By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwean mixed martial arts fighter Lewis Mataya made a winning start to his EFC career after beating South Africa’s Ayanda Zwane by unanimous decision at EFC 137 in Johannesburg.
Mataya, known as “The Porcupine”, won all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards, with each scoring the featherweight contest 30-27 at the EFC Arena on Thursday night.
The victory marked a successful debut for the Zimbabwean, who had revealed before the fight that he sold his car to raise money for his training camp.
Mataya entered the contest with a 4-1 professional record and produced a disciplined performance to overcome Zwane, who came into the bout with seven wins and five defeats.
The defeat proved to be Zwane’s final appearance in the EFC cage, with the 27-year-old removing his gloves and placing them in the octagon after the contest to signal his retirement from the sport.
For Mataya, the win represents an important step in his career after making significant personal sacrifices to prepare for his EFC debut.
Extreme Fighting Championship is one of Africa’s leading mixed martial arts promotions, offering Mataya an opportunity to test himself against some of the continent’s top fighters as he looks to build his professional career.