Springsite Francois “Franaconda” Groenewald (29) is currently in training to trounce Pierre Botha at EFC 27 to be fought at Carnival City on February 27.
Don’t be fooled by the sweet demeanor and boyish grin, or his upcoming role in a local ballet school’s annual production.
On the mat, Francois is all business.
Training hard for the fight, Franaconda sat down with the Addie to discuss his love of a sport about which he says many have misconceptions.
Addie (SA): How long have you been involved in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?
Francois (FG): I started with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in 2005 and had my first MMA amateur fight in 2008. About two years ago I started training at XKT with Raymond Phillips under the management of James Read. I currently also train with Jurgen Putter, at Rio Grappling, in Springs, working on my BJJ.
SA: Why MMA?
FG: I started (amateur) fighting to promote my club Rio Grappling and wanted to get my name out there. I enjoyed it so much I decided to turn professional. MMA is a learning experience every day. It’s a great place to find out where your strengths and weaknesses are and to work on both with a great management team and training partners.
SA: What does MMA mean in your life?
FG: There is a lot of misconception around the sport. Everyone thinks we are fighters but we are competing against skilled opponents. There is no anger or hate, it’s just a test of your skills and learning from other martial artists. Sometimes you lose the fight but you always learn something so it’s never losing, rather its learning.
SA: What’s the best part for you?
FG: You always get to hang out with the best guys you can find. You get fit and have fun and it’s so much better than gymming. Everyone is so nice and friendly, it makes it a great sport that really enjoy. We support each other and you build bonds and friendships with great people you never thought would be part of your life.
SA: Tell us about your strengths.
FG: I mainly enjoy the BJJ and more of the ground fighting. I also include kickboxing and some boxing into my training which comes in handy in the ring.
SA: This will be your 8th EFC fight, the first of the year. What can your fans expect?
FG: I am on a two-fight winning streak. This will be my third win and will put me in line for a title fight. I want to breach the international scene within the next two or three years, so my fans and friends are sure to see a good fight come February 27. You can’t do this forever, so I want to get fights in the UK and USA. This is the best career in the world because it gives me the opportunity to live, fight and travel while doing something I truly love.
SA: What has been your career highlight?
FG: Every fight is a highlight. In EFC you get all the support from the crowd. We are adrenaline junkies and there is such a build up before the fight. It’s wonderful doing something you are kind of afraid of, but getting in there, pushing through and doing something most people will only ever dream of.
SA: Watching you training it’s obvious you have talent in the cage, but tell us more about your balletic talents.
FG: Yes, I’m a ballet dancer with Kelly-Ann De Marco at a ballet school in Selcourt. I got involved to help out and have carried on. A personal trainer at the gym approached me because Kelly-Ann needed strong guys to do the lifts. I soon realised it was great for strength training. You have to pick up the girl and bring her down gently and it helps with upper body strength and control. After the first day my arms were sore and I realised how good ballet is for conditioning. That was three years ago and I’m looking forward to dancing in the school’s show in June.
I am also a yoga instructor.
Get details of Franaconda’s upcoming fights by following him on Facebook – Francois Groenewald or xtremekickboxingtech Proleague or on twitter @Franamma or @XKT Proleague
