France, Aug. 31 -- For nearly six years, wrestler Modou Lo has reigned as the undisputed "king of the arena" in Senegal - a title that carries more weight than any footballing accolade in the country. Ahead of his blockbuster bout with Sa Thies in April next year, he talks to RFI about mysticism, MMA, politics and who he believes will inherit his crown.

RFI: Modou Lo, you've been Senegal's "king of the arena" since July 2019. How important is this title in Senegal?

Modou Lo: You need to understand that wrestling is Senegal's most popular sport - ahead of football, even if there's no big event like the AFCON or the World Cup. When you're king of the arena, you're champion of all wrestlers.

Our discipline is wrestling with strikes - a ve...