GORIMBO FUMING FOR FIRST TITLE DEFENCE
Welterweight championship on the line tomorrow night at Time Square, Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa – Weigh-in for EFC 84 took a dramatic turn at the EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg today, with welterweight title contender LLyle Karam missing weight on the scale Lyle Karam (6-0). He faces former teammate turned rival, Zimbabwe’s Themba Gorimbo (8-2) for the EFC welterweight strap in the main event of the first EFC event of 2020.
Visually offended by Karam’s missed weight, what seems to be a trend for Gorimbo’s title challengers, with Michael missing weight previously, Gorimbo’s monotone and calm demeanor was haunting. A sure sign of violent action to come tomorrow night.
“Tomorrow night,” Gorimbo began. “I will still be champion and continue winning. He [Karam] is not enough.”
Unfazed by the champion, the undefeated challenger who flew in from Australia last week had his own simple message for the crowds in attendance. “I know what I am doing and I am gonna come out on top.”
In the penultimate fight of the evening, two lightweight contenders on big win streaks look to cement themselves at the top of the division. DRC’s Anicet Kanyeba with over 21 EFC fights under his belt takes on wrestler turned KO artist Pierre Botha. Both men are in career resurgence and tomorrow night will be a massive victory for either man.
Pretoria’s own, Niel du Plessis looks to step out from his younger brother Dricus’s shadow, as he enters the heavier light heavyweight division in a campaign for his own EFC title. He takes on submission specialist, Stefan Pretorius, a former training partner.
What is being predicted as a fight of the night contender, undefeated Tshilumba Mukishi takes on fellow countryman, August Kayambala. Both men take to the main card for the first time with ambitions of throwing their names into the title contention conversation. They carry huge hype at their potential and tomorrow night will reveal who can live up to it.
Opening the main card broadcast sees Poetchefstroom’s own Roevan de Beer take on Port Elizabethan Judo balckbelt, Sindile Manengela. De Beer, is riding an impressive 3 fight win streak, all finishes, meanwhile Manengela makes his debut at bantamweight after a career in the heavier featherweight division. A power advantage surely that could create an intriguing battle between two hardened athletes that come to finish.
Lyle Karam initially missed weight, but made the welterweight limit within the allotted extra two hour period. Watch Ka make weight here.
The official EFC 84 weigh-in results are as follows:
Fight 1: Featherweight
Orlando Machava 136,5lbs
Danie Swart 14,6lbs
Fight 2: Light heavyweight
Colin Hume 204,9lbs
Willem Smith 203lbs
Fight 3: Middleweight
Diego Bandu 184,5lbs
Mark Kamba 184,8lbs
Fight 4: Middleweight
JT Botha 184,5lbs
Roy Lokolo 185lbs
Fight 5: Featherweight
Aly Kalambay 141lbs
Billy Oosthuizen 140,1lbs
Fight 6: Bantamweight
Zweli Ngema 134,2lbs
Cameron Saaiman 135lbs
Fight 7: Lightweight
Cole Henning 152,2lbs
Rodrique Kena 155lbs
Fight 8: Bantamweight
Sindile Manengela 133,5lbs
Roevan de Beer 134lbs
Fight 9: Lightweight
August Kayambala 154lbs
Tshilumba Mukishi 153,5lbs
Fight 10: Light Heavyweight
Stefan Pretorius 195,8lbs
Niel du Plessis 194,5lbs
Fight 10: Lightweight
Pierre Botha 152lbs
Anicet Kanyeba 154,5lbs
Fight 12: Welterweight Title Fight
Lyle Karam 170lbs
Themba Gorimbo 169,4lbs
EFC 84 Gorimbo vs Karam, is presented by Restonic and takes place on Saturday 14 march, live from Time Square, Menlyn, Pretoria. Tickets are on sale at www.computicket.com. Full broadcast details available at www.efcworldwide.com.
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