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Stake, a global leader in crypto betting, and the African Warriors Fighting Championship, the largest promoter of Dambe (traditional Nigerian boxing), have signed a historic sponsorship agreement. Stake, already a sponsor of UFC and Nigerian UFC champion Israel Adesanya is the first African company to sign a sponsorship agreement.
Stake will integrate its branding into AWFC events by placing high-visibility logos on official uniforms, athlete uniforms and fight arenas. Stake will receive exposure on AWFC digital channels where Stake branding is integrated into AWFC Dambe content.
Maxwell Kalu founded the African Warriors Fighting Championship in 2019. Its goal is to increase global awareness and interest in Dambe, a traditional Nigerian form of boxing. The traditional Nigerian boxing, Dambe, is hugely popular in Nigeria. It has a large following internationally and hundreds of millions of online views.
The “spear” is the name given to the hand that has been wrapped in cord. The shield is the name given to the other hand, which is used for defensive purposes. Athletes may also kick using both legs. AWFC Dambe games are played over three rounds. Victory is achieved by knocking an opponent out or causing their hand, knee, or back to touch down.
Maxwell Kalu added that the partnership between AWFC & Stake was a first for African combat sports. It is also an exciting step forward in our mission to take Dambe international.
“Dambe is a combat sport unlike any other in the world. It’s ancient, intense and steeped with tradition. Stake’s partnership with AWFC highlights the impressive growth and shows that Dambe has a significant impact on combat sports fans all over the world.
We’re excited to be Stake’s first partner on the African continent and look forward in helping the brand to expand its user base and raise awareness across the continent.
Akhil Sarin is the Director of Acquisition for Stake. He said, “AWFC has exciting plans and we see huge possibilities for the sport Dambe.” Stake’s combat sports partnerships have built up a strong reputation and adding Dambe to our portfolio will help us expand into the African market.
