OUR STORY
In October 2020, Fred Ford Jr., the President of Africa Top Team, launched the world's first combat sports apparel and equipment company, which was specifically designed to support the rise of African combat sports. This initiative gave rise to Africa Top Team Warrior Culture, which has quickly established itself as Africa’s leading grassroots, combat sports organization, dedicated to fostering a Pan-Africanist "Warrior Culture" that emphasizes principles such as self-discipline, self-reliance, and self-determination. The organization is committed to discovering, training and developing the next generation of combat sports athletes in Africa and across the African diaspora. (ATT) President Fred Ford Jr, envisions Africa as a central hub for martial arts, positioning it as a premier destination for combat sports globally. Covering a range of disciplines including boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mma, wrestling, jiujitsu, sambo, weapons and various other indigenous arts.
Proof of concept!
Africa Top Team Nigeria. The first Top Team in Africa
Hello, my name is Fred Ford Jr, creator and visionary of the Africa Top Team Warrior culture movement. In late 2020, after founding Africa Top Team, I sought to manifest my vision in Africa. This was a daunting task, made even more difficult with my decision to choose perhaps the most enticing and also most difficult country in Africa to succeed. Unfortunately, my motto is “Go hard or Go home” and with that, Africa Top Team Nigeria was born!
To say that building a grassroots combat sports organization from scratch in Nigeria was difficult, would be an understatement! We began our journey in Oyigbo, Rivers state. I poured millions and millions of Naira into establishing this new organization. We had some great success and some spectacular failures! No one will ever fully know the, money, blood, sweat and tears that were given by me in this early development. I will spare you all of the gory details. Let’s just say “We don’t need another Hero”!!!
Level up
In the eye of a tumultuous storm, a beacon of hope emerged for our struggling organization, embodied by the Notorious SOJ Esoe Franklin John Bilikha. At that time, he was among the premier MMA fighters in Africa, and he resonated with my aspirations for the continent. We quickly forged a brotherly bond. I designated him as the executive director of Africa Top Team Cameroon to initiate the establishment of our organization in his homeland. However, destiny had other plans for him. Feeling the weight of my need for assistance with Africa Top Team Nigeria, I entrusted him with the mission to travel to Nigeria and rescue the organization! What he was able to accomplish, set a new standard for our organization and set it on its current path to greatness. I will forever be greatful to you brother! Introducing Africa Top Team Warrior Culture mma coach:
Brother in Arms
After coming back from the brink of disaster, I was blessed to meet my second brother in arms and new partner in Nigeria. David Osaghae. A native Nigerian Judo master with the same passion as myself for giving the young athletes of Nigeria and Africa an opportunity to develop to their fullest potential in combat sports. Like me, he poured his own money, blood, sweat and tears into building a world class combat sports facility in his hometown of Benin city, Edo state. The David Osaghae Judo and sports foundation. Now the headquarter for Africa Top Team Nigeria. Together, we are now the #1 grassroots combat sport organization in Nigeria! My original vision of African Americans and Africans uniting thru combat sports has come to fruition and together we are unstoppable!!!
Fight Fest
Africa Top Team #WarriorCulture Fight Fest stands as Nigeria's premier amateur MMA organization,committed to establishing a world-class platform for developing the next generation of professional MMA athletes in Nigeria and across the African diaspora. Our inaugural event took place on July 18-19, 2025, at The David Osaghae Judo and Sports Foundation in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The first day was filled with a national MMA training seminar, while the second day showcased a thrilling amateur fight card featuring 10 remarkable matches that highlighted some of Nigeria's finest amateur MMA talents! Africa Top Team #WarriorCulture Fight Fest marks the pinnacle of Africa Top Team Nigeria’s five-year journey from relative obscurity to becoming the #1 grassroots combat sports organization in Nigeria! Now with the full attention of aspiring combat sports athletes and the nation, it is time to get ready for the next installment of Fight Fest!
Fight Fest 2
The Origins of Warrior Culture
IBJJF Blackbelt, IBJJF world champion (M7) World/4 x Pan Am Champ, 3x Silver Med. FUJI Ref, Boxing and Tai Chi Instructor Author of the Black Book of Jiujitsu
Begin Your Journey to Mastery
If you are ready to approach jiu-jitsu as a science and embrace the principles of flow, survival, and adaptability, The Black Book of Jujutsu is your guide. This book is for those who understand that true mastery requires harmony of mind, body, and technique.
At the beginning of my journey in Africa, I sought out and met my mentor and kindred brother, Gurjot Singh. He was the embodiment of the warrior ethos I wanted to bring to the motherland. He was like many African Americans who were seeking to reconnect with their root culture. His being the Igbo lands in Rivers State, Nigeria. This happened to be exactly where Africa Top Team Nigeria was founded. We formulated a grand plan to introduce his unique form of Vale Tudo to Nigeria, a system based on self-mastery and achieving a flow state in both training and combat. This system had allowed Gurjot Singh to train with men half his age without major injuries and also to compete at the highest level without the use of PEDs, culminating with him becoming an IBJJF world champion in his mid-60s. This is why he is called the Elder Beast! But it was not to be. We were betrayed at the highest level from inside our organization by the very person entrusted to protect it. We had to abandon our plans, and I had to go about the business of saving the organization from complete destruction, which I was able to accomplish! Now, with the meteoric rise of Africa Top Team Nigeria and the impending launch of the Africa Top Team Warriors Culture Coin, we are all ready to combine our efforts to unite African Americans, Africans, and the entire African diaspora through combat sports. Let’s go!!!
Credits:
Fred Ford Jr President Africa Top Team