Weaker sex? No chance
EFC67: SOUTH AFRICA’S DANELLA ELIASOV SQUARES UP TO UNBEATEN PENCO
Strawweight title up for grabs in big Carnival City fight.
Women will take centre stage in the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) again tonight as the organisation adds another champion to its growing list of divisions.
In the first event of 2018 at Carnival City tonight, South Africa’s Danella Eliasov takes on undefeated Italian Chiara Penco for the inaugural women’s strawweight title.
Eliasov, who is a psychiatrist by trade, has been one of the pioneers for women in the EFC and was also the first South African female athlete to be signed to fight in the hexagon.
“It has been a long journey,” stated Eliasov. “From begging EFC for a fight and now we are headlining. It is a dream come true.” She concluded, “Now to put on a show!”
This title fight was originally scheduled to be the co-main event at EFC67 with featherweight champion Igeu Kabesa due to take on Boyd Allen in the biggest fight in the division’s history.
Last week it was revealed that former champion Allen had notified EFC about an illness which may force him to pull from the fight. Allen was forced to withdraw and has been replaced by the highly dangerous Brazilian, Paul Silva.
Because the fight has now been moved to lightweight, there will be no title on the line, but Silva is unconcerned by this.
He accepted without hesitation: “It will take heart, guts, and skill to win this fight. I have all of these, so I have no problem stepping up at short notice.
“This is just the entry into EFC I was hoping for.”
Silva offers a challenge unlike any Kabesa has faced before. Phenomenally experienced with a professional MMA record of 2212, he is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu Super Rugby Hurricanes v Crusaders 08:30 on SS1 Reds v Bulls 10:40 on SS1 Sharks v Sunwolves 14:00 on SS1 Lions v Blues 17:05 on SS1 Jaguares v Waratahs 23:35 on SS1 Six Nations Ireland v Scotland 16:05 on SS6 France v England 18:30 on SS6 Sevens World Series Vancouver leg 19:20 on SS2
Spanish La Liga Eibar v Real Madrid 13:55 on SS7 Sevilla v Valencia 17:10 on SS7 Getafe v Levante 19:25 on SS7 Malaga v Barcelona 21:40 on SS7 English Premier League Manchester United v Liverpool 14:25 on SS3 Everton v Brighton 16:50 on SS8 West Ham v Burnley blackbelt and a multiple MMA champion.
Kabesa, who regained his title at EFC62 in August last year, had no comment on the opponent and fight change.
As the co-main event, the bout will now be fought over three rounds.
The main card also features undefeated Dutchman Reinier De Ridder squaring up with Warren Allison, Gordon Roodman taking on The Fighter 1 contestant Mzwandile Hlongwa and undefeated Bokang Masunyane locking horns with England’s Coner Hignett.
2017 was a breakout year for the organisation, with television viewership second only to football in South Africa, the EFC will be looking to reach even dizzier heights by the end of this year.
Trevor Stevens
Forget about what was said between David Warner and Quinton de Kock in the Durban first Test, Proteas cricket captain Faf du Plessis’s comments this week are just as concerning.
Yes, the Warner and De Kock war of words have grabbed all the headlines for the wrong reasons and cannot be condoned if the rumours of what was said are to be believed, but Du Plessis’ remarks that the lower order need to pitch in is a pipe dream.
Simply put, if the Proteas are to bounce back in the fourmatch Test series their batsmen need to make a stand.
After losing the first Test in Durban by 118 runs, Du Plessis said “the amount of runs scored by the tail is going to be a crucial part of the series”.
Erm ... I suppose so, but had the South African top order done their job in one, if not both of their innings, then the tail wouldn’t even be needed. Sure, Australia’s tail wagged far more vigorously than the Proteas at Kingsmead, and let’s not underestimate just how good Australian left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc’s bowling was to the tail in both innings.
But to be fair no one can expect Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Morne Morkel to keep out those Starc rippers.
AB de Villiers showed resilience in the first innings with a patient, unbeaten 71, while Aiden Markram’s sublime 143 in the second innings and De Kock’s fighting unbeaten 83 have proved that it can be done against an impressive, and balanced Australian bowling attack. But the effort needs to be done collectively.
It can’t be done with isolated partnerships. Dean Elgar needs to find the form of 2017 that saw him finish third on the list of most runs scored in the year with 1 128 runs, we need to find the old Hashim Amla, De Villiers can’t afford to waste his wicket and Du Plessis needs to lead from the front with the bat.
South Africa’s woes down the order is nothing new. Their decision to bat De Kock as a No 6 earlier in the summer didn’t work and they don’t have a genuine all-rounder, so the tail is long.
In three Tests India also exploited the tail, while even Zimbabwe in the pink Test found a way to expose the frailty of the lower order.
Faf and company would do well to remember that runs made by the tail should be seen as a bonus, not something that’s expected.