Ghana’s Daniel Wadieh has won the senior men’s super lightweight title at the 2026 IMMAF Angola Dipanda Open World Cup, becoming the first Ghanaian to claim gold at the event and making history as the first Ghanaian to reach the No. 1 position in the division’s IMMAF world rankings.
The tournament, held from 17–20 September 2026 at the Pavilhão Multiusos Arena do Kilamba in Luanda, Angola, was the first IMMAF World Cup staged on African soil.
Wadieh secured his place in the final with a decisive semifinal victory over Tchikaya Pembel Durel of the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), stopping his opponent by technical knockout in the third round.
In the final on 20 September, Wadieh faced home favourite Paixão José Samilonga of Angola. After three competitive rounds, the Ghanaian was awarded the victory by split decision, securing the senior men’s super lightweight gold medal for Ghana.
Following his championship-winning performance, Wadieh climbed to No. 1 in the IMMAF senior men’s super lightweight world rankings with 680 points. His achievement marks a significant milestone for Ghanaian mixed martial arts and places him at the top of his division on the international stage.
By: Emmanuel Opoku