Tzaneen-born MMA fighter eyes PFL Africa heavyweight title

TZANEEN – Former Stanford Lake College learner and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, 37-year-old Justin Clarke, is on the brink of achieving one of the biggest milestones of his career.

Clarke will be competing for the PFL Africa Heavyweight Championship title on December 20 against Abraham Bably in the tournament final, marking a defining moment in his martial arts journey.

Clarke, who is currently based in Pretoria, says his love for martial arts began in primary school after watching a Kyokushin Karate demonstration that left a lasting impression. “Jean-Claude van Damme was the craze at the time,” he recalls, “so it felt natural to give it a try.”

Clarke trained in Kyokushin for four years before he paused his training.

Years later, the fighting spirit reignited. In 2014, Clarke took up kickboxing, quickly proving his talent and determination. He went on to become the South African Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion in 2017 and the African Heavyweight Champion in 2022.

Over the years, he has accumulated an impressive 33 amateur fights across Kickboxing and Muay Thai.

In 2023, Clarke transitioned into Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and has already had four professional fights.

Earlier this year, he signed with PFL Africa for their prestigious 8-man Heavyweight Tournament. He secured a place in the finals after defeating Jashell Ticha Awa after a doctor stoppage in the quarterfinals and Maxwell Djantou Nana after a verbal submission in the semifinals.

Beyond the titles and accolades, Clarke’s motivation runs deep.

“Martial arts allow you to really test the mind, body, and spirit,” he says. “I never had the greatest self-esteem in my youth, so this journey has built my confidence and proven to me that I am enough.”

When he’s not preparing for fights, Clarke works as a personal trainer, balancing his professional career with intense training sessions twice a day.