Luanda - The Angolan fighter Nkunga Vakanda qualified Wednesday for the quarter-finals of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) World Championship after beating Otabek Radzabov, from Tajikistan, in the 56 kg category.
This is was the first fight of the day in an event taking place in Uzbekistan, as Pedro Calembela will fight Romanian Manvel Barseghyan (70 kg), while Clélio Diogo will face Shoymard Abdulnazarov, also from Tajikistan (65.8 kg).
Tulunda Daniel faces Dmitry Yarkov, another competitor from Tajikistan (74.8kg), Leonardo Pascoal clashes with Elez Guri, from Albania (61.2kg), while Mafuana Mbungo fights Portugal's Mário Ferreira (56.7kg).
In their opening match on Tuesday, Angola national team suffered two disqualifications recorded by William Bombo and Axel Augusto, as well as a defeat recorded by Mário Stefan.
The National Team, in both men and women categories, is made up of Nkunga Vakanda (welterweight), Ricardo Pireza (lightweight), Milfa Nicolau and Jones Mabungu (super middleweight).
The women's team includes Nilza Muhanha (atomweight), Nadir Vieira (featherweight), Maria Kitoko (super lightweight) and Clarence Francisco (super middleweight), all in the junior category.
Esperança Pereira (flyweight), Maria Liberal (lightweight) and Georgina Ludmila (super lightweight) fill the vacancies in the women's class.
The senior men include Mafuana Mbungu (flyweight), Leonardo Pascoal, Adalberto Ntyamba (welterweight), Matias Monteiro, Clélio Diogo (featherweight), Pedro Calembela, William Bombo (lightweight), Tulunda Daniel, Axel Augusto (super lightweight).
Mário Stefan (middleweight), Anderson Gouveia, Elias Augusto (super middleweight), Nicklas Herlander, Massanu Mbimba (heavyweight), Hélder Manuel and Elfran Marques (super heavyweight) complete the group.
Angola is taking part for the third time, after 2022 and 2023. JAD/MC/AMP
