Afro-European promotion, ARES FC, will hold their inaugural event in Dakar, Senegal this Saturday as they hope to establish a foothold in the French and African markets. One fighter in particular has gained some traction online and has generated discussion among fans due to his intimating and muscular physique ahead of his MMA debut.
Oumar Kane, who is also known as Reug Reug, is the undefeated heavyweight champion of Senegalese wrestling, a form of grappling which involves hand strikes and takedowns. He is a well-known athlete in Senegal and a hero’s reception can be expected on Saturday due to his popularity in the region. Kane has traveled back and forth to New York for the last few years to work on his fitness and overall MMA game before his debut.
Sofiane Boukichou (6-3) is the man tasked with trying to negate the physicality of Kane as he returns from a serious injury suffered earlier this year. The Cage Warriors veteran broke his leg back in February after recent UFC-signee, Tom Aspinall, checked a leg kick which consequently ended the fight. That loss halted Boukichou’s five fight winning streak so the Frenchman will endeavor to get back to winning ways this weekend.
ARES FC is aiming to develop MMA in France and Africa by holding regular shows in these territories. As a result, it is hoped the promotion will pave the way for the world’s biggest MMA companies to bring their events further down the line. That way, both the talent pool and viewing audience in the countries can be cultivated to allow the sport’s growth to continue for years to come.
This weekend’s event will be available to watch all across the continent of Africa on Canal+ Sport and can be viewed in the US and Europe on UFC Fight Pass. Fans in the UK and Ireland can tune in on Saturday night from 7 p.m. GMT while fans in the US can see how the action unfolds from 2 p.m. ET.
This Saturday at @ares_fighting's first event there is a new player entering the MMA game. #ARES1
Undefeated Heavyweight 🇸🇳 Senegalese Wrestling 🤼♂️ Champion Oumar Kane aka Reug Reug aka The King 👑
What a specimen!! 🤯
📲🖥️ @UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/19lasZ4n6P
— Alan Murphy (@AlanMurphyMMA) December 11, 2019
