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Opio plotting knockout against Nigeria’s Thompson
MMA Fighter James Opio demonstrates his art during training. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The franchise, governed by UFC legend Usman Kamaru, aka “The Nigerian Nightmare,” Africa’s only UFC world champion, has five weight divisions entertaining athletes from 14 countries across Africa.
Ugandan James Opio has lofty ambitions of contesting for the World Mixed Martial Arts title but admits he has a long way to go. The baby steps in that journey include commendable performances in the African Knockout (AKO) Championship, a pan-African professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) based in Nigeria.
The franchise, governed by UFC legend Usman Kamaru, aka “The Nigerian Nightmare,” Africa’s only UFC world champion, has five weight divisions entertaining athletes from 14 countries across Africa.
In late March, Opio made a surprise entry into the franchise that imitates the lucrative UFC by knocking out Nigerian homeboy Abdul Basit in the second round.
That earned him four points including a bonus point, putting him in third place behind Benin’s Jean Dos Santos on 10 points and Nigeria’s Jibrin Baba on seven points.
Opio trains.
Dos Santos, aka Black Panther, and Baba have three fights each while fourth-placed Ghana’s Richard Asiedu also has four points after winning one fight and losing the other.
But Opio said he had little time to prepare for his last fight. “I was told 10 days to the fight and I didn’t prepare well. I wasn’t in my best shape but I thank God that I managed to win, moreover with a knockout.”
This time, he feels more prepared against another Nigerian Cornel Thompson, on August 10 in Lagos.
.“I have had enough time with Coach Josiah (Lumunya) and other coaches and I still have more time to get better,” said Opio who trains from his Labwor Combat Sports Club in Muyenga and Meta Fit Gym in Nsambya.
Thompson is fifth with three points from one fight. “He’s a good fighter; he’s got good wrestling and grappling technics but I know how to handle him,” Opio said.
Opio has won 16 fights and one loss including some in kickboxing. He needs four wins to contest for the AKO lightweight title.
In March, Opio floored his opponent in the second round, and overwhelmed him with a torrent of elbows which prompted the referee to stop the fight. He anticipates a second knockout but possibly from a different technique: a guillotine, rear naked choke, leg lock, a punch, or anything else.
“I don’t want to be predictable but I feel I can stop Cornell,” he said, much aware that in Africa it’s hard defeating a home-based fighter on points.
Last time Opio did not travel with his trainer. He had to rely on the services of a Kenyan. This time, he will be with his trainer Lumunya. “He is now at 70 percent. But in the next few days he will be in fine shape,” said Lumunya who is also the AKO representative in Uganda.
Opio will be alongside another Ugandan Lawrence Mukiibi, ranked seventh in the lightweight division.
