at The Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg. Photo by: Ruby Wolff/EFC Africa.
EFC Africa middleweight champion Garreth “Soldierboy” McLellan made quick work of challenger JP “Tinkerbell” Kruger in their main event and title bout, when EFC 28 returned to the Coca-Cola Dome, on March 27.
The champion’s successful title defence also means that Kruger’s previously perfect fight record (5-0) has ended.
After surviving a combination of strikes from Kruger at the onset, McLellan patiently worked the challenger to the ground and took his back, before sinking into a rear-naked choke to take the victory 3.05 minutes into round one, in a match which otherwise failed to live up to its hype.
Kruger produced tense moments, where he looked close to applying his deadly arm bar, which snapped Tumelo Maphutha’s collarbone at EFC 22, but the champion remained resolute.
The night’s main card opened with the highly anticipated debut of Cape Town-born Muay Thai and Chinese MMA champion Irshaad Sayed.
Following a reset from a precautionary pause in the bout, Sayed applied a rear-naked choke to secure the win, 4.01 into the first round.
Another undefeated streak was brought to an end when Brendon Groenewald beat Vandam Mbuyi, via tap out, due to strikes in their rematch.
Groenewald was always on the back foot, with the raw power of Mbuyi putting him on the ascendency, early on.
But the Captonian maintained his composure before taking the hexagon-shaking clash to the ground — his area of expertise. After managing to take the big DRC national’s back, Groenewald delivered damaging blows, which forced Mbuyi to tap out.
The match didn’t unfold without controversy, and Mbuyi suffered a brief scare following an illegal knee to Groenewald’s head, an incident similar to the one which resulted in him being disqualified in the pair’s reverse encounter.
Elsewhere, Christophe “Bomaye” Walravens beat Bernardo Mikixi via a verbal submission, with the DRC heavyweight paying tribute to Ruan “Fangzz” Potts in his post-match interview.
“To Ruan Potts: good luck with your first fight at UFC, you’re the best and you’re the greatest,” said Walravens.
Potts will make his debut at the US-based fighting championship early next month.
An intensely focused Norman “Chef” Wessels returned to the hexagon against Cape Town’s Chris “Danger” du Pont, after an absence of nearly two years.
Chef entered the bout as the overwhelming odds favourite and proved the prediction with a clinical display of MMA.
Du Pont engaged early, before Wessels pushed him up against the fence and landed a strong elbow to the face, before taking him down and submitting him by rear-naked choke; earning him a title fight against reigning light-heavyweight champion Gideon Drotschie.
After the bout, Drotschie, dressed in a black suit, and with title belt over his shoulder, entered the hexagon to face-off with the new challenger.
Wessels was unable to control himself and engaged the champion, forcing EFC Africa officials to separate the two. Afterward Drotschie was brief in his response.
“If he thinks he just had a fight, wait until he gets into the hexagon with me,” he said.
The final prelim bout of the evening, between Jason Culverwell and Wade Henderson, delivered both the fight and knock-out of the night.
The submission of the night award went to Soldierboy, for his rear-naked choke victory, while Hanru Botha, Christophe Walravens and Bernardo Mikixi all took home performance bonuses.
EFC 29, presented by BetXchange.com, returns to Carnival City on May 1.
EFC 28 full results are:
Pierre Botha defeated Lourens Botes via unanimous decision.
Gareth Sawyer defeated Pupanga Tresor via TKO 2:28 into round one.
Marcel Teniers defeated Wayde Sage via submission (rear naked choke) 4:25 into round one.
Regis Muyambo defeated Texier Kabesa via TKO 2:48 into round two.
Elvis Moyo defeated Sors Grobbelaar via split decision.
The bout between Pietie Coxen and Igeu Kabesa did not take place, due to medical complications with Coxen.
Hanru Botha defeated Alain Ilunga via a split decision.
Jason Culverwell defeated Wade Henderson via a knock-out 2:06 into round three.
Irshaad Sayed defeated Leo Gloss via submission (rear naked choke) 4:01 into round one.
Brendon Groenewald defeated Vandam Mbuyi via tap out (strikes) 4:21 into round two.
Christophe Walravens defeated Bernardo Mikixi via verbal submission (strikes) 3:44 into round two.
Norman Wessels defeated Chris du Pont via submission (rear-naked choke) 1:57 into round one.
Garreth McLellan defeated JP Kruger via submission (rear-naked choke) 3:05 into round one.
