Mixed martial arts fighter Norman Mondo works out at One Tribe BJJ Gym at Allsopp , Ruaraka on November 25, 2025.
Norman Mondo is not the kind of software engineer who spends a whole day behind a computer screen.
By day, he writes codes, tests apps, and designs digital interfaces. But when evening comes, the keyboard gives way to gloves, mats, and kicks.
His life runs on two parallel tracks—tech and combat—yet the discipline, precision, and problem-solving that define one world seamlessly guide the other.
“When I hit my late twenties, I want to turn pro in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts and compete as much as possible,” says the 25-year-old. “I’m not yet at my prime.”
For someone who only stepped into MMA in 2021, Mondo carries the awareness of an athlete who understands that fighting careers are fragile and windows close fast.
Mixed martial arts fighter Norman Mondo works out at One Tribe BJJ Gym at Allsopp , Ruaraka on November 25, 2025.
His journey has been anything but smooth, shaped by childhood restrictions, academic expectations, personal battles, and the harsh realities of combat sports.
But through it all, he has discovered purpose, confidence, and an identity built on resilience.
Before he defeated Gordon Juma in June and Eric Ngari in August in his first two amateur MMA fights, Mondo was a boy raised in a house where sports was stitched into everyday life.
His father, Hosea Maina, was a boxer; his mother, Jane Ndemi, a track athlete. His older brothers played rugby and cricket. Competition was not an activity but a household language.
He admired fighters long before he became one. He admired Georges St-Pierre’s precision, Dustin Poirier’s boxing, and Conor McGregor’s charisma. But despite his fascination, he was kept away from martial arts.
“There wasn’t anywhere in the area to train, and my parents didn’t want me fighting young,” he recalls. But his desire never left, it simply waited.
Like many Kenyan youths, Mondo followed the structured academic route. Dayspring Junior School for 10 years. Highway Secondary School in 2015, then Aga Khan High School, completing KCSE in 2018.
He majored in Applied Computer Technology at USIU-Africa, graduating last year.
Through all of it, the martial arts itch lingered beneath the surface.
His entry into MMA, which is run by the Kenya Oriental Combat Sports Federation (KOCSF), wasn’t dramatic. No family send-off. No ceremonial first step.
Instead, it was a secret.
“My family didn’t really support it when I started,” he says. So he signed up for a kickboxing tournament on his own. He fought three times that day, returning home bruised but standing proudly with a silver medal.
Self-employed software engineer
“I showed them the medal and told them I wanted to keep going.”
Fear softened into pride. His father’s boxing past gave him understanding. His mother even began training with him occasionally. Today, they are among his strongest supporters.
A defining moment in Mondo’s fighting career came when he joined One Tribe BJJ gym along Thika Road. With world-class coaches and a tightly knit community, Mondo wishes he had found it earlier.
His weekly schedule mirrors that of a seasoned professional: Monday is for wrestling and boxing, Tuesday is set aside for No-gi Jiu-Jitsu and strength training, Wednesday is for Gi Jiu-Jitsu, Thursday he trains No-gi and Striking, and Friday is for full MMA.
Mixed martial arts fighter Norman Mondo at One Tribe BJJ Gym at Allsopp , Ruaraka on November 25, 2025.
He squeezes in extra drilling whenever partners are available.
Combat sports test more than muscle. They expose character. Mondo felt this after a heartbreaking kickboxing loss in 2022. “It made me feel insufficient. Not as good as I expected to be.”
But instead of breaking him, it reshaped him. Today, he views losses as lessons, moments to analyze, correct, and improve. This mindset shift marked a turning point in his career.
For someone barely four years into martial arts, his list of achievements is impressive: Three-time Kenyan Kickboxing gold medallist (57kg and 60kg), Amateur Chairmanship Cup Kickboxing (silver), Tong-IL Moo-Do (silver), Nairobi and Mombasa Jiu-Jitsu Open medallist (silver and bronze), Jiu-Jitsu Potluck League gold medallist, and Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro bronze medallist.
He has an MMA record of 2–0, both first-round rear-naked choke finishes under ANZA MMA promotions.
Combat transformed his physique, but more importantly, it transformed his mind.
“When I feel stressed or low, I train. Most of my problems go away. It gives me peace.”
The sport also became physical therapy. Years of asthma symptoms improved significantly through conditioning. His engine today is a weapon—built through 10km runs, long cycling sessions, and high-volume drills.
Outside the gym, Mondo works as a self-employed software engineer. His tech skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Laravel, UI Design, and mobile app testing) provide stability and a fallback in case of injury.
“During the day, I work. At 6pm, I’m in the gym. That is how I balance it.”
He also coaches in Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu. Training takes up five to six days a week, rising to nine sessions during fight camp. Sessions last between two and four hours.
The day before a fight is calm: light jogging, shadow boxing, rope skipping, meditation.
On fight day, Mondo prioritises sleep, eats light, takes coffee for focus, and prays.
“God comes first. I always pray before a match.”
Win or lose, he honours every opponent.
Mixed martial arts fighter Norman Mondo works out at One Tribe BJJ Gym at Allsopp , Ruaraka on November 25, 2025.
“Anyone who steps into the cage is putting their life on the line. I respect that.”
Mondo explains that MMA fights take place in a cage to prevent fighters from slipping out of the fighting area during grappling exchanges, a common issue in ring-based combat sports like kickboxing or Jiu-Jitsu. The cage ensures continuity, safety, and controlled movement.
MMA blends striking and grappling under a unified ruleset. Fighters wear protective equipment, follow weight classes, and compete over specified rounds.
Rise of Kenya's next MMA star
Scoring uses the 10-point Must System. A close round is typically 10-9. A dominant round becomes 10-8 if one fighter controls the action and causes significant impact.
A rare 10-7 indicates overwhelming dominance.
Victory comes through knockout, submission, judges’ decision, or stoppage.
Africa has produced some of MMA’s greatest champions—Nigerian-American Kamaru Usman, Nigerian-New Zealander Israel Adesanya, and Cameroonian Francis Ngannou. Their stories fuel Mondo’s ambition.
His dream?
“To have a flyweight belt around my waist. Whether it’s UFC or wherever I’ll be.”
Mixed martial arts fighter Norman Mondo works out at One Tribe BJJ Gym at Allsopp , Ruaraka on November 25, 2025.
He keeps a picture of a UFC title as his phone wallpaper—a daily reminder of what he’s chasing.
Despite his intensity, Mondo is soft-spoken and creative.
MMA has taken him to Tanzania and Egypt.
Until his next fight is announced, his routine remains strict.
“I’m trying to stay fit and ready for any call,” he says. “If there is news of a fight, I want to be prepared.”
“What motivates me to keep doing MMA every day is my dream to become a champion one day and to make a name for myself in the sport,” adds Mondo.
If his journey so far is any sign, Kenya may be witnessing the rise of its next great MMA star—one who codes by day and fights by night.
