With three wins in six fights, former Ugandan kickboxer Titus Tugume is targeting his fourth victory that will earn him a maiden belt in his new venture in MMA sport.

The UPDF soldier will on Friday take on American Louis Catoe in an International MMA fight at Freedom City in Kampala.

Louis Catoe, an amateur MMA fighter, has one fight and one win and is ranked 148 out of 289 ranked fighters in Florida.

The two face off in the 78kg Super Middleweight fight at Freedom City on Friday.

Titus Tugume (R) with Ruben Saldanya, Louis Catoe's coach (C) and Catoe (R) during a press briefing at Freedom City

Mixed martial arts, (MMA), is a combat sport in which two competitors attempt to achieve dominance by utilizing three general tactics: striking, finishing holds, and control.

Tugume noted this at the venue after the weigh-in, in which he was 78.2kg and the opponent 76.8kg.

“MMA is the fastest growing sport and winning this medal adds a lot of value to me. So, I’m going to be my best but win this medal,” he said.

“This medal is what I have been targeting for all the time and I cannot let it go.” 

During the World Championships in Amsterdam, Tugume won two and lost a fight.     

The 38-year-old ruled out any bad memories distracting from achieving his target and called it an accident that happened once.

USA's Louis Cartoe (L) and Titus Tugume (R) show off at Freedom City. PHOTO: Johnson Were

It is at the same venue where he lost to Moses Golola in a kickboxing fight in less than ten seconds in 2013.

“What happened against Golola was just an accident that happened once, that will motivate me to win this fight to disprove the many Ugandans who think this venue has bad luck,” Tugume said.

The fight will also have artists including Gravity Omutujju and Allien Skin.

The event is sponsored by Vision Group.