Johannesburg (South Africa) – African MMA comes home when the EFC organization travels to Durban for the first time for EFC 33: McLellan vs. Du Plessis, taking place at the Durban ICC, August 30.
Middleweight champion and event headliner Garreth ‘Soldierboy’ McLellan is Durban born and bred, and has recently relocated back to the Sunshine City. He faces Pretoria’s 20 year old, former K1 world champion and undefeated sensation Dricus ‘Stillknocks’ du Plessis, McLellan’s title on the line.
Martin ‘The Punisher’ van Staden co-headlines the event. Like McLellan, Van Staden is Durban born and raised, learned the craft of MMA in that city, and has grown from his very first local Durban bouts to become a legend of the African continent as a whole. He faces the equally legendary, former EFC middleweight champion Jeremy ‘Pitbull’ Smith, another man who cut his teeth in those early stages of Africa’s MMA history.
Donavin ‘Bam Bamz’ Hawkey, perhaps the greatest icon of them all, will bring his illustrious MMA career to a close in front of his home crowd. He faces Angola’s wrecking machine, Bernardo ‘Black Panther’ Mikixi, in another meeting of Africa’s giants.
Abdul ‘Hollywood’ Hassan rightfully joins the ranks of the night’s main card, battling former bantamweight champion Nkazimulo ‘Zuluboy’ Zulu in a fight that will put him in touching distance of the title, should he win.
Plus EFC 33: McLellan vs. Du Plessis features the cream of Durban’s favourite sons: Wesley Hawkey, Armand de Bruyn, Baldwin Mdlalose, Craig Ninow, Tyson Chelin, Jason Culverwell and Saxon Delafield will all be in action.
“To be staging an event in Durban is a huge privilege,” said EFC president Cairo Howarth. “Durban has produced so many of the continent’s greatest stars, the city is a factory of MMA talent, and has been since the start. To see these men fight in the Hexagon at home, in front of the people that have supported them since the beginning, is an honour for us. Durban, African MMA is coming home.”
To view the full EFC 33: McLellan vs Du Plessis fight card, visit www.efcafrica.com.
EFC hits Durban for the first time with EFC 33, presented by BetXchange.com, at the Durban ICC, Durban, on Saturday 30 August 2014. Tickets on sale at www.computicket.com.
EFC hits Durban for the first time with EFC 33, presented by BetXchange.com, at the Durban ICC, Durban, on Saturday 30 August 2014. Tickets on sale at www.computicket.com. Book your cinema ticket to all fights live and in state of the art digital projection at www.sterkinekor.com. Watch the entire event live, from anywhere on the globe, via online streaming at efcworldwide.com/efc_africa_404.php.