Dalcha gets the rub of the green

TITLEHOLDER BATTLES BACK FOR WIN

Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) light-heavyweight title-holder Champion Dalcha was lucky to come out of his bout with England’s Stuart Austin with the gold still around his waist.

The beast from the DRC was very nearly finished in the first round at EFC65 on Saturday night after Austin destroyed him with a takedown, top control, and hard ground and pound, which many feel should have been enough for the referee to stop the fight.

But Dalcha – sporting a shattered face – rode his luck and came out as a new man in the second round and smashed Austin to the canvas with a massive takedown, and bloodied the Englishman with ground and pound of his own, forcing the referee to call it off.

The excited crowd at Carnival City’s Big Top Arena were screaming and on their feet, cheering a man who truly has deserved his moniker of “Champion”, and flew the flag of the African continent high against a gifted opponent.

In the co-main event of the evening, crowd favourite Boyd Allen produced an MMA masterclass to completely dismantle Scotland’s Calum Murrie.

Allen showed his usual calm demeanour and patience over the three rounds as he picked off the Scot at will.

The former featherweight champion is now back at the top of the list to face current champion Igeu Kabesa.

Johannesburg’s “Little Giant”, BK Masunyane, hammered his flyweight opponent, Brazil’s Magno Alves, with a devastating allround display.

Dropping the Brazilian multiple times in the first round with strikes, in the second he switched to his wrestling pedigree and dominated the Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt with top control, and in the third he let the fire rain down.

Now at 4-0, it seems the only question remaining is when Masunyane will book a flyweight title shot with Nkazimulo Zulu.

The hexagon now moves to a new city next month when EFC66 rolls into Tshwane’s Time Square Casino for the very first time.

The main event will be a mouthwatering bantamweight unification showdown between unbeaten champion Demarte Pena and the interim titleholder Irshaad Sayed.