FIVE athletes from Bushido MMA gym in Athlone Park proudly represented their country at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Championships in Abu Dhabi in August.

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The quintet is made up of Mark Atkinson, Jazmin Viljoen, O’neil Naicker, Bongokuhle Mbatha and Abigail de Neys.

Greg Thomas, of Bushido MMA, said the results the athletes brought home were outstanding.

Mbatha and De Neys returned as two of South Africa’s seven medalists at the event. South Africa finished with five bronze medals and two silver medals.

“This achievement is a reflection of the dedication, discipline and commitment shown by these athletes throughout their preparation. Representing your country on the world stage is an honour, and all five athletes represented South Africa with tremendous pride. As the South African Youth head coach, I am extremely proud of what these athletes have achieved. The future of South African MMA is looking extremely bright, and Bushido MMA is proud to be developing the next generation of athletes who will carry our country forward,” said Thomas.

He congratulated his fighters for their outstanding achievements.

The young fighters reflect

Mbatha gushed about his experience at Abu Dhabi and was proud to have had a four-win streak during his gauntlet, along with two losses. “It is a great start to my journey. It is good to have been able to see what I’m up against and know what to improve on. Next year, I will come back with a gold medal,” said Bongo.

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Atkinson commended the set-up of the event. “I had three fights and unfortunately lost all three. I know that I could have won two. Going forward, I am going to work on my wrestling. I have a year to prepare and improve until next time,” he said.

Naicker said his fights did not go as planned. “I wasn’t at my best there, it was my first Worlds. I lost my first to split decision, my second to a TKO and my third by submission. Next year, I’m definitely coming back better,” he said.

De Neys won three fights, lost four and drew one. She came off a gold medal last year. “This year, I had two very tough fights, I won my first, but in the finals, got injured and hurt my back. I was close to gold but came away with silver. My aim is to bring back gold next year,” she said.

Viiljoen said that she learnt a lot from her first bout at Worlds. “It was a really nice experience and the place was beautiful. The fights were hard but they will help me learn from my mistakes. I lost my two fights this time. I plan to bring back gold next time,” she said.

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