2012 Fight of the year - McLellan vs Smith - MMASA Awards

The MMA year started with a bang when EFC Africa middleweight champion Garreth “Soldierboy” McLellan and decorated challenger Jeremy “Pitbull” Smith squared off for the middleweight title in a fight which was billed as the biggest fight ever on African soil. The fight didn't disappoint.

Both fighters came into the fight after a long training camp and looked well prepared, fit and strong. What ensued after the bell rang, was a tactical battle which seesawed in favour of each of the fighters in turn. The game plans were spot on and neither fighter seemed to gas – a sign of an ever increasing professionalism within the South African sphere of the sport. Lasting almost four rounds the fight showcased some of the best skills that South African MMA has to offer and set the stage for a great MMA year.

Jeremy Smith eventually won the fight via Guillotine choke in the fourth round to become the new EFC Africa middleweight champion.

In search of a rematch McLellan went on a rampage which set the middleweight division alight.

For all of these reasons – Garreth McLellan vs Jeremy Smith is my 2012 fight of the year.

Fight of the year - Notable mentions

Don Madge vs Leon Mynhardt

The lightweight clash between striking legends Don Madge and Leon Mynhardt at EFC 13 was a brutal striking masterclass. Madge started strong and almost finished the fight in the first frame, but Mynhardt rallied in the second and took the fight to the Muay Thai standout. Although the two warriors delivered a spectacular show, the fight was shrouded in controversy after a rather anticlimactic finish in the third round which saw Mynhardt the victor and Madge somewhat confused and disappointed.

Fight video: Leon Mynhardt vs Don Madge at EFC 13

Costa Ioannou vs Adam Speechly

The lightweight title fight between EFC titans Costa Ioannou and Adam Speechly at EFC 14 was always going to be a grappling extravaganza. Speechly weathered a strong start by the champion and turned the tides on a exhausted Ioannou in the middle rounds. Ioannou however dug deep and eventually managed to eke out a unanimous decision victory after a five round grappling war.

To see all award winners, visit my 2012 MMASA Awards page

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2012 Fighter of the year – Michiel Opperman – MMASA Awards

With 81 fighters stepping into the Hexagon in 2012, it was likely going to be difficult to select one standout fighter. This year, however, it was not difficult at all.

At EFC Africa 12, Michiel Opperman, a relatively unknown fighter holding a professional record of 8-6 and on a five fight winning streak as a middleweight, decided to drop weight on short notice to face dangerous welterweight prospect Dino Bagattin. Bagattin was rated one of the top contenders for the welterweight title at the time and carried a professional record of 8-1. This seemingly foolish move for someone so entrenched in the middleweight division proved brilliant as Opperman defeated Bagattin via second round triangle choke and announced himself as a contender in the welterweight division.

Opperman would then go on to finish number one contender Martin van Staden at EFC Africa 13, and end his year by submitting Welterweight Champion Jadyson Costa at EFC Africa 16.

Currently the EFC Africa welterweight champion and aptly dubbed “The Dark Horse”, Michiel Opperman managed to shut out the welterweight division in one year, defeating both top contenders and the champion.

For these achievements, coupled with the attitude and humility of a champion, Michiel Opperman is my South African MMA fighter of the year.

Fighter of the year - notable mentions

Jeremy Smith

Jeremy Smith had a blinder of a year. The Pitbull featured in the two biggest fights of the year – against Garreth McLellan at EFC 12 and Darren Daniel at EFC 17 – and won them both. Having defeated two of the biggest names in South African MMA, Smith has solidified himself atop my Pound for pound rankings.

Costa Ioannou

Costa Ioannou remained undefeated in 2012, defeating AdamSpeechly and Leon Mynhardt. The EFC Africa Lightweight champion was tested more than ever before by a game Speechly at EFC 14 and showed he has plenty of heart to compliment his array of skills.

To see all award winners, visit my 2012 MMASA Awards page

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Matches to make after EFC 15

With EFC 15 done and dusted, the EFC finally has full contingent of champions for the first time. The event has created some interesting opportunities for future fights. Here are 5 fights I think the EFC should consider in the near future.

5 future fights to make

Costa Ioannou vs Leon Mynhardt (Lightweight title fight)

With back to back wins against quality opponents in the lightweight division, Leon Mynhardt has announced his arrival. The Iron Lion, a very decorated and dangerous striker, has a skill set unlike any of Ioannou’s previous opponents and may prove to be his toughest adversary yet.  With Costa Ioannou in need of a challenger, Mynhardt may be just what the matchmaker ordered.

JP Joubert vs Jason Culverwell (Light heavyweight title fight)

Newly crowned light heavyweight champion JP Joubert will want to get back into the cage and prove that his title win was no fluke. With the lack of depth in the light heavyweight division and Jason Culverwell sitting on a 2-0 EFC record, the promotion really doesn’t have any other option but to throw the young fighter into the deep end. Culverwell’s performance at EFC 15 will go a long way to convince fans that he is ready.

Donavin Hawkey vs Darren Daniel

Darren Daniel and Donavin Hawkey both made big statements at EFC 15. With Smith vs McLellan 2 all but certain, the elite middleweights will have to wait their turn for a shot at the title. Daniel vs Hawkey would be a great way to keep both fighters active, determine a definite number one middleweight contender and give the MMA community something to cheer about.

Martin van Staden vs Dallas Jakobi

Martin van Staden and Dallas Jakobi are both looking to work their way back towards title contention. Once a potential welterweight title fight, Van Staden vs Jakobi would be a great test for each fighter and help to solidify the top 5 welterweight rankings.

Tyron Rightford vs Dino Bagattin

Rumours about Tyron Rightford dropping to welterweight have been circling for a while. On Thursday afternoon at the EFC 15 weigh-ins it became clear why - Rightford looked a weight division smaller than his opponent Darren Daniel. A drop to welterweight seems inevitable for Tyron Rightford and a matchup between Rightford and Bagattin at welterweight has fight of the night written all over it. 

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Best MMA lightweight fighters in South Africa - June 2012

Over the past few months the South African lightweight division has undergone a serious facelift. Many of the division’s fighters have migrated to the featherweight division, and some new fighters have dropped down from welterweight to join its ranks. This has resulted in many changes to the pecking order and created some interesting new matchups for the future.

Here are my lightweight rankings post EFC Africa 14:

SA MMA lightweight rankings

1. Costa Ioannou (5–0)

Costa Ioannou faced his toughest test yet in Adam Speechly at EFC 14. After a dominant start, Ioannou seemed to run out of steam and was forced to dig deep to stop a very determined Speechly from taking his title. All in all, Costa Ioannou managed to get the job done and once more showed why he is South Africa’s best lightweight.   

2. Adam “The Prodigy” Speechly (12-4)

Former EFC Africa welterweight champion Adam Speechly impressed at EFC 14, pushing Costa Ioannou right to the very end. Though Speechly would lose the decision on points, The Prodigy added another impressive title fight performance to his resume. Speechly looked great at lightweight and I hope to see him remain in the division in the future.

3. Ryan “The Lion” van Niekerk (20-6)

Ryan van Niekerk is a veteran of the sport, and has held division gold in other promotions. Van Niekerk has also fought some of the toughest names in the business including Wesley Hawkey and Chris Bright. Currently on a four fight winning streak, The Lion managed to win his EFC debut against Markus Taljaard and will be looking to build on this platform and ultimately earn an EFC Africa title shot.

4. Alex Cheboub (9-6)

Alex Cheboub returned to his winning ways at EFC 14 by submitting Ashley Calvert in the second round. Cheboub has now won 4 of his last 5 fights in the EFC Hexagon. With this win, Cheboub has once more put himself in line for a top 5 opponent, hopefully we will be treated to Alex Cheboub vs Adam Speechly.

5. Leon Mynhardt (10-5)

Leon Mynhardt has had mixed results in the EFC at welterweight, but his lightweight debut against Don Madge at EFC 13 will not quickly be forgotten. Mynhardt managed to weather a huge early onslaught from Madge, regroup and ultimately win via TKO in the third. With a wealth of MMA and kickboxing experience, incredible stand-up and an ever improving ground game, Leon Mynhardt may be a serious threat to the pro-grappling lightweight division.

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EFC 14 fighter analysis

EFC Africa 14 was a great MMA event! Many fighters gave it their all and this showed in the Hexagon. Though the EFC 14 results are in, they do not always convey the spirit in which the fight was fought. Here is my list of fighters who impressed me at EFC 14

EFC 14 fighter analysis

Markus Taljaard

Markus Taljaard looked calm and collected in his fight against Wade Groth. Though put on his back early, Taljaard was able to work well from his guard and limit the damage take from a very aggressive Groth. In the third round, Markus Taljaard’s composure paid off as he was able to slap on a beautiful triangle choke and earn himself the win. Markus Taljaard earned my surprise fighter of the night award.

Wade Groth

Though Wade Groth lost to Markus Taljaard in their EFC 14 bout, the result doesn’t tell the full story. Groth looked explosive as he was able to take Taljaard down multiple times and land some effective ground and pound. Both fighters looked good on the ground and at the time of Taljaard submitting him, Groth was very likely ahead on points.

David Buirski

In a fight that never really got going, Buirski showed patience as he kept his distance from Mwale and landed effective leg kicks almost at will. A well timed head kick ended the fight in the first frame. David Buirski earned my knock-out of the night award.

JP Kruger

Kruger looked clinical as he quickly dispatched of Mawande Vapi, whom he outclassed on the ground.

Wentzel Nel

Wentzel Nel vs Denzil Wait was a definite contender for fight of the night. The two featherweights showed off impressive ground skills in a hard fought tussle. Nel showed great awareness and composure coupled with great technical skill to avoid being finished on the ground and eventually earned himself a dominant position and the TKO win.

Denzil Wait

Denzil Wait looked a different fighter from the man who stepped into the Hexagon at EFC Africa 12. The second half of a great technical ground battle with Wentzel Nel, Wait had the former lightweight champion in precarious positions a number of times, but was unable to get the finish.

Garreth McLellan

Ever the professional, Garreth McLellan left nothing to chance as he defeated a very dangerous Danie van Heerden in a clinical MMA display. McLellan got the fight to the ground and worked hard for his submission win, a win that will likely see him enter the Hexagon opposite Jeremy Smith once more. Garreth McLellan earned my fighter of the night award.

Bernardo Mikixi

Bernardo Mikixi weathered a heavy storm from Mahmoud Hassan before flooring his opponent and finishing him with brutal strikes. Mikixi showed he can take a punch and give as good as he gets.

Demarte Pena

In another contender for fight of the night, Demarte Pena showed the temperament of a champion as he managed to keep cool under Wesley Hawkey’s fire in their featherweight title fight. Pena, was able to turn the tides on the challenger and earn himself a submission victory late in the fourth. Humble in victory, Pena proved he is the real deal at featherweight. Demarte Pena earned my submission of the night award.

Wesley Hawkey

Wesley Hawkey was punished for a single mistake in what was a near perfectly executed game plan. Hawkey, looked comfortable standing and on the ground, landing the more effective shots. At the time of his submission, I had Wesley Hawkey well ahead on points.

Adam Speechly

Unsurprisingly, Adam Speechly showed the heart of a champion as he fought back from the brink of defeat to put Costa Ioannou under real pressure. Speechly looked more comfortable at lightweight and I hope this drop in weight is a permanent one.

Costa Ioannou

Though I was initially disappointed with Costa Ioannou for gassing so early and almost throwing away a fight he had all but in the books, I could not but be impressed with his ability to push through his fatigue and win rounds against a very game Adam Speechly. Costa Ioannou has always had the skill set, but tonight he proved he has the heart of a champion as well. Costa Ioannou vs Adam Speechly earned my fight of the night award.

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EFC 14 in retrospect

The Extreme Fighting Championship returned to Johannesburg with a stacked fight card featuring 5 current or former champions. The high profile event featured 2 title fights and managed to live up to all the hype.

My EFC 14 predictions

My predictions were pretty useless this EFC. There were many close fights, which could have gone either way and in most cases went the other way. Of those I did get correct in terms of winner, I was largely out in terms of manner, though I take comfort in getting the middleweight clash between Garreth McLellan and Danie van Heerden pretty much spot on. It seems even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut.

Correct predictions: 6/13

Correct title fight predictions: 1/2

My EFC 14 fight of the night

The EFC 14 fight of the night has to go to Costa Ioannou and Adam Speechly for their 5 round lightweight title war. The technical grappling match was insane to watch and both fighters showed why they are so well respected in this discipline. Add to this the humility and respect with which both fighters approached this fight and it is a deserved winner.

My EFC 14 submission of the night

Demarte Pena’s rear-naked choke against Wesley Hawkey in their featherweight title fight is my submission of the night. Given the gravity of the situation, Pena’s ability to quickly and effortlessly transition to back mount and sink in a title winning submission was beautiful to watch.

My EFC 14 knockout of the night

Knock-outs were in short supply at EFC 14. David Buirski’s head kick on Kelvin Mwale was about as close to a clean KO as we got. The kick, which sent Mwale to the canvas was followed up with punches to earn a TKO victory.

My EFC 14 fighter of the night

Garreth McLellan was the most impressive fighter for me at EFC 14. The former middleweight champion looked focussed from the get go in his clash with Danie van Heerden and finished the fight in a very clinical manner to earn himself another shot at Jeremy Smith.

My EFC 14 surprise fighter of the night

Markus Taljaard was my surprise fighter of the night. Having seen him trade strikes with Ryan van Niekerk at EFC 12, Taljaard surprised  and impressed me with his ground game at EFC 14. Taljaard had a very active guard, but it was his composure while on his back which ultimately earned him his submission victory over Wade Groth.

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Costa Ioannou defeats Adam Speechly at EFC 14 to retain lightweight title

Tonight Costa Ioannou became the first fighter in EFC history to defend his EFC title twice when he defeated Adam Speechly via unanimous decision at EFC Africa 14. Ioannou, a huge favourite, was put to the test by a determined Speechly and was forced to dig deep to grind out the win and retain his lightweight title. A great main event, Costa Ioannou and Adam Speechly showed what MMA is all about.

Costa Ioannou vs Adam Speechly EFC 14 fight breakdown

Costa Ioannou took control of the fight early, taking the fight to the ground and maintaining a dominant position for the better part of the first two rounds. Ioannou was able to land some vicious ground and pound and attempt near submissions, looking every bit the dominant champion we are used to. Though Speechly worked hard off his back, the grappling wunderkind couldn't seem to find an answer.

As round two drew to a close, Ioannou looked worn out. Speechly took this opportunity and pressed the action in round three, taking the top position and landing some shots of his own. The fight had taken a huge turn and Ioannou looked in real trouble for the first time in his professional career.

Costa Ioannou bounced back in round four, and though he looked gassed for the remainder of the fight, was still able to land effective take downs, control the fight and nearly land a fight finishing rear-naked choke. Speechly for his part was competitive in the latter rounds, but never looked as threatening as he had in the third.

The fight went the distance and Costa Ioannou was awarded a well deserved unanimous decision victory to retain his EFC Africa lightweight title.

Full EFC 14 fight results

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EFC Africa 14 - Blow by Blow

Costa Ioannou vs Adam Speechly (Lightweight title fight)

Full article: Costa Ioannou is still the EFC lightweight champion

Demarte Pena vs Wesley Hawkey (Featherweight title fight)

Full article: Demarte Pena is still the EFC featherweight champion

Bernardo Mikixi vs Mahmoud Hassan (Heavyweight fight)

A typical heavyweight fight, both men came in hard. Mikixi managed to injure Hassan with a big shot and finish him on the ground in the first few minutes.

Garreth McLellan vs Danie van Heerden (Middleweight fight)

Both fighters went to work early, and after a head kick by Garreth McLellan and an attempted standing guillotine by Danie Van Heerden, the fight went to the ground. McLellan looked comfortable on the ground but was forced to work hard to achieve anything. 

Round two went to the ground early and McLellan took control of the fight, secured back mount and managed to sink in a rear-naked choke to claim the win and likely title rematch with against Jeremy Smith.

Wentzel Nel vs Denzil Wait (Featherweight fight)

Great technical battle between Wentzel Nel and Denzil Wait. The majority of the fight was spent on the mat where both fighters had their fair share of the dominant position. Both fighters almost finished the fight in the first frame, but it was Wentzel Nel who managed to come out stronger in the second round. After a period of reversals on the ground, Nel managed to secure a dominant position and rain down some elbows to win the fight via TKO.

Francois Kabulu vs Amr Wahman (Welterweight fight)

Francois Kabulu controlled the fight on the ground for the better part of the first two rounds, but was unable to submit Wahman despite a few close attempts. Both fighters looked gassed in the third round, a round in which Amr Wahman landed more shots. Francois Kabulu was eventually awarded a unanimous decision victory.

Terrence Griessel vs Gareth Buirski (Featherweight fight)

A great fight back and forward fight between two strong athletes. There were times when both fighters almost finished the fight, but it was eventually Terence Griessel who landed a third round guillotine choke to win via submission.

JP Kruger vs Mwande Vapi (Middleweight fight)

JP Kruger took the fight to the ground early and transitioned quickly to Vapi's back. From there it was only a matter of time before Kruger submitted him via rear naked choke.

Alex Cheboub vs Ashley Calvert (Lightweight fight)

Alex Cheboub looked like he had nothing to lose as he fired off a wide variety of strikes in the stand-up. On the ground, Calvert attempted a few submissions before Cheboub took control of the fight, eventually securing a crucifix position and submitting Calvert via a rather painful looking second round Keylock submission.

David Buirski vs Kelvin Mwale (Welterweight fight)

David Buirksi circled nicely and landed effective leg kicks throughout the first round. A surprise head kick landed and dropped Mwale late in the first to earn Buirski his first EFC win.

Koba Iakobidze vs Alain Ilunga (Featherweight fight)

Ilunga and Iakobidze fought hard standing and on the ground. The fight seemed fairly even early on but Ilunga seemed to get the better of the exchanges as the fight progressed and eventually managed to drop Iakobidze with body kick in the third to win via verbal submission.

Wade Groth vs Markus Taljaard (Lightweight fight)

Taljaard got the better of the early stand-up exchanges, rocking Groth with a beautiful right hand. This forced Groth to take the fight to the ground where he was dominant, landing big shots in a very active Taljaard guard. Both fighters looked very impressive. 

Round 2 saw Taljaard land some more nice shots standing, before the fight once more went to the mat. Taljaard managed to get full mount before Groth reversed the position and managed to stay on top for the better part of the round.

Round 3 saw both fighters come out striking before Groth performed a beautiful judo throw to take Taljaard to the ground. After some great ground and pound again by Groth, Markus Taljaard managed to slap on a beautiful triangle choke to win via third round submission.

Tshikangu Makeubo vs James Le Roux (Middleweight fight)

As expected, Tez Makeubo looked to strike, while James Le Roux wanted to get the fight to the ground and look for a submission. The first round saw a mixed bag, with Makeubo landing a few big shots and Le Roux attempting some very close submissions. The second and third rounds were rather uneventful, with both fighters looking gassed. In the end Makuebo appeared to press the action and did enough to earn a unanimous decision victory.

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EFC 14 fight results

Here are the full professional MMA fight results from EFC Africa 14, held at Carnival City on 1 June 2012. I will update them as the fights take place.

EFC 14 fight results

Fight	Winner	Opponent	Round	Method
1	Tshikangu Makeubo	James Le Roux	3	Unanimous Decision
2	Markus Taljaard	Wade Groth	3	Submission (Triangle choke)
3	Alain Ilunga	Koba Iakobidze	3	TKO (Body kick)
4	David Buirski	Kelvin Mwale	1	KO (Head kick & Punches)
5	Alex Cheboub	Ashley Calvert	2	Submission (Keylock)
6	JP Kruger	Mawande Vapi	1	Submission (Rear-naked choke)
7	Terrence Griessel	Gareth Buirski	3	Submission (Guillotine choke)
8	Francois Kabulu	Amr Wahman	3	Unanimous decision
9	Wentzel Nel	Denzil Wait	2	TKO (Elbows)
10	Garreth McLellan	Danie van Heerden	2	Submission (Rear-naked choke)
11	Bernardo Mikixi	Mahmoud Hassan	1	TKO (Punches)
12	Demarte Pena	Wesley Hawkey	4	Submission (Rear-naked choke)
13	Costa Ioannou	Adam Speechly	5	Unanimous decision

EFC 14 fight analysis

How EFC 14 fights ended

Fights won by KO/TKO	4
Fights won by Submission	6
Fights won by Decision	3

When EFC 14 fights ended

Fights ended in the first round	3
Fights ended in the second round	3
Fights ended in the third round	3
Fights ended in the fourth round	1
Fights that went the distance	3

Who won EFC 14 fights

Fights won by BetXchange favourite	9
Fights won by BetXchange underdog	4

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EFC 14 weigh in results

The EFC Africa 14 weigh-ins took place at Carnival city in Johannesburg earlier today.  Here are the official weigh in results:

EFC 14 weigh in results

James Le Roux	83kg	81.4kg	Tshikangu Makeubo
Markus Taljaard	69.3kg	70kg	Wade Groth
Alain Ilunga	66.2kg	65.85kg	Koba Iakobidze
Kelvin Mwale	76.3kg	76.95kg	David Buirski
Ashley Calvert	69.4kg	74kg*	Alex Cheboub
Mawande Vapi	82.7kg	83.4kg	JP Kruger
Terrence Griessel	66.1kg	65.7kg	Gareth Buirski
Francois Kabulu	76.3kg	76.6kg	Amr Wahman
Denzil Wait	67kg*	65.85kg	Wentzel Nel
Garreth McLellan	84kg	88.2kg*	Danie van Heerden
Mahmoud Hassan	105.4kg	102.9kg	Bernardo Mikixi
Wesley Hawkey	66kg	65.75kg	Demarte Pena
Adam Speechly	69.3kg	69.85kg	Costa Ioannou

* fighter was overweight and has 2 hours to drop the necessary weight.

For the first time this year, the EFC Africa weigh ins did not go smoothly for everyone. Both Alex Cheboub and Danie van Heerden came in 4kg overweight, weight that they will struggle to cut in the allotted grace period. This could not only mean potential fines for the fighters, but should the fights still go ahead they will be shrouded in controversy.

Featherweight Denzil Wait also came in 1kg overweight, but he should be able to drop this weight prior to the cut off time.

Both the featherweight and lightweight title fights will go ahead unhindered as Wesley Hawkey, Demarte Pena, Adam Speechly and Costa Ioannou all made weight and looked in great shape.

EFC 14 Weigh in gallery

Click here to view the full EFC 14 fight gallery

EFC 14 Weigh in update

Danie van Heerden and Alex Cheboub were unable to make weight even after the grace period. The fighters were both penalised accordingly but will still fight in the EFC 14 event.  

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EFC 14 Betting Odds

The anticipation around EFC Africa 14 is beginning to build. Having already made my EFC 14 fight predictions, I headed over to the Bet X change to see what the betting odds were at ze bookies. As per usual there are some fights with amazing odds which warrant a investment. Here are the EFC 14 fight odds as of 17:15 on the 29 May 2012.

EFC 14 fight odds

James Le Roux	12/10	6/10	Tshikangu Makeubo
Markus Taljaard	2/1	1/3	Wade Groth
Alain Ilunga	16/10	4/10	Koba Iakobidze
Kelvin Mwale	8/10	1/1	David Buirski
Ashley Calvert	15/10	5/10	Alex Cheboub
Mawande Vapi	2/1	1/3	JP Kruger
Terrence Griessel	7/10	11/10	Gareth Buirski
Francois Kabulu	1/3	2/1	Amr Wahman
Denzil Wait	8/10	1/1	Wentzel Nel
Garreth McLellan	1/4	5/2	Danie van Heerden
Mahmoud Hassan	15/10	5/10	Bernardo Mikixi
Wesley Hawkey	1/1	8/10	Demarte Pena
Adam Speechly	22/10	3/10	Costa Ioannou

The biggest surprise to me was the odds on Adam Speechly to defeat Costa Ioannou. Though I had already predicted a rather convincing victory for Ioannou in my lightweight title preview, it still struck me as rather strange that one of the countries top MMA athletes and former EFC Africa welterweight champion would come in as such an underdog.

To bet on these fights or view the latest odds visit https://www.betxchange.co.za/

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