With EFC Africa 12 just around the corner, I have prepared my list of predictions for the entire fight card. Some of the fights were easy to call, others very difficult and I will not be surprised if they go the other way. Here are my predictions for the event, starting with the headline event for EFC 12 - Garreth McLellan vs Jeremy Smith for the EFC Africa Middleweight title.
Garreth McLellan vs Jeremy Smith
Winner: Jeremy Smith via TKO round 2
No stranger to big stages, Smith will come out confident and
aggressive, pressing the action against a more tentative McLellan, who will
take some time to find his range and work out his opponent. Smith will continue
to stalk McLellan and seemingly fire strikes at will, while Soldierboy will be
looking to keep the distance, pick his shots and ultimately take the Pitbull to
the ground. In the end I believe Jeremy Smith will be able to neutralise
McLellan’s offence while connecting with power shots and eventually crumple the
champion and force a TKO stoppage. Full review: Garreth McLellan vs Jeremy Smith fight preview.
Sean Robinson vs Tumelo Maphutha
Winner: Sean Robinson via TKO round 1
With both fighters coming from a striking background this
should be high level standing battle which could end with a single strike. I
think Robinson will get off first, fell Maphutha and finishing him on the
canvas with a flurry of strikes.
Donavin Hawkey vs Danie Van Heerden
Winner: Donavin Hawkey via TKO round 1
I believe Hawkey to be just too good for Van Heerden here.
The fact that Van Heerden only took the fight on short notice and is coming
down a couple of divisions will certainly add to this. Hawkey will use his
boxing pedigree to finish this fight early in the first round.
Dino Bagattin vs Michiel Opperman
Winner: Dino Bagattin via KO round 2
Another matchup between strikers of consequence, this
middleweight fight promises ample bloodshed. With very few submission victories
recorded between them, it is highly likely that this fight will not spend too
much time on the ground. The first round will largely be a feeler round as both
fighters gauge distance and timing but it should open up nicely as the round
progresses. I predict Dino Bagattin will be the first to land a significant
blow well into the second round and with it end the bout.
Wesley Hawkey vs Denzil Wait
Winner: Wesley Hawkey via Submisson round 2
This is a very tough fight to call as both fighters are in
incredible form. I think Hawkey will have the advantage standing and will
utilise this to gain momentum and swing the fight in his favour, but will
ultimately end up finishing the fight on the ground in the second round.
Wade Henderson vs Josh Muller
Winner: Josh Muller via Submission round 2
Both Muller and Henderson have grappling backgrounds and
this fight should end up on the ground. Henderson, who holds a brown belt in
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has surprisingly few submission victories, while Muller
has won almost all of his fights in this manner. I think Muller will surprise
Henderson and sneak a submission victory in the second.
Paul Kietzmann vs Ricky Misholas
Winner: Paul Kietzmann via KO in round 1
Kietzmann made quite a statement in the EFC when he blasted
through Lance Ceronio in 17 seconds at EFC Africa 6. I believe he will be able
to out strike Misholas early on and catch him with a bomb to end the bout in
the first round.
Francios Groenewald vs Dino Bertolis
Winner: Dino Bertolis via decision
This featherweight rematch is going to be a cracker and is my
prediction for fight of the night. Bertolis managed to defeat Groenewald when
they first clashed as amateurs almost 2 years ago. Though very different
fighters since then, on paper they seem evenly matched, with both men bringing
serious grappling skills into the hexagon. Bertolis however, has always been a
cardio freak and will be able to push the pace for all three rounds and my
belief is that this will be enough of an advantage to claim a decision victory.
Boyd Allen vs Donald Nzirawa
Winner: Donald Nzirawa via Submission round 2
Surprisingly for a fighter with incredible stand-up skills,
most of Boyd Allen’s wins have come via Submission. Nzirawa however is a
submission master and has finished some of the best in the featherweight
division. I believe he will be too experienced for Allen and too clinical on
the ground and will take the win via Submission in the second round.
Ryan van Niekerk vs Steven Momah
Winner: Ryan van Niekerk via Submission round 1
Ryan van Niekerk is an MMA veteran and has been the
lightweight champion in other promotions. I believe he will be much too
experienced and well rounded for the fairly new MMA fighter in Momah. Van
Niekerk will exploit the Nigerians lack of ground experience to finish him in
the first frame.
Pete Motaung vs JP Kruger
Winner: Pete Motaung via TKO round 1
Another battle between proficient strikers, Motaung vs
Kruger will likely end without much time being spent on the matt. I believe
Motaung to have the slightly better striking pedigree and he will use this to
once more defeat Kruger via TKO in the first.
Koba Iakobidze vs Gareth Buirski
Winner: Gareth Buirski via Submission
Both fighters have great amateur records, though Iakobidze
is a little too reliant on his stand-up and I predict Buirski will be able to
capitalise on this and use his superior diversity to put Iakobidze on his back
and quickly finish him in the first round.
EFC 12 Fight Prediction Summary
Total wins by KO / TKO: 6
Total wins by submission: 5
Total wins by decision: 1
Fight of the night : Dino Bertolis vs Francois Groenewald
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