Pretoria, South Africa – The official EFC 81 weigh-in took place this morning in front of a boisterous crowd at the EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg. The former champ, Nkazimulo Zulu (11-3), looks to reclaim EFC gold when he faces No.1 contender Faeez Jacobs (6-2) for the interim EFC bantamweight championship.
For the former flyweight champ, ‘Zulu Boy’, it is about reclaiming gold and reasserting himself as one of the best to have ever stepped inside the Hexagon.
“Let’s not talk about the loss,” started Zulu. “I am here to win. I am here to get this title back to where it belongs, with me.”
Jacobs is incredibly fired up for his first championship bout, as he sets out to manifest what he perceives to be his destiny.
“I have been putting everything into this,” Jacobs confidently stated. When the fight was announced, I was in the gym an hour later. I have taken no shortcuts. The belt is coming home with me tomorrow!”
In the penultimate fight of EFC 81, the electrifying Tumisang Madiba rematches wrestling specialist turned KO artist, Pierre Botha. While Madiba looks to repeat his superb finish from their first encounter which took place over half a decade ago, Botha will be hungry for vengeance, especially with a potential title fight hanging in the balance.
South African MMA legend, Dino Bagattin makes his return to the EFC Hexagon for the first time in over a year. A former champ, that fought all the way back at EFC 01 is determined to put on a performance for the fans and his son in particular, who will be in the crowd watching his fight for the first time. He faces the formidable Anicet Kanyeba, an athlete carrying massive momentum as he looks to earn his very first title shot as he competes in the Hexagon for the 21st time this Saturday.
South African undefeated prospect, Lyle Karam, returns from Australia as he looks for his 5th straight win when he faces the powerful Stefan Pretorius. Incredible hype accompanies young Karam, as he is expected to follow in his former teammate, Dricus du Plessis’s footsteps. Meanwhile, Pretorius is out to crash the welcome-back party and throw his own name into the middleweight title conversation.
Set to open the main card with high-paced action are surging prospects Asiashu Tshitamba and Billy Oosthuizen. Tshitamba is riding an impressive three-fight win streak and many pundits rightly see him as the next bantamweight contender. But he faces a dangerous challenge in KO artist Oosthuizen who boasts a 100% finish rate.
The main card is preceded by six exhilarating prelim bouts featuring a mix of EFC’s rising stars and prospects. Female flyweights, Christine Wolmarans & Paulwetu Namba, take centre stage on Saturday night on the prelims. This fight takes place during Women’s Month, a day after National Women’s Day and what better way to celebrate than watching two of the most exciting female MMA prospects on the African continent throw down.
Robert Swanepoel and Paulwetu Namba initially failed to make weight. Swanepoel accepted a financial penalty and Namba made the 125lbs limit in the 2 hour allowance.
The official EFC 81 weigh-in results:
Fight 1: Lightweight
Robert Swanepoel 158,5lbs
Given Majuba 154,5lbs
Fight 2: Featherweight
Yebo Ben Ntambwe 145lbs
Bradley Swanepoel 145lbs
Fight 3: Women’s Flyweight
Paulwetu Namba 126lbs
Christine Wolmarans 125lbs
Fight 4: Middleweight
Khulekani Hlongwa 182,9lbs
Roy Lokolo 183,7lbs
Fight 5: Lightweight
Elvis Ngwalangwala 154,4lbs
Rodrique Kena 154,8lbs
Fight 6: Featherweight
Mzamo Madlopha 145lbs
Takunda Gorimbo 145lbs
Fight 7: Bantamweight
Billy Oosthuizen 135lbs
Asiashu Tshitamba 135lbs
Fight 8: Catchweight
Stefan Pretorius 189.4lbs
Lyle Karam 185lbs
Fight 9: Welterweight
Anicet Kanyeba 166,2lbs
Dino Bagattin 167,2lbs
Fight 10: Featherweight
Pierre Botha 144,4lbs
Tumisang Madiba 144,8lbs
Fight 9: Interim Bantamweight Championship
Nkazimulo Zulu 133,8lbs
Faeez Jacobs 132,4lbs
EFC 81 Zulu vs Jacobs presented by Restonic Matresses which takes place on Saturday 10 August live from Time Square, Pretoria. Tickets are on sale at www.computicket.com. Full broadcast details available at www.efcworldwide.com.