Machine" Benard face Yakubu "Black Scorpion" Solomon, while the co-main event featured Victoria "The Hunter" Uduak against Blessing "Chibok Girl" Shettima. Speaking after the contest, Benard credited discipline and experience for his victory, stating, "I stayed focused and trusted my training. My opponent was strong, but strategy made the difference." Benard, who took home the best male fighter award, defeated Solomon by unanimous decision after three intense rounds in the men's -61kg bantamweight bout in a fight adjudged as the overall best fight of the night. He dedicated the win to his coach and fans who travelled from Lagos to support him.
In the co-main event, Uduak, who was adjudged the best female fighter of the night, defeated Shettima by technical knockout (TKO) in the first round of the women's 65kg featherweight division. Nasirudeen Abdulkareem beat Sunday George by first-round TKO in the men's 61kg bantamweight category. Balikis Quadri secured victory over Cynthia Philips with a rear naked choke in the second round of the women's -53kg straw-weight division. Michael Dawodu defeated Destiny Ekpo via TKO in the second round of the men's 66kg featherweight division. Joseph James and David Ezekiel recorded a draw in the men's 70kg lightweight category after scoring 74 points each. Christopher Swande submitted Cornelius Godpower to sleep via triangle choke in the men's 60kg bantamweight category. Peter Onuh defeated Goodluck Opara by first-round TKO in the men's 67kg featherweight division.
Speaking at the event, President of Akalaka Spirit of the Warrior, Dr. Ebere Benard, said the competition was aimed at youth development and promoting discipline. He said: "We are using MMA as a tool to redirect young people from social vices and channel their energy into productive ventures. This initiative continues to grow, giving fighters exposure and opportunities to compete at higher levels." Benard, who is also Director of Youth Development at the Nigeria Mixed Martial Arts Federation (NMMAF), said the platform helps discover and nurture talents. Drawing from a philosophical reflection, Benard likened life to a dream, urging deeper self-awareness among youths, adding, "Like a man, unsure if he is dreaming or awake, we must reflect on who we are and what we stand for." "Beyond the cage, martial arts teach discipline, respect and control, values urgently needed in our society. These challenges are not just headlines but real human tragedies affecting families and communities." He said martial arts go beyond competition, emphasising values of honour, restraint, and peace.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Option A International, Idowu Olusareyo, whose company sponsored the event, commended the organisers for promoting grassroots sports. Olusareyo said: "The showpiece provided a platform for emerging Nigerian MMA athletes to showcase their skills. It marked the third MMA outing by Akalaka in Abuja following previous successful editions. There is huge talent in Nigeria. Supporting events like this helps give young fighters the exposure they need to succeed." Abubakar Marwa of Marwa Self Defence, a technical partner, also praised the success of the fight night and the excitement it brought to Abuja. The event marked Akalaka's third MMA outing in Abuja, following previous successful editions.
