Nigeria vs. Benin Grudge Match, Other Rivalries set to Explode — PFL Africa MMA Finals Just Got Personal

The sporting rivalry between Nigeria and Benin Republic, long a passionate affair on the football pitch, is set to boil over into the realm of Mixed Martial Arts.

As Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa prepares to crown its first-ever champions, the spotlight is turning to a few select bouts that carry the weight of national pride and one particularly venomous personal grudge, that promises to set the Cotonou Sofitel Dome alight.

Forget national allegiance for a moment; the Lightweight Showcase bout between Benin’s Jean “The Black Panther” Do Santos (9-1) and Nigeria’s Cornel “The Marine Boxer” Thompson (10-3) is not just a Nigeria-vs-Benin contest, it's a deeply personal, long-simmering blood feud finally reaching its climax.

This rivalry was forged in the fires of the African Knockout (AKO) promotion. Do Santos and Thompson were on an apparent collision course for a divisional title fight, but for reasons unknown, the bout was repeatedly delayed. The tension escalated into a full-blown crisis, transforming professional rivalry into outright hostility.

The animosity was so profound that Do Santos and his management took an unprecedented stand, allegedly declaring that "The Black Panther" would not fight anybody else in the division unless it was Cornell. This self-imposed exile saw Do Santos inactive for a significant period, underscoring the sincerity of his vendetta. Meanwhile, Thompson claimed he was receiving threats and abusive messages from Do Santos’ cohorts, adding a sinister edge to the narrative.

Now, PFL Africa has stepped in, giving the fans and the fighters, what they’ve been waiting for. On December 20th in Cotonou, this fight is happening, and it’s not expected to go the distance. Both men are elite fighters, but the overriding motive here is not merely victory; it is punishment. Every strike is expected to land with bad intention, driven by the sheer spite of a rivalry that has been bottled up for too long. This is a fight that screams early finish and is guaranteed to be the emotional flashpoint of the entire event.

While the Do Santos vs. Thompson rivalry is the emotional centerpiece, the entire event is framed by the classic Nigeria vs. Benin sporting rivalry.

• Host Nation Pride: Benin, the host nation, will be riding a wave of local support, eager to showcase its combat sports talent on the global PFL stage. Do Santos carries the weight of his country’s pride in his headlining grudge match.

• Nigerian Dominance Narrative: Nigeria, with its long and storied history of sporting success, fields a strong contingent including Cornel Thompson. For Thompson, a victory over a Beninese rival, especially one he holds a personal grudge against, is an opportunity to restore national bragging rights in a neighboring country.

Beyond the main rivals, other Nigerian and Beninese fighters on the card will undoubtedly feel the increased pressure, turning every strike, every takedown, and every decision into a proxy battle for national honor.

The PFL Africa Finals are set to deliver a spectacular night of African MMA, but it is the raw, unadulterated hatred between Jean Do Santos and Cornel Thompson that threatens to overshadow every other moment and establish itself as one of the most compelling rivalries in African combat sports history.