The inaugural edition of Anza MMA—Kenya’s first officially licensed Mixed Martial Arts event—was a resounding success. Held at The Alchemist on 21st June 2025, the event delivered an unforgettable night of athletic excellence, cultural celebration, and historic milestones for Kenyan combat sports. Held under the license of the Kenya Oriental Combat Sports Federation, the event marked a major step forward for the professionalization of MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in East Africa.
The day began with a children’s self-defense workshop led by Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy, reinforcing the event’s commitment to community empowerment, safety education and youth inclusion. This was followed by four high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappling matches, featuring athletes from across the continent, including representatives from Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy (Kenya), One Tribe BJJ (Kenya), Dar MMA (Tanzania), Pride Boxing Club Harare (Zimbabwe), Matblazers Jiu-Jitsu (Ethiopia), Mombasa Sharks (Kenya), Combat Kenya (Kenya) and Kigali BJJ (Rwanda)
The grappling segment culminated in a historic moment for BJJ in Kenya, as Julio De Souza (Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy) awarded the first two regionally trained black belts to Edward “Tete” Burugu (One Tribe BJJ) and Xavier Gerniers (Dar MMA). A third black belt—the highest rank in the sport—was conferred to Coach Mike Solis of Kombat Brigade. The belt ceremony also paid tribute to Cole Lauritsen, founder of Dar MMA and a pioneer of BJJ and MMA in the region, who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. Children as young as 4 were also honored for their commitment and achievements in the sport.
At 4:00 PM, the MMA fights kicked off with high energy, driven by the electrifying sounds of DJ Kace. The fight card featured international competitors from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda/Italy, ushering in a new era of regulated MMA competition in East Africa.
Highlights of the MMA segment included:
- 1. A dominant opening performance by Norman Mondo (One Tribe BJJ), who submitted Gordon Juma (Marine Gym Kayole) with a textbook display of striking and grappling.
- 2. A show-stealing fight by Hassan Waswa Muhammed (Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy), who thrilled the crowd with clean striking, explosive takedowns, and a ground-and-pound TKO victory over Eugene Mbogoh (Bulls Gym Nairobi).
- 3.A technical and emotional main event, where Lorenzo Caldarelli (Kigali BJJ), a brown belt in BJJ, submitted Amos Eboso (Tristar Gym Nairobi) via rear naked choke in the first round—capturing the hearts of the crowd.
- Strong performances from Bobby Kamande (Chanuka Self-Defense) and **M’marete Munene** (One Tribe BJJ), who impressed fans with their skill and composure in the cage.
4. Strong performances from Bobby Kamande (Chanuka Self-Defense) and **M’marete Munene** (One Tribe BJJ), who impressed fans with their skill and composure in the cage.
