 fighter Nicholas Hwende retained his Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) EFC Bantamweight title after beating South African legend Nkazimulo Zulu a unanimous points decision in Johannesburg on Thursday night.){kind=link}
Rising Zimbabwean Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Nicholas Hwende retained his Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) EFC Bantamweight title after beating South African legend Nkazimulo Zulu by a unanimous points decision in Johannesburg on Thursday night.
In the main event, Hwende underlined his status as one of EFC’s brightest prospects by showing determination and a never die spirit as he successfully defended his bantamweight title against the Zulu, who is a former EFC flyweight and bantamweight champion.
Earlier it however seemed like it would not be Hwende’s night after Zulu’s elbows off his back completely closed the Zimbabwean hero’s right eye at the very end of the first round.
However, Hwende, who is popularly known as Gokwe Boy due to his close links with his rural home, doggedly refused to give in as he switched his gameplan for the ensuing four to a grappling-based attack which negated ‘Zuluboy’’s kickboxing offence.
In the end, he held on for a unanimous points victory which ensured he retained his coveted title.
Meanwhile, Hwende was not the only Zimbabwean who was celebrating on the night after his compatriot Godknows Ndlovu also secured a memorable victory after beating South African Luke Hendrikz via tap out due to a rear-naked choke.
In the co-main event saw Tshilumba Mikixi finish Cole Henning in the fourth round of their Interim Lightweight title fight.
That was BIA’s third EFC belt after the DRC’s Ziko Makengele and Matunga Djikasa won the EFC middleweight and heavyweight belts, respectively, this year.
The third-last fight of the night was — easily — the fight of the night as Featherweights Billy Oosthuizen and Stephan de la Rey put on a three-round barn-burner before Oosthuizen secured the unanimous decision win.
On the preliminary card, former South Aafrica two-time Amateur champion Terence Balelo continued his upward trajectory when he finished Martin Gcinumkhondo via a rear-naked choke in the first round to record his second EFC win and finish.
EFC 100 RESULTS:
BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Nicholas Hwende (ZIM) beat Nkazimulo Zulu (RSA) via decision.
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INTERIM LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Tshilumba Mikixi (DRC) beat Cole Henning (RSA) via TKO due to strikes in the fourth round.
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Billy Oosthuizen (RSA) beat Stephan de la Rey (RSA) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Musa Sethwape (RSA) beat Shannon van Tonder (RSA) via a unanimous decision (29-28).
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
August Kayambala (DRC) beat Nerik Simoes (ANG) via knockout in the first round.
CATCHWEIGHT FIGHT
Jailson Sousa (BRA) beat Pietie Coxen (RSA) via TKO due to strikes.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT
JC Lamprecht (RSA) beat Willem Smith (RSA) via TKO due to strikes in the first round.
FLYWEIGHT FIGHT
Terence Balelo (RSA) beat Martin Gcinumkhondo (RSA) via a rear-naked choke in the first round.
LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT
Sizwe Mnikathi (RSA) beat Robert Swanepoel (RSA) via a rear-naked choke in the first round.
FLYWEIGHT FIGHT
Godknows Ndlovu (ZIM) beat Luke Hendrikz (RSA) via Tapout due to a rear-naked choke.
BANTAMWEIGHT FIGHT
Bheki Ngcobo (RSA) beat Micky Cloete (RSA) in the second round via submission.