In the early summer of 2002, Abubakar Usman made his debut as a Dambe fighter in Kebbi, a state in northwest Nigeria. Usman, who was 15 at the time, had been surreptitiously learning the sport’s rules ...

There are no formal weight categories in Dambe. Fighters are mainly matched on age and size. An ancient sport where broken jaws or ribs are the signs of victory. You might think boxing. Or perhaps ...

ABUJA, Nigeria — The first strikes in Dambe are thrown before the boxers even leave their house. Fighters don charms and amulets, dye their fist or even score their arm with a razor, inserting ...

Poised like a scorpion with one bound fist ready to strike, the Dambe fighter glared at his opponent, daring him to make the first move. Dressed in just shorts and an amulet made of black leather and ...

Dambe Warriors League (DWL) (www.DambeWarriors.com), the premier sports organization dedicated to promoting the ancient martial art of Dambe, is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with ...

An ancient sport where broken jaws or ribs are the signs of victory. You might think boxing. Or perhaps martial arts. But what of 'Dambe'? A brutal style of combat, Dambe is a traditional sport ...

Fighters don charms and amulets, dye their fist or even score their arm with a razor, inserting traditional medicine before it scars over -- all guaranteed to protect them in the ring or deliver a ...

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