Dambe, a traditional combat sport of the Hausa people (a West African ethnic group historically associated with northern Nigeria and the surrounding region), is gaining international attention through social media platforms and organised professional leagues, but its rapid commercialisation is raising concerns about the sidelining of the communities that created it. Rooted in harvest festivals, rites of passage, and spiritual practices including protective amulets and herbal rituals, the sport is being restructured with formal round systems and points-based scoring aimed at attracting global audiences and sponsors. Commentators warn that unless fighters, elders, and traditional community members are given a meaningful role in decisions about Dambe's regulation and representation, its commercial growth risks stripping the sport of the cultural context that defines its significance.