DDP first african champ

[michhmoggan]

Is DDP the first real african mma champ from africa or there were others in the past?

I followed ufc in the last years and I've never seen other real african champs who live in africa then.

Maybe in other organizations that happen?

 

[PrideNverDies]

It was Sokoudjou. M'pumbo in bellator was technically the first actual African champ in a major MMA org

 

[Söze Aldo]

It's technically true at least for UFC, but it's not fair to compare his story to someone like Francis. DDP had all the support, resources and infrastructure to live and train MMA in South Africa, Francis had to walk across the Sahara desert to find a place to train.

I don't consider guys like Marty and Izzy who lived in the west since childhood "African fighters" though.

 

[filthybliss]

Mike Perry, it shoulda been him

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Not the first from Africa, but the first who actually trains in Africa. Just like Leon was the first English champ who actually trained and lived in England, unlike Bisping.

 

[ricains_cretins]

It's technically true at least for UFC, but it's not fair to compare his story to someone like Francis. DDP had all the support, resources and infrastructure to live and train MMA in South Africa, Francis had to walk across the Sahara dessert to find a place to train.

I don't consider guys like Marty and Izzy who lived in the west since childhood "African fighters" though.

Sahara dessert is yummy though

 

[The Siege]

What? He wasnt even the first in the UFC. I dont know enough MMA history to know who was the first because there are a ton of MMA orgs out there and throughout history.

Unless you mean South African?

EDIT: If you mean training and fighting out of the continent of Africa, then yes, I believe DDP is the first in the UFC.

 

[Domitian]

It's technically true at least for UFC, but it's not fair to compare his story to someone like Francis. DDP had all the support, resources and infrastructure to live and train MMA in South Africa, Francis had to walk across the Sahara desert to find a place to train.

I don't consider guys like Marty and Izzy who lived in the west since childhood "African fighters" though.

Bro I don't think Francis literally walked across the Saharan Desert.

 

[Luthien]

Bro I don't think Francis literally walked across the Saharan Desert.

Crazy story

 

[Söze Aldo]

Bro I don't think Francis literally walked across the Saharan Desert.

Have you ever heard his story? Why tf is everyone so pedantic here.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Bro I don't think Francis literally walked across the Saharan Desert.

You're right. It was also via truck. Ngannou went through a lot. What Francis has accomplished is mind boggling, honestly. That's why when people give him shit, I don't really pay it any mind. It sounds like a made up, embellished, Hollywood story. It isn't.

Spoiler

MARTÍNEZ: The risks included crossing the Sahara Desert, sometimes in the back of a smuggler's truck and many times by foot. Ngannou remembers every country he passed through as he traveled more than 2,000 miles.

NGANNOU: From Cameroon to Nigeria, then Nigeria, Niger, from Niger to Algeria, then from Algeria to Morocco.

MARTÍNEZ: From Morocco, he needed to somehow get into Spanish territory. Then, even if he wasn't technically on the continent of Europe, he'd officially be on European land. Now, there were only two ways to do that. The first was to go over multiple fences with police patrols and barbed wire. Ngannou attempted that but failed. So he tried option No. 2.

NGANNOU: The other way was to put a raft - inflatable raft, the one that you usually use in your swimming pool - put it in the ocean and try to get somewhere that the land in Morocco is close to the land in Europe.

MARTÍNEZ: Sounds impossible, even deadly. Ngannou tried it six times over the course of one year. Between those attempts, he lived in a Moroccan forest where he and other migrants competed with rats for scraps of spoiled food in the trash.

NGANNOU: You get in this desperate situation, and you have to hold on in something. There is not a way back. You don't know if you're going to make it. There's only one thing going on in your life, and it's your dream. And even though we were in the forest and couldn't do anything, I could find a refuge in the idea of, I have a bright future in boxing.

 

[Domitian]

You're right. Not literally. It was via truck. Ngannou went through a lot. What Francis has accomplished is mind boggling, honestly. That's why when people give him shit, I don't really pay any mind. It sounds like a made up, embellished, Hollywood story. It isn't.

Spoiler

MARTÍNEZ: The risks included crossing the Sahara Desert, sometimes in the back of a smuggler's truck and many times by foot. Ngannou remembers every country he passed through as he traveled more than 2,000 miles.

NGANNOU: From Cameroon to Nigeria, then Nigeria, Niger, from Niger to Algeria, then from Algeria to Morocco.

MARTÍNEZ: From Morocco, he needed to somehow get into Spanish territory. Then, even if he wasn't technically on the continent of Europe, he'd officially be on European land. Now, there were only two ways to do that. The first was to go over multiple fences with police patrols and barbed wire. Ngannou attempted that but failed. So he tried option No. 2.

NGANNOU: The other way was to put a raft - inflatable raft, the one that you usually use in your swimming pool - put it in the ocean and try to get somewhere that the land in Morocco is close to the land in Europe.

MARTÍNEZ: Sounds impossible, even deadly. Ngannou tried it six times over the course of one year. Between those attempts, he lived in a Moroccan forest where he and other migrants competed with rats for scraps of spoiled food in the trash.

NGANNOU: You get in this desperate situation, and you have to hold on in something. There is not a way back. You don't know if you're going to make it. There's only one thing going on in your life, and it's your dream. And even though we were in the forest and couldn't do anything, I could find a refuge in the idea of, I have a bright future in boxing.

Yeah it would be almost impossible by feet. Walking across the Sahara would be like walking from Louisiana to New York except in a desert so yeah a truck makes sense. Francis' story is fascinating I should read more into it sometime.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Yeah it would be almost impossible by feet. Walking across the Sahara would be like walking from Louisiana to New York except in a desert so yeah a truck makes sense. Francis' story is fascinating I should read more into it sometime.

It's a worthwhile dive, in my opinion. It'll really put into perspective how successful he's been and the sheer willpower and self belief he's had in himself.

Almost all of these guys deserve more respect than given here for even being remotely successful in MMA, but then you've got people like Francis or Aldo that became world champions, who himself grew up so poor that he would have to put wood planks in mud for balance to practice kicks, and used to clean up the gym and sleep there so he could train. But all Dawggers want to do - not you - is shit on guys when they lose, and break them down rather than build them up.

 

[Domitian]

It's a worthwhile dive, in my opinion. It'll really put into perspective how successful he's been and the sheer willpower and self belief he's had in himself.

Almost all of these guys deserve more respect than given here for even being remotely successful in MMA, but then you've got people like Francis or Aldo that became wold champions, who himself grew up so poor that he would have to put wood planks in mud for balance to practice kicks, and used to clean up the gym and sleep there so he could train. But all Dawggers want to do - not you - is shit on guys when they lose, and break them down rather than build them up.

Francis is fearless and has overcome many challenges. He's certainly someone a young person could look up too, even an older person too. Aldo too, let's hope he gets a victory tonight.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Francis is fearless and has overcome many challenges. He's certainly someone a young person could look up too, even an older person too. Aldo too, let's hope he gets a victory tonight.

I'm worried about Aldo in that altitude. He gassed horribly against Merab. Not sure if you saw this, but Aldo might actually be 40. Insane he's still winning ranked fights in the UFC.



Oh, and the OP stinks, so I'm not worried about hijacking this thread, lol.

 

[Domitian]

I'm worried about Aldo in that altitude. He gassed horribly against Merab. Not sure if you saw this, but Aldo might actually be 40. Insane he's still winning ranked fights in the UFC.



Oh, and the OP stinks, so I'm not worried about hijacking this thread, lol.

Oh yeah, this card is in SLC. I hate the deal they have there, the altitude is going to affect every fight. But yeah I can believe Jose is a couple years older than he's purported to be. He was an absolute monster in his WEC and early UFC run so it kind of makes sense he was a couple years older and more in his prime during that time.

Hijack all you want lol

 

[spinup]

At least for Ngannou it is very dishonest to say that.
His country had ZERO mma gym, and he literally opened a network of mma gyms and infrastructures in Cameroon.

Not the first from Africa, but the first who actually trains in Africa. Just like Leon was the first English champ who actually trained and lived in England, unlike Bisping.

And there as never been a Dagestani champion yet.

 

[burningspear]

in essence we are all from the motherland

 

[blocnoir]

It's technically true at least for UFC, but it's not fair to compare his story to someone like Francis. DDP had all the support, resources and infrastructure to live and train MMA in South Africa, Francis had to walk across the Sahara desert to find a place to train.

I don't consider guys like Marty and Izzy who lived in the west since childhood "African fighters" though.

Topic closed

 

[The Blue Bird]

It's technically true at least for UFC, but it's not fair to compare his story to someone like Francis. DDP had all the support, resources and infrastructure to live and train MMA in South Africa, Francis had to walk across the Sahara desert to find a place to train.

I don't consider guys like Marty and Izzy who lived in the west since childhood "African fighters" though.

DDP only did well because he’s white