By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
FITE TV and Slamforce Africa issued the following press release to announce their new partnership.
Pretoria, South Africa. 06 May 2019 – It is with great pleasure to officially announce, that Slamforce Africa have partnered with Combat Sports giant, FITE tv, to bring all the electrifying, body slamming action from Africa straight to the fans, all over the world.
This is a true and unique milestone in African wrestling, never before has a South African or African based wrestling promotion partnered with an international, well known and wildly popular digital broadcast channel and distributor such as FITE TV.
FITE is the world leader in the digital distribution of Pro Wrestling, Boxing and MMA events. FITE users from around the world are able to Live Stream events via The FITE Digital Television Network. FITE is available on all major digital platforms including its website www.FITE.tv, Apple and Android mobile apps, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. FITE mobile apps feature the patented technology to cast the program to any internet connected television sets and is available worldwide.
Slamforce Africa, the brain child of head promoter and President of Slamforce Africa Pty (Ltd.) Cornelius A.P. van Tonder – also known as Mr. C, is set to make history on 27 October 2019, when it launches its first event; SFA01. Set with the vision to establish an official wrestling territory for fans and wrestlers alike to ply their trade and enjoy their favourite sports entertainment genre on home soil in Africa, partnering up with international superstar and former 3 time WWE Tag Team champion, PJ Black to be a franchise wrestler for the company as well as heading up talent development, by setting up wrestling schools in South Africa. With a wonderful partner such as FITE tv that sees the value in establishing a next generation wrestling promotion in Africa, the only continent in the world where wrestlers and fans can not ply their trade on a professional and permanent basis or enjoy a sport they love, is truly a testament to FITE for being the leading Combat Sports content provider in the world and in front of the pack when it comes to giving opportunities and following through to see that wrestling is all inclusive, no matter where you are from or what your background is.
Slamforce Africa Pty (Ltd.) president, Cornelius A.P. van Tonder, had the following to say in regards to the partnership with FITE TV, “Firstly, we would like to thank Michael Weber and his team at FITE TV, for believing in us from the start and allowing us to share our dream of seeing a professional wrestling territory rise up in Africa with the rest of the world. We are truly grateful and proud to be associated with FITE and the people involved to see this dream kickstart into second gear. I firmly believe that with this partnership, wrestling in Africa will go above and beyond in what it is capable of doing. We have amazing talented wrestlers all over Africa, and we have an incredible passionate fan base. This partnership is for the fans and wrestler alike, whom have always dreamed of reaching for the stars.” He added, “Slamforce Africa, will be the very first Premier professional wrestling promotion in Africa, that focusses on bringing the best talent in the world to Africa, without spoiling too much of what is to come, we have a great line-up of international superstars heading to South Africa, former WWE and current Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor Wrestling superstars. Fans will see these mega stars next to their own homegrown heroes and that is the very core of what Slamforce Africa brings.”
With the partnership between Slamforce Africa and FITE tv, the future of professional wrestling in Africa is exciting and bright.
“With the addition of Slamforce Wrestling to the line-up, FITE is truly becoming the most comprehensive platform in which to watch Live professional wrestling from around the world.” said FITE TV Chief Operating Officer, Michael Weber. “We are excited to work with a company like Slamforce Africa that has the vision to become an internationally recognized leader in the wrestling world.”
On this unique partnership, Slamforce Africa Pty (Ltd.) Head of Public & Investor Relations, Mr. Tshepo Mkapi weighed in, “What we are bringing to South Africa, but Africa as a whole, is a new hope. Across Africa, there is thousands, no, millions…of young kids, young adults and even veteran dreamers, whom have always wanted to be the next Shawn Michaels, or John Cena or Trish Stratus, but never had a proper and legitimate platform to actively pursue those dreams. You look at someone like Kofi Kingston, born in Ghana, current WWE Champion. But he had to move to the USA to reach his dreams. Now we are coming in and we are promising a platform for people to reach their dreams, right here, in Africa. At Home. Not only that, along with this enterprise, comes job opportunities, new skills to be taught and new ways for people to put food on their table. With FITE tv in our corner, we have a platform for our athletes and the stories they want to tell in our unique Africa way, as well as our business partners, sponsors and affiliates to reach a global audience, and show the world what Africa can do.”
Wrestling fans in Africa and all over the world, whom have a keen interest to see what Slamforce Africa can bring to the table, can now eagerly anticipate their first event, SFA01 on FITE TV on 27 October 2019, and watch it live for $14.99, for those who won’t be able to get their hands on live event tickets.
Powell’s POV: In fairness, Kingston’s family reportedly moved to the United States when he was roughly a year old, and he didn’t start training until 2005. Nevertheless, it’s cool that streaming gives fans the ability to see pro wrestling from all over the world.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Court Bauer discussing MLW’s future, pay-per-view possibilities, whether MLW talent could appear on the AAA event at MSG, Salina de la Renta serving as the executive producer for the latest MLW Fusion television show, and more.
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