Fighters set for action
New promotion aims to turn mixed martial art spotlight on East Cape talent
Black Dragons is known for producing some tough brawlers, so I think we are in for a wild night
THE Eastern Cape’s young fighting talent will be put on display when some of Port Elizabeth and East London’s top amateur mixed martial artists (MMA) square up in a new fighting promotion tonight.
The Chosen Fighting Championship (FC) kicks off at the Dr Viljoen Primary School hall in Port Elizabeth, and organiser Ivan Strydom said the competition promised to be a barn burner.
“We have guys from a number of clubs across Nelson Mandela Bay facing the visitors from Black Dragons in East London. Black Dragons is known for producing some tough brawlers, so I think we are in for a wild night,” Strydom said.
Strydom, a boxer turned MMA fighter himself, said the idea for Chosen FC came to him some time ago, but serious planning for the event started two months ago.
“There is not enough exposure for up-and-coming fighters in Port Elizabeth,” he said.
“We have some seriously talented guys, but they have to travel to Cape Town or Gauteng to be noticed. I hope this show will be the first of many that will spread the word about our fighters.”
The event will showcase 11 amateur fights, with a number of firsttimers on the card. Prominent Port Elizabeth clubs like the Port Elizabeth Submission Fighting Academy (Pesfa) and Lions Boxing and Fitness will pit their fighters against the visitors from East London.
“I know how nervous I get before a fight, so I can only imagine how anxious some of these first-time fighters must be,” Strydom said.
“But it’s all part of the experience and I am sure they will put on a good show.”
Strydom said one Port Elizabeth fighter to keep a close eye on would be Pesfa’s Shane Higgins, who will be heading for his third amateur MMA fight.
Higgins, who usually fights in the lightweight division, will move up for a catchweight bout at 75kg, and said he was more excited than nervous at this stage.
“I am itching for this fight. My preparation has been going well and I feel more than ready for this.
“Now I just want to show up and get it done,” Higgins said.
Other Port Elizabeth fighters will include Lloyd Price, Johnathan Stander, Quentin Ackerman, Yazeed Mohamed and Dereez Arends.
Strydom said he hoped to build the Chosen FC into a reputable promotion that would attract the attention of fighters and talent scouts from all over the country.
“Who knows, maybe some of the guys fighting here will go on to build professional careers in promotions like EFC [Extreme Fighting Championship].”
The show is set to start at 6pm, with the first bout scheduled for 7pm. For more information about the event and tickets, contact Strydom at 072-194-1171 or Cindi Young at 082-218-5019.