South African actor Irshaad Ally, best known for his role as Rhafiek in the Afrikaans TV series Suidooster, is stepping back into the community, not on screen, but inside the cage.
On November 29, the Undisputed MMA Championship (UMC) launches at Oaklands High School, a new fight night initiative that blends Cape Town talent, showmanship, and youth upliftment.
UMC is a partnership between Ally and Fidaah Edries, owner of Fighterz Inc Gym. The pair’s journey into community development began years ago while volunteering at the Mustadafin Foundation, where they used drama and martial arts as interventions for vulnerable youth.
That work, Ally says, shaped his understanding of how discipline-based sports can transform young people, often written off by society.
“You get kids that need a lift. Kids that don’t have…
