…Selected fighters scheduled for the “Lagos Street Fight” show at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos
Charles Okafor, a veteran Nollywood actor and producer, said he became a Mixed Martial Art (MMA) enthusiast to groom young Nigerians to embrace the sport due to opportunities it offered.
Okafor made this known in Lagos when asked by journalists to explain his departure from what he was popularly known for in the creative industry.
The super screen actor spoke on the sidelines of Wednesday’s press briefing to announce the O.F.U Street fight slated for the O’jezz Swimming pool arena, National Stadium, Surulere.
The organisers of the `Lagos Street Fight’ unveiled the veteran actor, Okafor, as the `Brand Ambassador’, for the fight.
Okafor, a Theatre Arts graduate from University of Port Harcourt, also said that he took to combat sports after watching it on a dedicated sports channel on a Pay TV.
He said: “I am part of this movement because I like anything Nigerian and anything that will further promote the image of Nigeria or make the life of our youths better.
“The organiser of this MMA shows he is passionate about Nigerian project having travelled all over Europe to see how the sports is being organised there, so he wants to replicate it here at home.
“When talking about my journey into MMA, I came in contact with the game on a dedicated channel on Pay TV and the game stuck me and it becomes more interesting to me.
He said that he was “in love with the part that we have so many Nigerians doing well in Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC)” and decided that such talents could be groomed among Nigerian youths.
Okafor said he featured “in more than 300 home videos blockbuster films such as Oracle, Domitila and the rest’’.
He also said that his new found love in MMA sport was a clear departure from his personality.
“Talking about my passion for MMA, I do ask myself why? This because those who are close to me would not in a least associate me with a combat sports; but here am I, enjoying it.
“For the sport in Nigeria, I want to see how we can develop more of our young ones and see them grow in this sport because there are opportunities that abound in it.
“In terms of numerical advantage, Nigeria is blessed with abundance of talents, so sporting events like this would seek to discover them and bring them to the limelight.
“I am sure that in terms of direct foreign investment earning, sports is one of the leading export that can generate a near instant turnover and ensure a boost in the Gross National Product,’” he said.
Okafor assured that the grassroots development of MMA was not the only target of the organisers but also “to host well known MMA fighters in Nigeria on a quarterly basis.
“I am sure that the talents will not only be discovered, the organisers which I partnered with will give them a global platform to realise their dreams in the MMA sport.
“Beyond that, the stage will also be set to host great fighters from across the globe as we are expecting fighters from Africa, Asia Europe and America assembled in Nigeria to fight.
“I know that this is a huge project, but I trust that as we get more partners and sponsors for the sport which is popular all over the world, the investment will yield positive results.
“For the December fight, I expect that it will be the start of the end of the year festive activities for me. It is the start of the Christmas,” he said.
Earlier, Ife Obiudo, the organiser and Chief Executive Officer, O.F.U entertainment, said the `Lagos Street Fight’ would be in two stages.
Obiudo, who described the show as `Epic MMA Fight’, said that the first show, `open contest’, would be held at the National Stadium on Oct. 30 with homegrown fighters across Nigeria competing.
He said that he second phase and the grand finale would have MMA fighters across the world slug it out at the Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Dec. 4.
