EFC Africa 20 Fight Review

History was made in South African Mixed Martial Arts last night as EFC Africa 20 took place and was broadcasted live on SuperSport. The night was filled with nonstop MMA action with the main card fights being some of the best matched we’ve ever seen at EFC. LW Mag was cage-side to bring you the action.

Fight 1: Bantamweight – Matthew Buirski vs Marino Cutendana

Winner: Mattew Buirski
A debut fight for both fighters which went the distance. Cutendana took the first round but Buirski came back and took the second and third rounds taking the win by unanimous decision.

Fight 2:Featherweight – Kanyeba Anicet vs Barend Nienaber

Winner: Barend Nienaber
This fight ended in the second round and saw both fighters com out swinging in the beginning of each round. Nienaber had the takedowns in each round and Anicet defended himself well but in round 2 Nienaber locked in a Rear Naked Choke and forced Anicet to tap out.

Fight3: Light Heavyweight – Chris Du Pont vs Charl Hurter

Winner: Chris Du Pont
Both fighters went in hard but Du Pont capitalised and controlled the fight with nonstop heavy punches. Hurter couldn’t take the abuse and tapped out with verbal submission due to strikes in round 1.

Fight 4: Bantamweight – Charlie Weyer vs Craig Ninow

Winner: Charlie Weyer
This fight went all 3 rounds and most of the time was spent on the ground. Weyer had the top guard in the first two rounds and controlled the fight. In round 3 Ninow got top guard but Weyer managed to turn it. Ninow turned it back but it wasn’t enough and Weyer took the win by unanimous decision.

Fight 5: Lightweight – Alex Cheboub vs Sibusiso Mdoko

Winner: Alex Cheboub
A 3 round battle that saw Mdoko hurt Cheboub with some heavy punches and ground and pound. Cheboub, always good on the ground, took the fight to the ground and worked around Mdoko trying with submissions with no luck but it was enough to get the judges majority decision.

Fight 6: Middleweight – Donavin Hawkey vs Raymond Ahana

Winner: Donavin Hawkey
A full on stand and trade and clinch warfare fight. Hawkey, looking on form again, was going in with some heavy strikes hurting Ahana. Hawkey was always on the advance and engaging while Ahana was backing off and on the defence. Ahana did hold his own and landed some big hits but in round 3 Hawkey rained down on Ahana with big blows knocking him down and taking the win by KO.

Fight 7: Welterweight – Juan Lubbe vs Neil Diesel

Winner: Juan Lubbe
Both fighters walked into the cage confident. Lubbe went in with the kicks and Diesel with the punches. Diesel took the fight to the ground, got himself into full guard and landed some ground and pound. Lubbe defended himself well and turned it at the end of the round. Somehow Diesel hurt his knee in the first round scrap and didn’t come out for round 2. Lubbe took the win by way of verbal submission.

Fight 8: Lightweight – Frederich Naumann vs Johan Van Staden

Winner: Frederich Naumann
A closely matched fight that could have gone anyone’s way. Great stand up and takedowns in every round by each fighter. The fight went to the judges and Naumann took the win by split decision.

Fight 9: Featherweight – Alain Ilunga vs Markus Taljaard

Winnner: Alain Ilunga
Ilunga came into the fight with his signature big kicks dominating Taljaard. Ilunga worked on Taljaard’s right side with heavy kicks winding and hurting Taljaard. We’re pretty sure there are some broken ribs there. Taljaard kept composed and fought back but in round 2 when the fight went to ground, Ilunga locked in a Triangle choke and forced Taljaard to tap out.

Fight 10: Middleweight – Garreth Mclellan vs Thumelo Maphutha

Winner: Gareth Mclellan
Maphutha came into round 1 hard landing big strikes and hurting Mclellan. Mclellan responded by going into the clinch and taking the fight to the ground. Mclellan worked Maphutha on the ground but Maphutha turned it and stood the fight back up. At the end of round 1 Maphutha connected Mclellan with a big punch sending him to the ground.
What now looked to be Maphutha’s fight changedas Maphutha was looking for the knockout punch in rounds 2 and 3 but did not engadge. Mclellan engaged, took the fight to the ground and tried to lock in a Rear Naked Choke at the end of the final round. The fight went to the judges and Mclellan took the win by a split decision.

Fight 11: Interim Light Heavyweight Title – Danie Van Heerden vs Gideon Drotschie

Winner: Gideon Drotschie
Jack Parow took to the cage to open for Drotschie which was pretty damn cool.
Rounds 1 and 2 where closely matched with some stand up exchanges and takedowns. In round 1 both fighters were fighting for control. In round 2 Drotschie took the fight to the ground and landed some heavy elbows, Van Heerden turned it. Drotschie tried with a Keylock submission but Van Heerden got out and then tried to lock in his own Keylock submission with no luck. In round 3 it was anyone’s game but Drotschie got the better of Van Heerden and locked that Keylock in which saw Van Heerden tap out. Drotschie is the EFC Africa Interim Light Heavyweight Champion.

Fight 12: Lightweight Title – Costa Ioannou vs Don Madge

Winner: Don Madge
One of the most exciting title fight we have experienced at EFC. Both fighters come in confident and both where on top form. Ioannou went straight in for the takedowns in each round, Madge fought to keep it standing but didn’t mind going to ground as he had done his homework. Ioannou had the top guard in the first round with Madge defending well.
In round 2 Madge had the top guard, Ioannou tried with and Armbar but Madge twisted himself out and got some strikes in. Madge tried with a Rear Naked Choke but Ioannou got out. Both fighters ground game was very tight.
In round 3 Madge landed a few strikes before Ioannou took the fight to the ground and got himself into full mount. Madge turned and gave up his back but got our before Ioannou could capitalise.
Round 4 saw Madge land a few kick and Ioannou go in for the takedown. Madge got into control and landed some elbows then got into full mount and landed some ground and pound. Ioannou defended himself well from the bottom but gave up his back which saw Madge try lock in a Rear Naked Choke but with no luck.
In the final round Iannou got the takedown again but Madge, with his impressive ground game, managed to get Ioannou’s back and lock in a that tight Rear Naked Choke forcing the defending champ to tap out.
Don Madge is the new EFC Africa Lightweight Champion.