Featherweight Champion Igeu Kabesa kept his belt in yet another dominant display for the sixteenth victory of his peerless career. After a brief exchange on the feet, ‘Smiley’ hit the takedown and displayed a flawless submission offence with multiple transitions forcing constant defence from the challenger, Vince Bembe, who failed to escape the champions grasp and ultimately ended up tapping to a rear-naked choke in the very first round. Kabesa, who has several competing international signatures laid before him remained non-committal on his immediate future, but regardless, will undoubtedly continue to forge a career path as stellar as that which he has trodden with pure class in the EFC.
Cole ‘The Hitman’ Henning re-entered the winning column in an incredible back-and-forth war with Durban’s Tapiwa Katikati which remained on a knife edge with both athletes having moments of prominence when the end seemed nigh, but it was in the third round that Henning dug deep to put his opponent in a guillotine choke from which Katikati refused to tap, subsequently sending him to sleep. The stunning war had the packed-out crowd on their feet and deservedly won the ‘Fight of the Night’ award.
Roevan de Beer also returned to winning ways by showing beautiful jiu-jitsu attacks off his back against Bheki Ngcobo. Throwing up a constant triangle choke punctuated with elbows from the bottom, the Potchefstroom submission wizard finally pulled down the head of his opponent for extra purchase to take another first-round tap.
Cape Town’s very own matador, Adrian Sanchez had to earn his victory the hard way after being rocked by the power-punching Glody Kanzeko but recovered sufficiently to take the TKO in the second by ground ‘n pound. The main card opened with a massive upset as World Sports Betting favourite, Luke Hendrikz was caught with a sweetly-timed hook by Mpumelelo Mngoma who swiftly followed his opponent to the canvas, taking the back and sinking in the rear-naked choke.
A dramatic undercard of six stunning fights garnered three performance bonuses ensuring the main card stage was set in style as EFC fans around the world now wait with baited breath for EFC 105 on the 13th of July.
OFFICIAL EFC 104 RESULTS:
Main Card
FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Igeu Kabesa def Vince Bembe by Tapout due to Rear Naked Choke – Round 1 (3.12)
LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT
Cole Henning def Tapiwa Katikati by Tapout due to Guillotine Choke – Round 3 (1.12)
BANTAMWEIGHT FIGHT
Roevan De Beer def Bheki Ngcobo by Tapout due to Triangle Choke – Round 1 (2.20)
LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT
Adrian Sanchez def Glody Kanzeko by TKO due to Strikes – Round 2 (4.47)
FLYWEIGHT FIGHT
Mpumelelo Mngoma def Luke Hendrikz by Tapout due to Rear Naked Choke – Round 1 (2.34)
Prelim Card
LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
Humphrey Mulenga def Guelor Sondi by Tapout due to Rear Naked Choke – Round 1 (1:57)
MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT
Jeremie Tshibala def Christopher Matukane by Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds
CATCHWEIGHT FIGHT
Prince Lolia def Elvis Ngwalangwala by Knockout – Round 1 (0.45)
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Danie Swart def Valere Ilenda by TKO due to Strikes – Round 3 (3:07)
CATCHWEIGHT FIGHT
Lisaka Landoyi def Robert Swanepoel by Unanimous Decision – Round 3
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Sibusiso Sovendle def Divin Bosomi by Split Decision after 3 Rounds
Photos from the EFC 104 Fight Night can be found here
PERFORMANCE BONUSES:
Adrian Sanchez
Glody Kanzeko
Sibusiso Sovendle
Divin Bosomi
Prince Lolia
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT:
Cole Henning vs Tapiwa Katikati
EFC 105 is presented by World Sports Betting and takes place on Thursday, 13 July 2023, live from the EFC Performance Institute in JHB, South Africa.