The EFC Performance Institute played host to its first weigh-ins of 2023 where all four athletes vying for the ultimate prize successfully made weight, setting the stage for an evening of high drama at EFC 101. Both main event fighters, Jessica Mouneimne and Alice Ardelean squared-up intently, firmly in the knowledge that the prospect of securing the women’s strawweight title was a prize worth going to war for when the hexagon door shuts.
In the co-main event Zimbabwe’s electrifying champion, Nicholas Hwende defends his 135lb title against grappling wizard Roevan de Beer, with both fighters maintaining a respectful distance at the scale, with the Potchefstroom lad a massively tempting 4.5 outside bet at World Sports Betting. CIT Featherweight prospect Sizwe Mnikathi refused to let the evident height difference between himself and his imposing opponent from Secunda, Vince Bembe intimidate him in what EFC Matchmaker Graeme Cartmell is predicting as a Fight of the Night candidate.
The tension was palpable between the undefeated Johannes Rudolph and his flyweight foe, Martin Gcinumkhondo after Port Elizabeth’s gargantuan middleweight Shadrack ‘Blambee’ Nsua went face-to-face with Mark Kamba, though it was Batolo Bacharge from the DRC who glared with the meanest intent of the entire day’s proceedings. With three athletes failing to make weight resulting in just one bout cancellation, 11 absolute wars are scheduled to be waged tomorrow night in the City of Gold, with 22 athletes competing for the biggest sporting organisation on the African continent, streaming and broadcast to live global audience who will witness two champions making history inside the fabled Hexagon!
Official EFC 101 weigh-in results as follows.
STRAWWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Jessica Mouneimne 114.8bs (SA) vs. Alice Ardelean 114.8lbs (ROM)
BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Nicholas Hwende (C) 135lbs (ZIM) vs. Roevan De Beer 134.5lbs (SA)
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Vince Bembe 144.1bs (RSA) vs. Sizwe Mnikathi 142.9lbs (RSA)
FLYWEIGHT FIGHT
Johannes Rudolph 125lbs (SA) vs. Martin Gcinumkhondo 123lbs (SA) –
MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT
Shadrack Nsua 181.9lbs (RSA) vs. Mark Kamba 182.4lbs (DRC)
LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT
Kevin Pretorius 153.8lbs (RSA) vs. Elvis Ngwalangwala 153.1lbs (DRC)
CATCHWEIGHT FIGHT
Takunda Gorimbo 142lbs (ZIM) vs. Nathaniel Komana 135lbs (RSA) Gorimbo failed to make weight and has been fined a percentage of his purse
BANTAMWEIGHT FIGHT
Jesse Schaper 134.3lbs (RSA) vs. MD Kalala 135lbs (DRC)
LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT
Angelo Foloti 156.5lbs (RSA) vs. Elbert Steyn 155lbs (RSA) Foloti failed to make weight and has been fined a percentage of his purse
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT
Raymond Acutt 135lbs (RSA) vs. Zwelibanzi Ngema 135lbs (RSA) Ngema failed to make weight significantly and the bout has been canceled
BANTAMWEIGHT FIGHT
Bheki Ngcobo 134.2lbs (RSA) vs. Vincent Nakana 133.2lbs (RSA)
FLYWEIGHT FIGHT
Mickey Cloete 125lbs (RSA) vs. Tyral Louw 121.8lbs (RSA)