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The EFC Worldwide 2015 campaign was kicked off with EFC 37 on Saturday night (21 February) at Carnival City in Johannesburg. MMA fans were treated to one of the most exciting fight cards to hit the hexagon. A night filled with thrills and spills, and the 1st ever EFC women’s fight. Here’s our summery from fight night.
Fight 1 – Bantamweight: Lourens Botes vs Bill Thusi
Summary: Both fighters came out tentative. Botes took the fight to the ground and controlled from the top. Thusi defended well but Botes got the Armbar and Forces Thusi to tap out.
Winner: Lourens Botes
By way of: Armbar
Time: 2:38 into round 1
Fight 2 – Welterweight: Lyle Karam vs Marcel Teniers
Summary: Teniers took the fight to the ground but Karam turned it straight away and got into top position. Good ground game with both fighting for position and submissions. In round 2 Karam took the fight to the ground early, got into top position and landed Ground and Pound seeing the ref call the fight.
Winner: Lyle Karam
By way of: TKO
Time: 2:18 into round 2
Fight 3 – Heavyweight: Elvis Moyo vs Lance Ceronio
Summary: In the first round both fighters stood and traded some big strikes. In round 2 Moyo worked on Ceronio with jabs tiring him out. Moye then went in with the big hits hurting Ceronio.
Winner: Elvis Moyo
By way of: TKO
Time: 2:38 into round 2
Fight 4 – Lightweight: Alain Ilunga vs Sydney Mokgolo
Summary: This fight went the distance with some great ground game action. Ilunga controlled the fight from the 2nd round landing elbows causing Mokgolo’s face to swell.
Winner: Alain Ilunga
By way of: Unanimous decision
Fight 5 – Catchweight: Ian Visser vs Danie van Heerden
Summary: The fighters went in trading and landing big strikes. The fight went to the ground with Visser in top position but Van Heerden quickly got Visser’s back and landed some heavy blows KO’ing Visser.
Winner: Danie van Heerden
By way of: KO
Time: 2:27 into round 1
Fight 6 – Flyweight: Zita Varju vs Danella Eliasov
Summary: The 1st EFC women’s fight lived up to expectations and was an exciting fight. Hungary Varju went in with the punched and looked like she was going to dominate. South Africa’s Elaisov retaliated and took the fight to the ground, got into position and landed Ground and Pound. Ref called the fight as the bell was about to go for the round.
Winner: Danella Eliasov
By way of: TKO
Time: 4:59 into round 1
Fight 7 – Heavyweight: Ricky Misholas vs Cyril Asker
Summary: A 3 round Heavyweight slug-fest that saw South Africa’s Misholas and France’s Asker trade throughout the fight. The fight went to the judges and was also awarded Fight of the Night.
Winner: Cyril Asker
By way of: Unanimous decision
Fight 8 – Lightweight: Themba Gorimba vs Alexander Cheboub
Summary: Cheboub went in for the takedown. Gorimba avoided and tried with submissions getting the Guillotine Choke in and forced Cheboub to tap out.
Winner: Themba Gorimbo
By way of: Guillotine Choke
Time: 1:50 into round 1
Fight 9 – Featherweight: Tumisang Madiba vs Matthew Buirski
Summary: Each round started out with a big trade before going to ground. Madiba wanted to stand and Buirski wanted the fight on the ground, which paid off for him. Buirski controlled the fight on the ground in rounds 1 and 2. Madiba controlled the fight in round 3. The fight went to the judges.
Winner: Matthew Buirski
By way of: Unanimous decision
Fight 10 – Middleweight: Darren Daniel vs Dricus Du Plessis
Summary: Du Plessis caught Daniel in a tight Guillotine early in the fight but Daniel got out, remained composed and landed strikes. What looked to be building up to a great battle was ended by Du Plessis taking Daniel’s back, locking in the Rear Naked Choke and Daniel tapping out.
Winner: Dricus Du Plesses
By way of: Rear Naked Choke
Time: 4:50 into round 1
Fight 11 – Welterweight Title Fight: Adam Speechly vs David Buirski
Summary: The Welterweight curse lives on. Both fighters came out tentative. Speechly was willing to stand and trade but didn’t look comfortable. Buirski unleashed with big punches and a big knee dropping Speechly. David Buirski is the new EFC Welterweight Champion.
Winner: David Buirski
By way of: KO
Time: 4:19 into round 1
Fight 12 – Lightweight Title Fight: Leon Mynhardt vs Don Madge
Summary: Both came out testing, landing a few strikes. Mynhardt attacked, got the Guillotine Choke in and forced Madge to tap out early into the fight. Leon Mynhardt ended the trilogy and remains the EFC Lightweight Champion.
Winner: Leon Mynhardt
By way of: Guillotine Choke
Time: 3:08 into round 1
Photos by Ruby Woolf/ EFC Worldwide
