Madge fights his way to lightweight glory

DON Madge was crowned the new lightweight champion after defeating Costa Ioannou in the fifth and final round at the 20th edition of the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) Africa mixed martial arts series in Brakpan on Thursday night.

Madge, a relatively new face on the EFC Africa circuit, was awarded victory after submitting Ioannou, who suffered his first defeat at an EFC event, having previously gone six bouts unbeaten, defending his title on three separate occasions.

There was little to separate the two after the opening round. Ioannou had Madge in trouble early in the second, but Madge recovered.

Madge continued his momentum and entered the final round ahead on the scoring sheet. He then manoeuvred Ioannou into a dangerous position and referee Wikus Swart called time.

Gideon Drotschie won the organisation’s first interim lightheavyweight title, after current champion JP Joubert was injured for an indefinite period during his last fight, allowing Drotschie to take over the belt from the champion.

In the night’s other main card bouts, former heavyweight champion Ruan Potts failed in his quest to regain the title, after his opponent Ricky Misholas was forced to withdraw. — Sapa