EFC 35 Results and Review

Once again, I was privileged enough to have covered EFC worldwide 35 for MMA Africa. The night saw some exciting fights, and honestly, some fights with a total of only 30 captivating seconds. Congratulations to all the fighters for being a part of the event, as well as the officials who put the event together.

The official results, as per EFC Worldwide are as follows:

Prelim Bouts

Bout 1 in the lightweight division: Sydney Mokgolo defeated Chad Hepbrun via split decision.
Bout 2 in the bantamweight division: Peter Nyide defeated Boney Bukaka unanimous decision
Bout 3 in the welterweight division: Pupanga Tresor defeat...ed Tyron Bester via KO in 0:12 in round 1.
Bout 4 in the featherweight division: Sizwe Mnikathi defeated Anthony Mailer via split decision. 
Bout 5 in the lightweight division: Luke Michaels defeated Regis Muyambo via TKO in 4:27 into round 3.
Bout 6 in the heavyweight division: Elvis Moyo defeated Knife Didier via unanimous decision.
Bout 7 in the lightweight division: Champion Dalcha defeated Danie van Heerden via unanimous decision.

Main Card Bouts

Bout 8 in the welterweight division: Bruno Mukulu defeated Shaun de Lange via split decision
Bout 9 in the welterweight division: Peter Queally defeated Francois Kabulu unanimous decision.
Bout 10 in the bantamweight division: Irshaad Sayed defeated Abdul Hassan via unanimous decision.


Co Main Event

Bout 11 in the heavyweight division: Brendon Groenewald defeated Christophe Walravens via TKO 2:57 into round 1.

Main Event

Bout 12 in the light heavyweight division: Norman Wessels defeated Gideon Drotschie via TKO 1:22 into round 4.

Please note that the views below are in no way associated with MMA Africa or EFC worldwide, they are my own, personal views on particular fights.

Prelims Review

Let's start with bout 1, the lightweights: Sydney Mokgolo vs. Chad Hepburn. R1 started with an attempted glove touch by Hepburn, but was refused by Mokgolo.

Respect in any sport, and even more so combat sports, makes you an athlete and Mokgolo already lost my respect right then.

Hepburn clearly wanted to keep this fight on the ground in a desperate attempt to take the W. R2 sees Hepburn taking Mokgolo to the ground, no work being done, they get stood up by the ref, and Mokgolo eats Hepburn's strikes! Back on the ground, Hepburn sinks in a RNC, twice, desperately trying to lock Mokgolo in, but fails at both attempts. A reversal by Mokgolo allows him to drop some solid elbows to the face of Hepburn. Early in R3, Hepburn's tank is empty but he kept going for the takedown. The ref stands them up for inactivity and Hepburn uses his time wisely, dropping strikes!

At the end of 3 rounds, Mokgolo took the win by split decision. I'm not sure if the judges were watching the same fight as me, but that fight went to Hepburn.

Bout 3, in the welterweight division: Pupanga Tresor vs. Tyron Bester... Honestly, I sat watching this fight very closely... but even a blink could've made me miss it!

Tresor opened R1 with a flurry of punches and the ref called a stop to the fight, 12 seconds into R1!!!

Seeing this, live, not too far from the hexagon... was unreal!

   I hope that one day we get to see a rematch of the lightweight clash, bout 5: Regis Muyambo vs. Luke Michaels.

There was so much tension in the arena as these guys made their way to the hex, the crowd was on edge and the best part, was that a lot of Cape Town fight fans were sitting on the fence because they didn't know who would take the W.

Muyambo opened R1 with a  combo of punches, followed by a takedown, Michaels the looking for an armbar. With a struggle, Michaels releases the attempted armbar and it appears Muyambo had placed some pressure on Michaels, dropping strikes and elbows! A reversal sees Michaels looking for the armbar again, but works some GnP... enough to get the fans excited, but not enough to end the fight. Muyambo attempts to sink in a guillotine in R2, while Michaels looks hard to get that armbar. At the start of R3, Michael's was gassed, but still managed to control the remainder of the fight, dropping punches and some GnP until the ref calls it and its over!!

Main Card Review

After de Lange's fight against Gordon Roodman, I expected so much more from him. Bout 8, in the welterweight division: Shaun de Lange vs. Bruno Mukulu starts with an uncertainty of whether or not they're going to touch gloves... they don't.

A lot of nothing happened in the first round, some leg kicks here and there from Mukulu, de Lange using his advantage to keep the distance with push kicks.

They hit the canvas in R2 and Mukulu's ribs receive some elbows. de Lange looking gassed in R3, but strikes hard! The judges decide on a split decision and Mukulu takes the W.

Bout 10, in the bantamweight division, for the number one contender spot: Abdul Hassan vs. Irshaad Sayed had the crowd on their feet in chants of "White Tiger" coming from opposite ends of the arena!! Sayed opens R1, exploding with leg kicks, a flurry of punches and Hassan attempts a takedown. Both guys looking very composed (hard to believe after all the social media posts pre-fight night).

Sayed dominating, chasing Hassan around the hex, throwing punches!! Hassan in R2 dropping leg kicks, followed by an exchange of knees. Sayed taunting Hassan, throwing a combo and Hassan shoots for the takedown.

Sayed sinks Hassan into an unsuccessful RNC (yes, yes, we also thought he was going to end it there). Hassan gets up, Sayed strikes and attempts another RNC as the round ends. Sayed landing massive body kicks in R3, turning up the pressure. Hassan goes for the takedown, Sayed almost giving up his back, remaining ever so composed, attempting an an armbar before the round ends. Sayed takes the W by unanimous decision.

Co Main Event

For the vacant heavyweight title, bout 11: Brendon Groenewald vs. Christophe Walravens is opened by Groenewald dropping solid leg kicks and Walravens' aggression goes into overdrive!!

Groenewald drops knees, followed by a flurry of punches and the ref calls it...

The crowd on their feet and it's over!! Groenewald is the new heavyweight champion!

Main Event

Bout 12, for the light heavyweight title: Gideon Drotschie vs. Normal Wessels set the arena alight!! Wessels opens R1, looking sharp and hungry. Wessels drops some elbows while the crowd cheers their champion with chants of "Juggernaut"!! Wessels in side control, controlling Drotschie, as he closes the round with strikes. Wessels clearly wanted this fight on the ground and that's where he took it. R2, Wessels shoots for the takedown and works the left and right ribs of Drotschie.

R3, Drotschie tries hard to turn this fight around, not for one second thinking of giving up! Wessels gets warned about strikes to the back of Drotschie's head. Drotschie bleeding excessively, but not enough to make him give up and that's really admirable.

 Drotschie is cut badly, the ref calls a timeout so the medics could attend to Drotschie and they give the go ahead to continue. Wessels takes it back to the ground as R3 ends. Drotschies opens R4, dropping solid leg kicks, blood running out of his head, both guys covered in Gideon's blood and the ref calls it, it's all over... Wessels takes the win and is the new light heavyweight champion.

Pictures courtesy of RazzWorks Digital Photography.