Potchefstroom is fast becoming a proverbial factory of amateur MMA champions.
The most recent addition to the city of expertise’s roster of champions was Peace Nguphane from Close Combat Solutions. Following in the footsteps of Coalition Grappling Academy’s (CGA) Francois Meyer, Nguphane became the Fightstar Fighting Championship’s middleweight champion after beating the highly rated JT Botha, from Pretoria via technical knockout in the fourth round.
Botha was the favourite going into the fight having beaten Nguphane earlier in his career when they fought for the Klerksdorp Fight Night Middleweight title. Nguphane has gone full circle after that defeat taking part in the Fightstar searching for a scrap Welterweight competition alongside fellow Potchefstroomer Herman van der Westhuizen before moving back to middleweight to stamp his authority on the division.
It was clear that Nguphane had the superior gas tank during the fight. He wore his opponent down before, like a leopard moving in on its prey, he closed in to finished the exhausted Botha to claim his title.
“It feels great. I’m sure we are going do it the third time. Not to prove a point or to see who’s better, just for the love of the sport and giving the fans what they want to see,” said Nguphane after his victory.
Surely a trilogy fight between these two must be something that any of the amateur promotions would be drooling to put together.
Fightstar 38 took place in Benoni on 2 March. Other Potchefstroomers who were in action included Pieter Volschenk and Mickey Cloete, both from Warrior Sports. Volschenk took a tough decision loss against Smit “Malboer” Steyn, who is an experienced campaigner. While Cloete scored a unanimous decision victory in the bantamweight division.
Another Potchefstroomer is on course to become the Extreme Warrior Championship, welterweight champion. Diego Mukaba from CGA, is taking part in an eight man elimination tournament to determine who the welterweight champion will be. On 22 February he fought against a tough opponent in Henco Hodgeman, the fight went the distance and Mukaba scored a unanimous decision victory. If he keeps fit and composed Mukaba will be the third amateur MMA champion that Potch has produced in a year.
