Nkosi Ndebele calls for more support for MMA athletes in Africa

The 29-year-old is set to take on his biggest MMA nemesis Jose Torres in Mauritius on Saturday in the first-ever trilogy for BRAVE Combat Federation.

Speaking to SABC Sport in the build-up to the historic feat, the title holder believes with sufficient backing the country can groom even more champions.

"It's not as easy you know because it takes a lot especially if you want to become a full time athlete. Those are some of the disadvantages about our sport especially in Africa or other African countries in general. European countries and other countries, they take this sport seriously that an athlete who's a full time athlete is considered a top athlete. They really consider it as a career when someone says 'I'm going full time' they are like 'Well done, go for it, good job, we'll support you," Ndebele said.

Ndebele is BRAVE’s inaugural homegrown champion, but he admits the road hasn’t been easy.

"With my experience, I have to hustle, try to make sure I squeeze in training and you know at the same time you need to make money. You need to make money, you need to help out family and siblings, it just becomes a lot. So, with this opportunity to come here to Bali to just really focus on training. Wake up, train, eat relax, recover, wake up, train it's awesome and I'm taking this opportunity with both hands," he added.

The young father adds that he’s had to give up a lot to make his MMA career a success. 

"It comes with a lot of sacrifices I have a daughter back at home and I have to take time away from them. You just don't know for how long because if I have to go back for example after this fight, I'm just gonna go back home for just two weeks but it's not enough and I have to come back again and start working.

“At the same time, I can't just sit there with them because you know you start sitting there with them, they start opening their eyes and be like, “Okay what's happening here we need food, we need this”, they want a good life."