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Cape Town - EFC AFRICA 25 exploded in the Mother City on Thursday night.
Thirteen bouts took place at the Grand West Arena, with Pretoria’s Leon ‘Iron Lion’ Mynhardt defeating Don ‘Magic Man’ Madge for the lightweight title, and Cape Town’s Gideon ‘Juggernaut’ Drotschie defending his light heavyweight belt against Fraser ‘The Omen’ Opie, fighting out of the UK.
The bout between Madge and Mynhardt was the evening’s main event and by far the most anticipated. Madge and Mynhardt first met the last time EFC AFRICA visited Cape Town, in April last year, and put on an unforgettable stand-up war. Last night’s rematch could not have been more different, with the bulk of the match taking place on the ground, highlighting the huge evolution of both men in the MMA arena.
The bout was controversially close, with Mynhardt taking the win by a split decision that had Madge’s hometown crowd in an uproar.
"Sometimes refs make bad decisions," said Madge about the result.
Mynhardt was stoic in his response. "I fought a hard fight," he said. "The decision stands. The win is mine."
In terms of the growing rivalry between these two, it is now 2-0 to the new champ. Madge will no doubt be looking for a third opportunity, with EFC AFRICA president Cairo Howarth alluding to an instant rematch in the post event press conference.
In the evening’s co-main event, Capetonian light heavyweight champion Drotschie defended his title against Johannesburg-born Opie.
Opie came out hard in the first, dominating the local athlete with a strong clinch game, but the tide turned in the second. Drotschie showed his pedigree by taking Opie down, taking full mount, and dropping massive ground and pound, forcing referee Wiekus Swart to call a halt, giving Drotschie the TKO victory.
Michiel Opperman and the DRC’s infinitely tough Francois Kabulu delivered some trench warfare in an intense, three round grappling showcase. Opperman constantly searched for the submission, tying Kabulu up at times, but was unable to finish. Kabulu finally succeeded in out striking his opponent to secure a points victory.
Brendon Groenewald took on his biggest test to date, in the form of established Angolan wrecking machine Bernardo Mikixi. The two men traded big strikes in the first, Groenewald goading Mikixi at times, but the battle settled from there. Over three rounds a game of strategy ensued, Mikixi finally pulling ahead on points. Groenewald put on a hard fight, and many will feel it should have gone the other way.
Heavyweights Sors Grobbelaar and Vandam Mbuyi put on a tense, technical battle punctuated by huge strikes landed by both men. Mbuyi got the better of the exchange, working harder and longer.
The knockout of the night award went to Boney Bukaka for his second round KO of Lourens Botes. Fight of the night was awarded to Chad Hepburn and Igeu Kabesa for their three round encounter.
EFC AFRICA 25 full results:
Boney Bukaka defeated Lourens Botes via KO 1:52 into round 2.
Shaun de Lange defeated Booto Guylain via TKO 3:38 into round 1.
Regis Muyambo defeated Donald Nzirawa via unanimous decision.
Igeu Kabesa defeated Chad Hepburn via unanimous decision.
Bruno Mukulu defeated Juan Lubbe via TKO 4:31 into round 3.
Marcel Teniers defeated Morne Prinsloo via TKO 4:10 into round 2.
Christophe Walravens defeated Roelof Scheepers via TKO 3:33 into round 1.
Chris du Pont defeated Sean Robinson via DQ 2:38 into round 1.
Vandam Mbuyi defeated Sors Grobbelaar via unanimous decision.
Bernardo Mikixi defeated Brendon Groenewald via majority decision.
Francois Kabulu defeated Michiel Opperman via split decision.
Gideon Drotschie defeated Fraser Opie via TKO 4:06 into round 2.
Leon Mynhardt defeated Don Madge via split decision.
EFC AFRICA 26, presented by MusclePharm, takes place on Thursday, December 12 at the Coca Cola Dome, Johannesburg. Tickets on sale now at computicket.com. Stream the entire event, live and in HD, from efcafrica.tv.
Leon ‘Iron Lion’ Mynhardt (www.efcafrica.com)
Thirteen bouts took place at the Grand West Arena, with Pretoria’s Leon ‘Iron Lion’ Mynhardt defeating Don ‘Magic Man’ Madge for the lightweight title, and Cape Town’s Gideon ‘Juggernaut’ Drotschie defending his light heavyweight belt against Fraser ‘The Omen’ Opie, fighting out of the UK.
The bout between Madge and Mynhardt was the evening’s main event and by far the most anticipated. Madge and Mynhardt first met the last time EFC AFRICA visited Cape Town, in April last year, and put on an unforgettable stand-up war. Last night’s rematch could not have been more different, with the bulk of the match taking place on the ground, highlighting the huge evolution of both men in the MMA arena.
The bout was controversially close, with Mynhardt taking the win by a split decision that had Madge’s hometown crowd in an uproar.
"Sometimes refs make bad decisions," said Madge about the result.
Mynhardt was stoic in his response. "I fought a hard fight," he said. "The decision stands. The win is mine."
In terms of the growing rivalry between these two, it is now 2-0 to the new champ. Madge will no doubt be looking for a third opportunity, with EFC AFRICA president Cairo Howarth alluding to an instant rematch in the post event press conference.
In the evening’s co-main event, Capetonian light heavyweight champion Drotschie defended his title against Johannesburg-born Opie.
Opie came out hard in the first, dominating the local athlete with a strong clinch game, but the tide turned in the second. Drotschie showed his pedigree by taking Opie down, taking full mount, and dropping massive ground and pound, forcing referee Wiekus Swart to call a halt, giving Drotschie the TKO victory.
Michiel Opperman and the DRC’s infinitely tough Francois Kabulu delivered some trench warfare in an intense, three round grappling showcase. Opperman constantly searched for the submission, tying Kabulu up at times, but was unable to finish. Kabulu finally succeeded in out striking his opponent to secure a points victory.
Brendon Groenewald took on his biggest test to date, in the form of established Angolan wrecking machine Bernardo Mikixi. The two men traded big strikes in the first, Groenewald goading Mikixi at times, but the battle settled from there. Over three rounds a game of strategy ensued, Mikixi finally pulling ahead on points. Groenewald put on a hard fight, and many will feel it should have gone the other way.
Heavyweights Sors Grobbelaar and Vandam Mbuyi put on a tense, technical battle punctuated by huge strikes landed by both men. Mbuyi got the better of the exchange, working harder and longer.
The knockout of the night award went to Boney Bukaka for his second round KO of Lourens Botes. Fight of the night was awarded to Chad Hepburn and Igeu Kabesa for their three round encounter.
EFC AFRICA 25 full results:
Boney Bukaka defeated Lourens Botes via KO 1:52 into round 2.
Shaun de Lange defeated Booto Guylain via TKO 3:38 into round 1.
Regis Muyambo defeated Donald Nzirawa via unanimous decision.
Igeu Kabesa defeated Chad Hepburn via unanimous decision.
Bruno Mukulu defeated Juan Lubbe via TKO 4:31 into round 3.
Marcel Teniers defeated Morne Prinsloo via TKO 4:10 into round 2.
Christophe Walravens defeated Roelof Scheepers via TKO 3:33 into round 1.
Chris du Pont defeated Sean Robinson via DQ 2:38 into round 1.
Vandam Mbuyi defeated Sors Grobbelaar via unanimous decision.
Bernardo Mikixi defeated Brendon Groenewald via majority decision.
Francois Kabulu defeated Michiel Opperman via split decision.
Gideon Drotschie defeated Fraser Opie via TKO 4:06 into round 2.
Leon Mynhardt defeated Don Madge via split decision.
EFC AFRICA 26, presented by MusclePharm, takes place on Thursday, December 12 at the Coca Cola Dome, Johannesburg. Tickets on sale now at computicket.com. Stream the entire event, live and in HD, from efcafrica.tv.
Leon ‘Iron Lion’ Mynhardt (www.efcafrica.com)
