"I take your Hulk Hogan and I raise you Coronavirus, one of our best fighters"

Imagine a combat sport so ancient its moves were once used in spear and shield warfare. Now imagine it on a global stage. In this episode of Limitless Africa, we interview Maxwell Kalu, founder of African Warriors Fighting Championship. He’s on a mission to build Africa’s UFC, taking Nigeria’s traditional Dambe boxing from dusty marketplaces to packed stadiums and global broadcasts. Discover why fighters like “Coronavirus” are becoming local legends, how American investors from Hollywood are backing African combat sports, and why Maxwell believes Africa’s cultural power is its greatest strength.

Plus:

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:28 What is dambe?

5:08 Dambe fans around the world

6:05 The origins of Coronavirus

9:14 Getting funding from the US

12:42 Why African culture is so popular

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"So he took the name Coronavirus because he came to prominence during COVID. And the fans nicknamed him that because his style was deadly."

"We featured the first ever international white Dambe fighter, a guy called Luke Leyland, brought him all the way over from sunny Liverpool and he competed in front of 10,000 people in Katsina, Northern Nigeria."

"We have an outsized level of cultural power."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

Building a basketball industry in Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-nba-africa-means-business/

How Africans can build their own NBA with the man leading it in Kenya https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/if-the-infrastructure-for-basketball-was-anywhere-near-what-its-like-in-america-africans-would-dominate-the-nba/

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Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

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