When Roedie Roets secured the interim featherweight title late last year, it was the culmination of a career that had taken him around the world from Polokwane to Phuket before a star turn in the house in the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Following five gruelling rounds of war in the fabled EFC hexagon late last year, “Relentess” strapped the gold around his waist and declared himself ready for the next challenger.
But in a case of being careful for what you wish for, up steps the undefeated Zambian finishing machine, Ken Sekeletu at EFC 21 in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
With only one of his pro bouts going to decision, “The Takeover” has a highlight reel which is the envy of many, with a variety of dizzying first-round finishes over top-drawer opponents, including most recently a liver-kick KO of the highly-regarded Vince Bembe at Christmas. In the biggest fight of the Lusakan lutador’s life, he represents a massive challenge to Roets’ championship in the Limpopo man’s very first title defence in the main event. World Sports Betting has the challenger as the slight favourite going into this battle.
The entire EFC 121 main card is stacked with the co-main slot occupied by the man whom Roets beat to that interim featherweight strap, Ayanda “Power” Zwane taking on veteran gunslinger Billy Oosthuizen. With Zwane desperate to earn another title shot, he will have to contend with Oosthuizen’s infamous brawling style and with four wins out of five recent bouts, Oosthuizen has laid claim to his own right for title contention and a win over another top-ranking opponent like Zwane would surely rubber stamp such a request.
Another returning vet is the man they rightly call “The Bully”, Hanru Botha, who himself is coming-off a jaw-dropping KO of Osvaldo Benedito last year which is one of seven superb victories in the hex, won during an EFC career spanning 11 years.
In an intriguing clash of styles, this wrestler will undoubtedly duke it out on the feet against another returning fan favourite, Kaleka “Block” Kabanda who recently fought for the title but came up short against the imperious Igeu Kabesa. With submission finishes of the likes of JT Botha and Guelor Sondi, Kabanda is a wily and dangerous grappler, which just happens to be the founding skillset of Botha.
It’s “Bad News” for any opponent when Musa Sethwape makes that walk but Lucky Magekha will hope to stop the press with one of his customary quick finishes. Undefeated in the EFC, Lucky has sent several opponents packing in the first and is riding a four-fight winning streak, while Sethwape is looking to overturn a three-fight skid. Admittedly those losses against such standouts as Zulu and Balelo must be placed in the context of his victories over luminaries like Law, Komana and Ntambwe.
Sethwape is as exciting as they come and always brings the trash talk to back up his fists regardless of him being the considerable underdog.
The main-card curtain-raiser is a middleweight collision between CIT’s towering Diego Bandu and promotional debutante Mouhamed Ba. Based in France, Ba is an electrifying and undefeated Senegalese headhunter who has massive knockout power in both hands courtesy of a stellar kickboxing career.
But his opponent recently reminded EFC fans of his hellacious power with a first-round KO with knees in his last outing and a resumé of destruction over the likes of Pretorius and Hlongwa. This one promises another spectacular finish.
With eight undercard bouts preceding the main card of combat, EFC 121 is bound to provide another night of high-drama. The featured prelim fight will witness “Rush Hour” returning to Jozi as Lihle Ngamntwini looks to continue his winning streak against the dynamic grappling specialist Salahuddin “Shady” Plaatjies.
Durban’s entertaining Tapiwa Katikati is always down for fist fracas but must contend with the undefeated finisher from the DRC, Chadrack Yemba, before CIT veteran Sizwe Mnikhathi enters the hex in his 24th fight in the five-sider against another fascinating signing from Senegal in heavy-handed debutante Gasmire Diatta.
