EFC Africa 22 delivered an action-packed evening at Carnival City’s Big Top Arena, last Thursday night.
Multiple kickboxing champion JP “Tinkerbell” Kruger took a sensational victory over Africa’s KO king, Tumelo Maphutha, in the evening’s main event.
In addition, Polokwane’s Frederich “Ninja” Naumann took another step toward a lightweight title shot, with a precision knock out of former welterweight champion Dallas Jakobi.
The main event was billed a striker vs striker battle, and lived up to expectations.
Initially, both men showed huge respect for each other’s abilities, staying well clear and sniping with careful, long range strikes, before Maphutha broke through with a savage leg kick that wounded Kruger.
Maphutha pounced, delivering ground and pound that seemed certain to end the bout.
A sudden armbar by Kruger turned the tables, however, finishing “The Truck” by submission, 4:19 into the first round.
Frederich Naumann came into his bout with Dallas Jakobi fully aware that the former welterweight champion was his biggest test to date.
Naumann had stated that if he could knock out Jakobi within the first two rounds he would be ready to face either Leon Mynhardt or lightweight champion Don Madge.
In a consummate display “The Ninja” did just that, dominating the first with pin point striking and intelligent ground work, before dropping his opponent with a right hand at the dawn of the second, culminating in the Knockout of the Night award.
Donnovan Wilken and Matthew Buirski traded a huge amount of ill will in the lead up to their bout, a replay of a meeting between them at amateur level, where Buirski was victorious.
The action went to the ground quickly, where Buirski snagged Wilken’s arm and, despite desperate counter-rolling, cranked a Kimura hold to force Wilken to tap.
The crowd was on their feet for Ekurhuleni’s Barend Nienaber vs Amos Hlatswayo.
Nienaber shot against the well-known kickboxer immediately, and dominated his opponent over three rounds, in a superior display of grappling technique.
Hlatswayo hung on, weathering numerous elbow strikes, but could do little in the face of Nienaber’s superior technique.
Nienaber went on to take the bout by unanimous decision.
Fraser Opie vs Mohamed Aly was a massively hyped fight.
Opie, born in Johannesburg but based in the UK for the last 12 years, marked his return to African shores with a brutal demolition of his Egyptian opponent, clinching quickly before delivering hard knees, a takedown and savage ground and pound.
The man from Milton Keynes has made a massive statement and interim light heavyweight champion Gideon Drotschie will certainly be taking notice.
The Fight of the Night award was awarded to the slick one round strike exhibition delivered by Christophe Walravens and Ian Visser.
Submission of the night went to JP Kruger for his incredible turnaround submission of Tumelo Maphutha, and Knockout of the Night was given to Frederich Naumann, who not only predicted a stunning KO, but managed to deliver it, too.
- EFC Africa 22 full results are:
- Morne Prinsloo defeated Chimmy van Winkel via tapout (GnP), 3:06 into round 1.
- Roelof Scheepers defeated Koko Hammer via TKO (GnP), 1:15 into round 1
- David van Schalkwyk defeated Donald Nzirawa via unanimous decision.
- Josh Muller defeated James Saks via submission, 1:19 into round 1.
- Nkazimulo Zulu defeated Cedric Doyle via submission (triangle), 4:32 into round 2.
- Themba Gorimbo defeated Juan Lubbe via submission (armbar), 3:48 into round 1.
- Christophe Walravens defeated Ian Visser via KO, 4:54 into round 1. (Winner of Fight of the Night.)
- Fraser Opie defeated Mohamed Aly via TKO (GnP), 1:51 into round 1.
- Barend Nienaber defeated Amos Hlatswayo via unanimous decision.
- Gareth Buirski defeated Donnovan Wilken via submission (Kimura), 3:41 into round 1.
- Frederich Naumann defeated Dallas Jakobi by KO, 0:51 into round 2. (Winner of KO of the Night.)
- JP Kruger defeated Tumelo Maphutha via submission (armbar), 4:19 into round 1. (Winner of Submission of the Night.)
