El Grande - Ultimate Power Challenge March 2012

Fighting Fit Kensington

Every Sunday, the fields opposite the 46 Brigade Army Base in Kensington, Johannesburg are transformed into a community fitness boot camp. Hosted by 46 KSCA (Kensington Spots Club and Academy), Fighting Fit Kensington is a complete workout divided into fifteen 1 minute exercises. The community workout takes place every Sunday from 10-11am and is free to the public. This is a great initiative for the Kensington community, both physically and socially.

El Grande – Ultimate Power Challenge

The El Grande Tyre

Once a month, Fighting Fit Kensington’s traditional workout is extended and athletes are able to test themselves against the mammoth El Grande Tyre. The El Grande Tyre weighs 700kg and the challenge is to push the tyre over an 80m course in the fastest possible time. The top 3 athletes from each monthly event qualify for an annual final and a chance to win prizes up to the value of R10,000.

EFC at El Grande

The El Grande events are frequented by some of the EFC’s top fighters and a great energy surrounds the event. EFC Africa fighter Wade Henderson was at the El Grande event on Sunday, no doubt training for EFC 13: Henderson vs James Le Roux

EFC's Wade Henderson tackles the El Grande Challenge

The EFC also uses the event to present their MMA title holders with official championship rings. This also gives the public a chance to interact with their favourite champions, take pictures or get autographs signed. 

EFC Championship Ring

Jeremy Smith at El Grande

The latest El Grande event, held on March 25th 2012, was attended by  EFC Africa Middleweight Champion Jeremy “Pitbull” Smith, who was presented with the championship ring that he earned at EFC Africa 12.

Jeremy Pitbull Smith presented with his EFC Ring

Dirk Steenekamp, Jeremy Smith, Cairo Howarth and Pietro Cignoli in front of the El Grande Tyre

Jeremy Smith takes photographs with fans at El Grande

All articles on: El Grande

Read More

Most dominant EFC Champions

The EFC has gained a lot of momentum in the last years and has established itself as the dominant MMA promotion in South Africa. This success has help the promotion to attract the top fighters from around South Africa and to a degree the African continent. With 11 events under the belt, the EFC has begun to create a hierarchy within the divisions, most of which are now reigned by a champion. 

Current EFC Africa Champions

Demarte “The Wolf” Pena – Featherweight

Costa Ioannou – Lightweight

Dallas Jakobi – Welterweight

Garreth “Soldierboy” McLellan – Middleweight

Ruan “Fangzz” Potts - Heavyweight

We know that each champ sits atop his respective division, but how hard has the journey been for each man? Who has faced the toughest challenges? Who has stamped their authority the most upon the division they call home? I have done a little delving into the past to determine which of the current EFC champions is the most dominant.

To do this I have looked at the opponents they have faced in the EFC Hexagon, rated them according to their statistics in the EFC and without. I have then added bonuses for fights finished (via submission or knockout ) and title fights. The result is a score output for each EFC fight that the fighter has fought en route the EFC title. These fight scores are then summed and averaged to determine who I deem to the most dominant fighter and champion. 

Interestingly enough, only two of the EFC champions have lost a professional MMA bout, only one has lost a fight in the EFC Hexagon, and none of the current EFC champions have lost a fight in the EFC in their title weight division. All round we have a dominant bunch of fighters to work with, so let’s get down to business:

Dominant champion #5 – Dallas Jakobi

Read More