MMA star Simon Biyong paid an emotional tribute to a young fighter shot dead trying to flee Cameroon in an attempt to better his life.
Djoujeu Ernest, 28, attempted to emigrate from Africa to Europe, like former UFC champion Francis Ngannou so famously did.
Ngannou spent over a year travelling on foot, battling homelessness and border control to eventually reach France.
His fairytale journey helped launch his superstar MMA career and inspired others to make the same risky pursuit.
Ernest idolised Ngannou but his life was taken after attempting to cross the Tunisian borders.
He was fatally shot dead with a bullet wound to the head, leaving countryman Biyong mourning his tragic death.
Biyong told SunSport: “His dream was to become the next Francis Ngannou. He thought, ‘If Francis can do it, I can do it too.’
“But he didn’t realise every man on this Earth wants that chance. Just because one did it, doesn’t mean you can do it.
“At the end, it’s a loss for the MMA community, it’s a loss for the African community because if only this kid had the opportunity to compete in his country, in his continent without needing to leave.”
Biyong himself left Cameroon but he did so after gaining a visa to study arts in Italy, where he would later take up MMA.
The light-heavyweight is now signed to the Professional Fighters League and in the 2024 season.
It means, should he progress past the two-bout qualifiers and into the last four, he can contend for the $1million prize cheque.
And Biyong vowed to spend the life-changing winnings on improving MMA in Africa so up and coming fighters do not need to take the deadly risk of fleeing to Europe and America.
He said: “Winning that $1m would give me the chance to put forward my country, Cameroon, but also Italy on the map and give the opportunities to Cameroonian and African fighters.
“PFL could also push PFL Africa early than expected. It’s sad, especially to me, to see young champions dying on their way to cross the sea to get to Europe.”
