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EFC Africa 21 hit Carnival City’s Big Top Arena last night (25th July) and brought with it a showcase of Mixed Martial Art talent, all ready to take on their opponents in the hexagon. MMA fans were treated to a night of good fights, bad fights, upsets and heavyweight clashes. Get the inside info of what went down with our review below.
Fight 1: Featherweight – Mawande Mazithambe vs Pierre Botha
Winner: Pierre Botha
Mazithambe was the first to engage but Botha got the takedown, got himself into side guard and locked in a tight Arm Triangle forcing Mazithambe to tap out 2 minutes 16 seconds into round 1.
Fight 2: Bantamweight – Nkazimulo Zulu vs Lourens Botes
Winner: Nkazimulo Zulu
Zulu came in with the kicks and then the hard punches, Botes went in for the takedown and slammed Zulu to the ground but Zulu got out quick and landed some more punches. Botes got another takedown and tried with a guillotine choke but was unsuccessful. The fight went back to standing with Zulu landing more hits and then getting a takedown at the end of the first round.
In round 2 Zulu came in swinging again and then connected Botes with a big head kick sending him to the ground, which saw Zulu take the win by KO.
Fight 3: Heavyweight – Mihamed Karim vs Vandam Mbuyi
Winner: Vandam Mbuyi
Not the most exciting fight but went the distance. In all 3 round there was an exchange of jabs and kicks which then went into the clinch. Mbuyi was looking for a big right to knock out Karim during the whole fight, he did land a few but Karim took them. Mbuyi probably could have KO’d Karim but he did not engage enough and the bell went for the end of the fight. The fight went to the judges and Mbuyi took the win by unanimous decision.
Fight 4: Lightweight – Johan van Staden vs Steven Momah
Winner: Johan van Staden
A great fight with a lot of fast stand up striking coming from both fighters. Van Staden got the takedown in round 1 got himself into full guard, Momah defended well but gave up his back, Van Staden tried to take advantage but Momah manoeuvred and turned it.
In round 2 Van Staden got the takedown again and was in full guard landing hits. Momah again defended himself well.
Round 3 went the same was but this time Van Staden trapped Momah’s are so he couldn’t defend the nonstop ground and pound strikes coming from Van Staden’s fists. The ref called the fight and Van Staden took the victory by TKO.
Fight 5: Middleweight – Tez Makuebo vs Dricus Du Plessis
Winner: Dricus Du Plessis
Makuebo seemed to have the upper hand in the beginning if the fight while the fighters where feeling each other out. There was an exchange of jabs before Makuebo went in for the takedown ,but as he did his leg was in the wrong position and he bent in the wrong direction forcing him to tap out with a verbal submission giving Du Plessis the win.
Fight 6: Lightweight – Boyd Allen vs Hanru Botha
Winner: Boyd Allen
Allen made quick work of the wrestler. Botha tried for 2 takedowns with no luck and finally got Allen to the ground on his 3rd attempt but Allen quickly turned it and landed some ground and pound. Botha tried to defend but gave up his back which saw Allen capitalise and lock on a rear naked choke forcing Botha to tap out.
Fight 7: Heavyweight – Wilhelm Strauss vs Lance Ceronio
Winner: Wilhelm Strauss
The was a full out bloody war that somehow went the distance and had MMA fans on their feet screaming. All 3 rounds saw both fighters in a stand up trade and going in hard with big punches. Every now and then the fight went into the clinch which saw uppercut for uppercut. Strauss and Ceronio with blood everywhere by the end of the fight but it was Strauss that got the points when the fight went to the judges. 29-28 Strauss – 29-28 Ceronio – 29-28 Strauss.
Fight 8: Welterweight – David Buirski vs Nicholas Radley
Winner: David Buirski
Radley came into the fight strong, landing strikes but Buirski got the takedown and got himself into full guard. Radley gave up his back and Buirski used the opportunity to lock in a rear naked choke, first unsuccessfully but with a tight second attempt, which saw Radley tap out in round 1.
Fight 9: Middleweight – Jason Culverwell vs JC Lamprecht
Winner: JC Lamprecht
The fight went straight into the clinch with uppercuts and knees being exchanged before going to ground. Both fighters looks good on the ground working around each other for guard but Lamprecht got into top guard, landed some hits and then locked in a tight rear naked choke as Culverwell gave up his back and was forced to tap out.
Fight 10: Featherweight – Francois Groenewald vs Gareth Buirski
Winner: Gareth Buirski
Groenewald went in for the takedown but Buirski took advantage and landed a big right as Groenewald went in. Buirski kept laying into Groenewalkd until the ref called the fight seeing Buirski take the win by TKO.
Fight 11: Heavyweight – Ruan Potts vs Mahmoud Hassan
Winner: Ruan Potts
Potts made quick work of Hassan when the fight went to the ground and he submitted Hassan 37 seconds into the first round with an ankle lock. Potts is keen to get back to the top.
Fight 12: Heavyweight – Bernado Mikixi vs Sors Grobbelaar
Winner: Sors Grobbelaar
Mikixi went in hard in round 1 landing big blows to the head of Grobbelaar but Grobbelaar took it and fought back and caught Mikixi with a good right taking the fight to the ground. Grobbelaar landed heavy ground and pound until the end of the round.
In round 2 Grobbelaar again rocked Mikixi with strikes and the fight went to the ground again, and again with Grobbelaar in top guard landing ground and pound. Mikixi gave up his back and Grobbelaar tried to take advantage but Mikixi turned it.
Grobbelaar owned round 3 with nonstop strikes and knocked out Mikixi to take the win by TKO. Grobbelaar’s next fight will be the heavyweight title fight against EFC Africa champion, Andrew van Zyl.
Fight 13: Featherweight Title – Demarte Pena vs Abdul Hassan
Winner: Demarte Pena
The fight that MMA fans were anxious to see but unfortunately ended in a way that no one was happy with. Pena came into the first round with the kicks working on Hassan’s legs and then took the fight to the ground. Hassan quickly stood it back up and went into the clinch. The fight looked well matched with both fighters showing their grappling skills. Pena got into top guard and landed some good strikes until the end of the round.
Hassan could not come out for round 2 due to a leg injury giving the fight to Pena by way of verbal submission.
Demarte Pena is still the undefeated EFC Africa Featherweight Champion.
Photo Gallery:
What you keep referring to as “full guard” and “top guard” is in fact called Full Mount or just Mount. Like come on.