Up and coming combat sports star Frank Ngoka will showcase his talents in the Kickboxing ring this coming weekend. | Lee Johnson MzansiMMA Cape Town has long played — and continues to play — a significant role in shaping African combat sports. As 2025 draws to a close, the Mother City is set to host one of the year’s final major events.
This Saturday, the World Kickboxing Series (WKS) will stage their inaugural African event at the Italian Club in Milnerton, showcasing some of the continent’s finest amateur kickboxing talent. The event aims to strengthen Africa’s current and future talent pipeline. The card features 14 bouts, including two four-man elimination tournaments for the WKS African Championship.
The tournament will follow traditional K-1 rules, with athletes competing for a place in the 2026 WKS World Tournament. Qualifiers from WKS Africa will earn their spot on Team Africa, captained by 18-time world champion Anissa Meksen. The 2026 tournament will unite teams from around the globe, each led by internationally renowned stars such as Lerdsila Chumpairtour, Andy Souwer, Duane Ludwig, Regian Eersel and Gabriel Varga — all vying for the prestigious WKS World Tournament title.
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Riding this momentum, Cape Town-born K-1 legend and WKS Africa Director Wade Hammond is working to elevate kickboxing across the continent. “The goal is to develop kickboxing from the ground up and give athletes opportunities, starting right here in South Africa,” Hammond says. “We have big names involved, including former world champion Andy Souwer, who co-owns WKS, and former GLORY star Jonathan Ruiz, also a co-owner and multi-time champion in the United States.” “We’re here to put on high-quality, competitive bouts — to build a platform the old-school way and give real fighters a place to showcase their talent and grow with the sport. That starts with this first amateur event this weekend.”
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