The Extreme Fighting Championship returns with a big title bout in the EFC 118 main card as Roedie “Relentless” Roets and Ayanda “The Power” Zwane lock horns in an all-South African affair for the interim featherweight championship on Thursday, October 10, at the World Sports Betting EFC Arena in Johannesburg.
Roets, who recently competed on The Ultimate Fighter Season 32, where he was trained by current UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, returns to the EFC in search of a belt.
The 27-year-old, who has established himself as a dominant figure in the featherweight division, enters this much-anticipated fight with a professional record of seven wins and one loss.
Roets can thank his teammate, the reigning lightweight and featherweight champion Igeu Kabesa, for this fight as the 30-year-old will be defending his 155-pound belt against former champion Tshilumba Mikixi at EFC 120 on December 12, 2024. This, however, created the room for this golden “interim” opportunity in the featherweight category.
Meanwhile, Zwane, renowned for his striking power, gets his shot at a title thanks to former number one contender, Simbarashe Hokonya, stepping aside. Coached by Hungarian Attila Barna, Zwane, who has a career record of four wins and two losses, is hoping to stage an upset in the biggest fight of his career.
It’s Monday and that means IT’S FIGHT WEEK 👊
Kicking things off is the press conference at 5pm (CAT) today#EFC118 pic.twitter.com/IJ6UiFeCYb
— EFC Worldwide (@EFCworldwide) October 7, 2024
Meanwhile, the much-talked about return of one of the EFC greats, Martin Van Staden, headlines the EFC 118 co-main event.
“The Punisher” as he is fondly called, will return to the hexagon after a two-year hiatus and a record of 12 wins and eight losses, to fight the heavy-hitting Cole “Hitman” Henning in a lightweight bout.
Unlike Staden, Henning recently fought in EFC 113 in May, falling to Horatious Alonu. However, with impressive victories over the likes of Tumisang Madiba and Tapiwa Katikati, he will undoubtedly look to exploit any cage rust that may linger for Van Staden.
Also on the card, Jason Culverwell is set to make a return to the EFC after an almost decade-long absence, as he will face Peace “X” Nguphane in a welterweight bout.
In the preliminary card, which is stacked with emerging talent, undefeated Elbert “Pikachu” Steyn will battle Given “Bonecracker” Majuba. Likewise, Nthando “The Zulu Warrior” Zondi and Micky “The Mouse” Cloete, also make up this card.
FULL EFC 118 FIGHT CARD
Main Card
Roedie Roets v Ayanda Zwane – Interim Featherweight Championship
Co-main card
Martin Van Staden v Cole Henning – Welterweight bout
Billy Oosthuizen v Ryan Dunn – Featherweight bout
Jason Culverwell v Peace Nguphane – Welterweight bout
Elbert Steyn v Given Majuba – Welterweight bout
Preliminary card
Nthando Zondi v Godfrey Mkhwanazi – Flyweight bout
Micky Cloete v Kelvin Smit – Flyweight bout
Lucky Magekha v Emerson Pedro – Featherweight bout
Lihle Ngamnthwini vs. Siyanda Vilakazi – Flyweight bout
Guide Moyo vs. Glody Kanzeko – Catchweight bout 159lbs
Shadrick Dju Yemba vs. Nkosi Doyisa – Catchweight bout 150lbs
Mpumelelo Mngoma vs. Tyral Louw – Flyweight bout
