Phillips brings back world champions

The South African mixed martial arts (MMA) amateur team recently returned from competing at the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) World Championships, in Las Vegas, in the USA, with two new world champions in their party.

The team was led by Brakpan resident shihan Raymond Phillips, the national team coach.

“We went to Vegas with all odds stacked against us and we did not even think that we would get into the top four in the world,” said Phillips.

The team went over with limited financial support, with the exception of Mixed Martial Arts South Africa (MMASA) and the XKT Pro League, who helped get them to America.

Phillips said that at one point the trip was nearly called off, but he was adamant that a team would go over no matter how small the group was.

Despite all the difficulties of getting a team together, the coach said it was all worth it in the end.

“The four fighters, Johan Erasmus, Wessel Mostert, Amanda Limo and Jesse Limo, fought like true champions and did us proud,” he added.

“Johan and Jesse fought their hearts out and, unfortunately, lost by the judges’ decision.”

Erasmus almost beat his opponent from England and did so much damage to him that he lost early in the next round to his opponent.

Limo and Mostert both advanced to the second round, by beating their first round opponents by technical knock-outs (TKO).

Limo smashed her opponent from the USA in the first round, while Mostert stopped his Canadian opponent with a flurry of well-placed combination punches.

He dropped the other fighter and the bout was ended by the referee, who declared a TKO.

The next few days, leading up to the finals, were action-packed and South Africa had two fighters in the final, which took place at the UFC Fan Expo, in Las Vegas.

“We met and saw many current and former UFC world champions and were humbled to be fighting and showing off our skills at this huge event,” said Phillips.

The team coach, known as “The Whip”, described it as a pleasure and honour to be in the corners of these fighters and told his fighters before their matches: “We are making history for South African MMA today.

“Let’s bring back gold.”

He praised Limo and Mostert for following every one of his instructions and for sticking to their game plan.

South Africa was drawn into the last two fights of the day and this drew a lot of attention.

“Wessel came up against a very good ground specialist from Romania and was nearly caught in an arm lock in the first minutes of the round,” Phillips said.

“I shouted instructions to him to get out of the lock, which he did well, and during the rest period I told him to keep standing up and to use combinations.

“He did exactly that and, in the second round, the Romanian had no answer to his onslaught.”

The referee stopped the fight and Mostert was the new IMMAF Super-heavyweight champion of the world, by TKO.

Limo would also go on to be a world champion with one of the fastest knock-outs (KO) of the tournament, within 25 seconds of the first round.

“The South Africans made a huge statement at the inaugural MMA World Championships,” added Phillips.

The coach has also been asked to join the International Coaches Federation and will be the African representative for the IMMAF.

“We have a lot of work to do to grow this sport,” he said.

Phillips has called on companies, local government and the national government to help in furthering the sport.