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EFC Africa makes TV debut

Cape Town - Costa Ioannou, the most dominant champion in EFC Africa history, defends his lightweight belt against the man dubbed as the future of the lightweight division, Don Madge.

This fight, to be broadcast live on SuperSport, has generated interest like no other bout before it. It is the biggest match-up to date on African soil.

Ioannou exploded onto the local Mixed Martial Arts stage with an incredible battle. Over three rounds he and the recently returned Brendan Katz put on an MMA display that shattered all previous experiences of what was possible. Together they redefined the limits men could push in the cage, Ioannou marking himself as a fighter above all others.

Just on a year ago Don Madge and Leon Mynhardt faced each other in Cape Town. That night Madge did the same as what Ioannou achieved two years before: he produced a devastating, brutal display of skill. That fight continues to echo with significance. It was a milestone fight and revealed a milestone fighter. Despite his loss, Madge established himself as the future of the lightweight division. Like Ioannou, he marked himself as a fighter above all others and as someone who had to challenge for the title.

This battle is between the best grappler and the best striker on the continent but it’s also a battle where each has the potential to match the other. Every movement will be massive.

Either Ioannou will cement himself as the greatest MMA champion on the continent, literally unbeatable, or the division will be turned on its head with the greatest upset in African MMA history.

“I don’t train to shoot once,” says Ioannou. “I shoot to take someone down. I keep going until he goes down.”

“I’m not intimidated by him or his fans,” says Madge. “I’m going to hurt him. He’s never faced anything like me. The belt is coming to Cape Town.”

BROADCAST DETAILS

Wednesday’s weigh-in will be broadcast live at 14:00 (SS Blitz)

Thursday, LIVE: SS Blitz (channel 200) and 4HD (channel 214) from 20:00
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