Demarte Pena vs Wentzel Nel EFC 16 featherweight title fight

Its official, EFC Africa 16 will host three title fights! A featherweight title fight between reigning champion Demarte Pena and former lightweight champion Wentzel Nel. The event is scheduled for 19 October 2012 at Carnival City.

Demarte "The Wolf" Pena

Demarte Pena defeated a very dangerous Wesley Hawkey at EFC 14 to defend his EFC featherweight title and firmly place himself at the top of the EFC's featherweight division. In his short professional career, The Wolf (4-0), has already been involved in his fair share of wars in the Hexagon and his EFC 16 tussle may prove to be no different.

Demarte Pena

Wentzel "The Animal" Nel

Wentzel Nel (10-3) has proved his worth time and time again. The former lightweight champion earned a title shot by finishing ranked featherweight Denzil Wait at EFC 14 to cap an impressive three fight win streak. The Animal will know now have the chance to become the first EFC champion in two different divisions when he faces Pena at EFC 16.

Wentzel Nel

Demarte Pena vs Wentzel Nel at EFC 16

Demarte Pena and Wentzel Nel are both accomplished fighters who have fought the very best that EFC Africa has to offer. Both fighters are also on great winning streaks and have taste EFC gold. Pena vs Nel pits the old school champion against his young counterpart and will be a great fight for the South African MMA fans.

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Best MMA featherweights in South Africa - June 2012

EFC Africa 14 was jam packed with featherweight talent. The event saw two top lightweight fighters dropping to featherweight, featured three of the top five featherweights in action and was co-headlined by a brilliant featherweight title fight between Demarte Pena and Wesley Hawkey. With all this activity, the featherweight division is shaping up to be one of the most exciting divisions in the EFC.

Post EFC 14, here are my South African MMA featherweight rankings:

SA MMA featherweight rankings

1. Demarte “The Wolf” Pena (4-0)

Demarte Pena managed to weather the storm that was Wesley Hawkey at EFC 14. The young champion held his nerve and seized his opportunity to submit Hawkey late in the fourth round via rear naked choke. With this victory, Pena took his EFC winning streak to 4, defended his featherweight title for the first time and secured his spot atop this ranking list.

2. Wesley “The Young Assassin” Hawkey (7-3)

After executing a near perfect game plan, Wesley Hawkey was punished by Demarte Pena for a mistake late in the fourth round of their EFC 14 featherweight title fight. Hawkey was ahead on my scorecard at the time, and can be proud of his performance. Hawkey will now have to go back to the drawing board, but has shown that he is a serious contender in the featherweight division.

3. Wentzel “The Animal” Nel (10-3)

Wentzel Nel made a huge statement by defeating Denzil Wait at EFC 14. The former lightweight champion looked comfortable at featherweight and with his wealth of experience will be a great test for any of the fighters on this list. Wentzel Nel will likely challenge Demarte Pena for his title in the near future.

4. Denzil “Redstarr” Wait (5-3)

Denzil Wait put up a solid performance against Wentzel Nel in what was one of the fights of the night. Wait had the former champion in trouble a few times, but was unable to finish the fight and ultimately succumbed to Nel’s elbows in the second frame. Denzil Wait showed that he is a high level featherweight, worthy of a spot on this list.

5. Abdul “Hollywood” Hassan (18-5)

Abdul Hassan (2-1 EFC) managed to neutralise Leo Gloss and earn himself a split decision victory at EFC 13. Hollywood was effective on the ground, especially in the first round when he landed some huge ground and pound punches. Having toppled the King and only lost to Denzil Wait in the EFC,  Hassan has earned himself a spot on this list. 

To view rankings for all divisions, visit my MMA Rankings page.

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5 fights to make after EFC 14

With EFC 14 behind us, it’s time to once more take stock and look toward the future. Here are 5 fights that I think the EFC should consider making in the near future.

5 fights to make after EFC 14

Jeremy Smith vs Garreth McLellan

Although I have never been an avid supporter of a quick rematch between Garreth McLellan and Jeremy Smith, it seems that this fight has to happen. Garreth McLellan looked focussed at EFC 14 where he defeated Danie van Heerden in what was touted to be a number on contender bout. With the major players in the middleweight division already matched up, Jeremy Smith vs Garreth McLellan 2 now seems inevitable.

Ruan Potts vs Bernardo Mikixi

Bernardo Mikixi defeated Mahmoud Hassan at EFC 14 to take his current win streak to two. Given the state of the heavyweight division, this is enough to warrant a title shot against heavyweight champion Ruan Potts.

Demarte Pena vs Wentzel Nel

Wentzel Nel looked strong at featherweight as he defeated Denzil Wait via second round TKO. With three straight EFC wins, including one against a top 5 featherweight, Wentzel Nel has surely earned himself a shot at Demarte Pena and the featherweight title.

Wesley Hawkey vs Abdul Hassan

Wesley Hawkey showed that he is one of the best featherweights in South Africa at EFC 14. The Durban based fighter will want to get into the Hexagon as quickly as possible and work his way back up to a shot at the title. After his win against Leo Gloss at EFC 13, Abdul Hassan finds himself on a similar path and a fight between the two now many perfect sense.

Adam Speechly vs Alex Cheboub

Both Adam Speechly and Alex Cheboub have suffered recent losses to Costa Ioannou and will want to work their way back to the top of the division. The two master grapplers will be a great test for each other and hopefully put on a great fight for the fans.

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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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Wentzel Nel vs Denzil Wait at EFC 14

The EFC Africa 14 fight card took a huge leap forward today with the announcement of a few more fights, the highlight of which is a featherweight fight between former EFC Africa lightweight champion Wentzel "The Animal" Nel and Denzil "Redstarr" Wait.

Wentzel "The Animal" Nel

Wentzel Nel (9-3, 5-2 EFC) is one of the most experienced fighters in the EFC. The Animal was the first ever EFC Africa champion and has defeated some of the top light men in the promotion including Jean-Luc Kazadi, Leo Gloss and Terrence Griessel twice. Nel's only EFC losses came at the hands of current EFC Africa lightweight kingpin Costa Ioannou and American fighter Dave Mazany.

After stringing together two wins en route a rematch for his lightweight title, Wentzel Nel recently dropped to featherweight and will begin a title campaign in the lighter division. Though a genuine threat at lightweight, I believe the featherweight division will better suite Nel's physical attributes and he will be a serious title contender.

Wentzel Nel

Denzil "Redstarr" Wait

Denzil Wait (5-2) was thrown into the deep end of the EFC featherweight division from the word go, fighting Abdul Hassan (#4 Featherweight rankings) and Wesley Hawkey (#2 Featherweight rankings) in his first two bouts. Though convincing in his victory against Adbul Hassan, Wait never really got going against Wesley Hawkey at EFC 12 and lost via first round submission. Things are not slowing down for Denzil Wait who will now face another top 5 opponent in Wentzel Nel. 

Denzil Wait

Wentzel Nel vs Denzil Wait at EFC Africa 14

Wentzel Nel and Denzil Wait are both powerful fighters who like to manhandle their opponents, this should make for a very physical fight. With Nel dropping a weight division and Wait coming off his first EFC loss, it will be interesting to see how the fighters approach the fight. The title shot of course looms, but I am especially looking forward to see what a featherweight Wentzel Nel can do. 

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MMA Lightweight Rankings - April 2012

A lot is happening in the lightweight division and many new fighters have begun to stake their claim as future greats.  Though there has been no real top lightweight action over the past month, there have been changes to the lightweight rankings based on inactivity and divisional changes. Adam Speechly’s drop to lightweight needed to be accounted for and due to inactivity over the past two years, Chris Bright has fallen off the rankings.

  

1. Costa Ioannou (4–0)

Undefeated in his professional career and boasting many of the biggest scalps in the division, Costa Ioannou is somewhat of an enigma in the lightweight class. He is ferocious on the feet, incredibly strong in the clinch and an expert on the ground, a mix which is proving increasingly difficult for the rest of the division to figure out. Ioannou, the current EFC Africa lightweight champion, was also the first South African to defend an EFC title, when he bested Alex Cheboub in emphatic style at EFC 10. If history is anything to go by, Costa Ioannou could be a dominant force in the hexagon for a long time to come.  

2. Brendon Katz (7-1)

Brendon Katz has a single blemish, courtesy of this list’s number one fighter, Costa Ioannou, in a fight of the night appearance. Shy of his only loss, Katz has looked impressive in the cage, and has recently made a successful jump to fighting internationally, where he has defeated USA’s Omar Santiago at XFC Africa 5 and UK’s Huseyin Garabet at UCMMA25. Hopefully we will see Brendon Katz back in the cage in South Africa soon, where he can put his wealth of experience to good use.  

3. Wentzel “The Animal” Nel (9-3)

Former EFC Africa Lightweight champion Wentzel Nel has used his wrestling to defeat some of the best in the division, including besting Leo Gloss to become the first EFC lightweight champion. Nel recently lost his lightweight crown to Costa Ioannou at EFC 08, but bounced back with a pair of wins against Manny Da Silva at EFC 09 and Terrence Griessel at EFC 11. It looks like The Animal wants his Lightweight belt back!

4. 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.

5. Adam “The Prodigy” Speechly (12-3)

Former EFC Africa welterweight champion Adam Speechly will make his Lightweight debut at EFC 14 in a title fight against Costa Ioannou. Though The Prodigy has yet to fight at lightweight, his impressive welterweight resume assures him a place on this list, how he performs at lightweight, a division that I believe better suits him, will be interesting to see.

View all: MMA Rankings

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Adam Speechly - EFC 14 lightweight title shot controversy

The prospect of two of South Africa’s premier grapplers squaring off in the Hexagon is a mouth-watering one for any MMA fan. Add to this the fact that both men are accomplished MMA fighters, who have owned EFC Gold and you have the makings for a titanic clash. This is essentially what the EFC have done by matching reigning EFC Africa lightweight champion Costa Ioannou against former EFC Africa welterweight champion Adam Speechly at EFC Africa 14.

The timing of this bout however is completely wrong, and does a lot to detract from the grandeur of the event. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, this is the second time in as many events that the EFC has made a faux pas in selecting title challengers (the first I discussed in my article about Jadyson Costa's welterweight title shot).

Adam "The Prodigy" Speechly (12-3)

Adam Speechly (#2 Welterweight Rankings) is a great MMA fighter and holds notable wins over Dallas Jakobi, Dino Bagattin and Nolan Swanepoel. He has also won ample grappling events and was the first EFC Africa Welterweight champion. 

Adam Speechly was unsuccessful in his first title defence against Dallas Jakobi at EFC 10, his most recent outing in the EFC. Speechly has also lost two of his last three fights and has not fought since September last year.

Now, accomplished as Adam Speechly is and, exciting as a matchup with Ioannou promises to be, it is always going to be hard to sell Speechly as the current, legitimate number 1 contender.

Adam Speechly at lightweight

I am not denying the fact that I intrinsically like the idea of Adam Speechly vs Costa Ioannou. I happen to think it’s a great match and that Speechly’s move to lightweight is a prudent one.  I however think that the EFC should have gone about it in a different way and given Speechly a fight or two at lightweight to prove himself and earn his shot at Costa Ioannou’s title. 

Lightweight title contenders

Here are three far less controversial fights which Ioannou could have had:

• Ryan van Niekerk, as I discussed in my article 5 fights to make after EFC 12.
• Wentzel Nel, who has strung together two straight wins since losing his title to Ioannou.
• Chris Bright, my #2 Lightweight in South Africa, who isn't currently contracted to the EFC, but has expressed an interest in fighting Ioannou.

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Lightweight Rankings - March 2012

Costa Ioannou

There was not much top end lightweight action at EFC 12, as a result most of the rankings remain unchanged. There were however some new challengers uncovered who many yet be a threat in the EFC lightweight division. Keep an eye on Ryan van Niekerk and Boyd Allen in the future.

  

1. Costa Ioannou (4–0)

Undefeated in his professional career and boasting many of the biggest scalps in the division, Costa Ioannou is somewhat of an enigma in the lightweight class. He is ferocious on the feet, incredibly strong in the clinch and an expert on the ground, a mix which is proving increasingly difficult for the rest of the division to figure out. Ioannou, the current EFC Africa lightweight champion, was also the first South African to defend an EFC title, when he bested Alex Cheboub in emphatic style at EFC 10. If history is anything to go by, Costa Ioannou could be a dominant force in the hexagon for a long time to come.

2. Chris Bright (26-3)

Chris Bright made a quick cameo in the EFC, earned a title shot and was then forced to withdraw due to injury. This is all most MMA fans have seen of one of the most decorated MMA fighters South Africa has ever produced. Bright has fought both nationally and internationally for many years and is regarded as one of the best ground specialists in the country. As MMA fans we can only hope that the powers that be can arrange for Chris Bright to challenge Costa Ioannou sooner rather than later, in what would undoubtedly be a defining fight for South African MMA and a BJJ master class.

3. Brendon Katz (7-1)

Brendon Katz has a single blemish, courtesy of this list’s number one fighter, Costa Ioannou, in a fight of the night appearance. Shy of his only loss, Katz has looked impressive in the cage, and has recently made a successful jump to fighting internationally, where he has defeated USA’s Omar Santiago at XFC Africa 5 and UK’s Huseyin Garabet at UCMMA25. Hopefully we will see Brendon Katz back in the cage in South Africa soon, where he can put his wealth of experience to good use.  

4. Wentzel “The Animal” Nel (9-3)

Former EFC Africa Lightweight champion Wentzel Nel has used his wrestling to defeat some of the best in the division, including besting Leo Gloss to become the first EFC lightweight champion. Nel recently lost his lightweight crown to Costa Ioannou at EFC 08, but bounced back with a pair of wins against Manny Da Silva at EFC 09 and Terrence Griessel at EFC 11. It looks like The Animal wants his Lightweight belt back!

5. 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.

View all : Best MMA fighters in South Africa

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EFC Africa 14 in Durban?

The Extreme Fighting Championship has come a long way since its maiden event in November 2009. Since then the promotion has managed to grow from strength to strength and has produced eleven spectacular MMA events in Johannesburg, South Africa. During this time, the EFC has unsurprisingly  built up a huge fan following in the city. 

The EFC has also very obviously had expansion plans, but to successfully execute these plans, they needed to ensure that they never ostracised the audience that they had worked so hard to build. This meant that they needed to overcome the technological barriers which prevented remote fans from watching MMA events. 

EFC 12 is the first event where this has truly been achieved. With coverage on eTV, in Nu Metro cinemas nationwide and online via PPV, fans from across South Africa and the world are now able to tune into EFC events live! Apart from enabling the EFC to broadcast to interested fans worldwide, this has also enabled the EFC to be mobile and to aggressively seek out and earn new fans, all while sufficiently nurturing their current fans with broadcast coverage.

Quick to act, the EFC has already announced their first non-Johannesburg event, EFC Africa 13 – Jakobi vs Costa, which will take place in Cape Town in April 2012. But where to from there?

With an already thriving MMA community, producing some of the top MMA fighters in the country, including EFC Africa fighters Dallas Jakobi, Wentzel Nel, Donavin Hawkey, Wesley Hawkey and Sean Robinson to name but a few, Durban seems a very likely candidate for EFC Africa 14. The seaside community has also been at the fore of MMA in many regards, and currently hosts many professional and amateur MMA events, though nothing quite the size of EFC. This gives the promotion a great foundation to enter into Durban and build on the already flourishing sport and MMA fan base. This in turn can only be good for the sport in Durban and good for the EFC.

I think it is very likely that we will see the EFC venture into Kwazulu Natal and more specifically Durban in the near future. Will EFC Africa 14 be the first event in the Zulu kingdom? Only time can tell, but I have a hunch that if not EFC 14, it will not be long before we see the EFC coming to Durban.

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Top 5 MMA Lightweights in South Africa

The lightweight division is one of the premier divisions in MMA. It is synonymous with highly skilled fighters who have seemingly infinite stamina. This usually results in epic battles. The South African lightweight scene is no different, and is home to some of South Africa’s top MMA athletes. Here is my take on the current rankings of South African lightweight fighters:

  

1.       Costa Ioannou (4–0)

Undefeated in his professional career and boasting many of the biggest scalps in the division, Costa Ioannou is somewhat of an enigma in the lightweight class. He is ferocious on the feet, incredibly strong in the clinch and an expert on the ground, a mix which is proving increasingly difficult for the rest of the division to figure out. Ioannou, the current EFC Africa lightweight champion, was also the first South African to defend an EFC title, when he bested Alex Cheboub in emphatic style at EFC 10. If history is anything to go by, Costa Ioannou could be a dominant force in the hexagon for a long time to come.

2.       Chris Bright (26-3)

Chris Bright made a quick cameo in the EFC, earned a title shot and was then forced to withdraw due to injury. This is all most MMA fans have seen of one of the most decorated MMA fighters South Africa has ever produced. Bright has fought both nationally and internationally for many years and is regarded as one of the best ground specialists in the country. As MMA fans we can only hope that the powers that be can arrange for Chris Bright to challenge Costa Ioannou sooner rather than later, in what would undoubtedly be a defining fight for South African MMA and a BJJ master class.

3.       Brendon Katz (7-1)

Brendon Katz has a single blemish, courtesy of this list’s number one fighter, Costa Ioannou, in a fight of the night appearance. Shy of his only loss, Katz has looked impressive in the cage, and has recently made a successful jump to fighting internationally, where he has defeated USA’s Omar Santiago at XFC Africa 5 and UK’s Huseyin Garabet at UCMMA25. Hopefully we will see Brendon Katz back in the cage in South Africa soon, where he can put his wealth of experience to good use.  

4.       Wentzel “The Animal” Nel (9-3)

Former EFC Africa Lightweight champion Wentzel Nel has used his wrestling to defeat some of the best in the division, including besting Leo Gloss to become the first EFC lightweight champion. Nel recently lost his lightweight crown to Costa Ioannou at EFC 08, but bounced back with a pair of wins against Manny Da Silva at EFC 09 and Terrence Griessel at EFC 11. It looks like The Animal wants his Lightweight belt back!

5.       Alex “Professor” Cheboub

The Professor’s recent move to the EFC Africa Lightweight division has opened many doors for the grappling guru. Firstly, a title shot against Costa Ioannou, which Cheboub lost via third round submission in what turned out to be an intense chess match on the ground. One of the most technical fighters in the EFC, Cheboub, who has spent the majority of his time in the welterweight division, will now be able to pit himself against smaller opponents, where it is less likely that his impressive skill set will be neutralised by size and strength alone.    

To view all South African rankings, visit my MMA rankings page

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Wentzel Nel vs Costa Ioannou - EFC 08 Lightweight Title fight

At EFC Africa 08, Wentzel Nel would attempt to defend his EFC Africa lightweight title against surging contender Costa Ioannou. Nel (3-1 EFC) had lost his last non-title fight against American Dave Mazany, while Ioannou carried an impressive 2-0 EFC record into the Hexagon.

Wentzel Nel vs Costa Ioannou - EFC 08 promo video

Wentzel Nel vs Costa Ioannou - EFC Africa 08 lightweight title fight

Costa Ioannou was quick to take the centre of the ring, and after a very brief exchange of punches, closed the distance and got the clinch. Wentzel Nel landed the bigger shots early in the form of punches and knees, but Ioannou worked the clinch well and landed some big elbows and knees of his own, before taking the fight to the ground. Nel managed to work his way back up to standing from a dangerous position, and the clinch once more ensued. After a brief exchange of close range shots, Ioannou managed to create some space and land a huge elbow followed by two huge knees which buckled the champion. Costa Ioannou was quick to take him to the ground and take side control. Ioannou used his position to land some shots before transitioning to full mount. Costa Ioannou then rained down punches on Wentzel Nel, forcing him to react and as he did, Ioannou sunk in a deep triangle choke. Nel was forced to tap 3 minutes into the first round, and Costa Ioannou was declared the new EFC Africa lightweight champion.

Costa Ioannou vs Wentzel Nel - EFC 08 full fight video

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