EFC AFRICA MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
JEREMY SMITH vs. DARREN DANIEL
EFC AFRICA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
COSTA IOANNOU vs. LEON MYNHARDT
Plus
MARTIN VAN STADEN vs. JADYSON COSTA
DINO BAGATTIN vs. DALLAS JAKOBI
DONAVIN HAWKEY vs. LIAM CLELAND
JP KRUGER vs. WADE HENDERSON
BOYD ALLEN vs. AMOS HLATSHWAYO
LEO GLOSS vs. WESLEY HAWKEY
ARMAND DE BRUYN vs. PETE MOTAUNG
DON MADGE vs. HECTOR BRITTS
LANCE CERONIO vs. GIDEON DROTSCHIE
FRANCOIS GROENEWALD vs. KOBA IAKOBIDZE
ASHLEY CALVERT vs. ALAIN ILUNGA

Johannesburg (South Africa) – EFC AFRICA 17, the biggest MMA event of the year, was spectacular and the star studded fight card lived up to the hype. Millions of fans watched live across the globe on e.tv and Fight NOW! TV, as Jeremy Smith and Costa Ioannou continued their winning streaks.

With superior wrestling and after throwing up submission after submission, Ioannou worked in a rear naked choke that was too much for the challenger, forcing him to tap with just seconds remaining in the first round. Mynhardt displayed a gutsy performance holding on and bearing through countless chokes, but the champion proved too clinical and racked up another win on his unblemished record.

Jeremy Smith and Darren Daniel, the evening’s main event, was a display of world class middleweight action. It looked as if it was all coming together for Daniel as he was landing numerous strikes, and had the champion on his back foot. Smith capitalised as Daniel threw another knee and slipped, raining down punches to the face of the floored challenger, and forcing the referee to step in and declare another TKO victory for champion.

Fight of the Night went to welterweights Dino Bagattin and Dallas Jakobi, a highly entertaining bout filled with hard-hitting action. Filled with back and forth exchanges with Jakobi constantly moving forward, but it was Bagattin’s improved form that carried him through to defeat the former welterweight champion by way of TKO in the 3rd round. It was a brilliant display of skills from both athletes, especially considering that Jakobi accepted the fight on short notice after Bagattin’s original opponent, Neil Diesel, withdrew due to injury just two weeks ago.

Boyd Allen was awarded Submission of the Night when he defeated newcomer Amos Hlatshwayo in the first round with a slick armbar.

EFC AFRICA 17 full results:
Alain Ilunga defeated Ashley Calvert via verbal submission due to strikes in round 1
Francois Groenewald defeated Koba Iakobidze via submission (rear naked choke) in round 1
Gideon Drotschie defeated Lance Ceronio via submission (rear naked choke) in round 1
Don Madge defeated Hector Britts via submission (rear naked choke) in round 1
Armand de Bruyn defeated Pete Motaung via submission (rear naked choke) in round 2
Wesley Hawkey defeated Leo Gloss via unanimous decision after all 3 rounds
Boyd Allen defeated Amos Hlatshwayo via submission (armbar) in round 1
JP Kruger defeated Wade Henderson via unanimous decision after all 3 rounds
Liam Cleland defeated Donavin Hawkey via verbal submission (ground and pound) in round 1
Dino Bagattin defeated Dallas Jakobi via TKO in round 3
Martin van Staden defeated Jadyson Costa via TKO in round 2
Costa Ioannou defeated Leon Mynhardt via submission (rear naked choke) in round 1
Jeremy Smith defeated Darren Daniel via TKO in round 1

EFC AFRICA 17 was presented by MusclePharm, BetXchange, RDG, Nemiroff Vodka, Everlast, Fighters Only magazine and Carnival City Casino.

EFC AFRICA returns to Carnival City on 1 March 2013 for EFC AFRICA 18. Tickets on sale at Computicket www.computicket.com and tickets for the live broadcast to Nu Metro Cinemas available soon at www.numetro.com

Broadcast information and fight card available at efcafrica.com