Roets-Botha one for the wrestling purist

FIGHT CARD

IN HIS last fight, Roedie Roets called out Steven Goncalves.

Following his victory over Sindile Manengela at EFC 76, he asked for a fight with the Muay Thai specialist who also has a decent ground game.

Roets unfortunately did not get that fight, but he got a fight that would excite the wrestling purists.

“I called Steven out because I felt it would be a spectacular fight for everyone, and it would be a chance to showcase my skill set, but that is not happening, maybe in the near future… life goes on,” he says.

This weekend in Pretoria, in EFC’s first event of 2019, this superior wrestling machine gets to take on an equally dangerous wrestler in the form of Pierre Botha.

Residing in a city that is home to

EFC 77

Martin van Staden v Joe Cummins; Jared Vanderaa v Ricky Misholas; Shaw Dean v Quinton Rossouw; Alain Ilunga v Lukasz Swirydowics; Gordon Roodman v Justin Smith; Tumisang Madiba v Devon Cronje; Roedie Roets v Pierre Botha; Nerik Simoes v Marcel Els; Asiashu Tshitamba v Orlando Machaba; Serge Kasanda v Cedrick Mbala; Trezegeut Kanyinda v Benjamin Mangala; Stephen De La Rey v Aly Kalambay

some of South Africa’s elite wrestlers, Roets has kept up the reputation as he is today respected as one of the best wrestlers the country has produced.

“I’ve known Pierre my entire life, since I was a small boy. It’s going to be a good fight for me because it will prove that I am worthy of fighting for the title,” says Roets.

“Getting to fight him now is nothing big from me as I don’t care about his wrestling because I am a wrestler, too. I will back my abilities because I believe that my abilities are better than Pierre’s,” says the unbeaten athlete who trains under the respected Richie Quan.

A win against Botha will move Roets closer to the title as a match-up with featherweight champion Igeu Kabesa will be a mouth-watering prospect, especially considering that both these men are elite wrestlers.

“I don’t really care much about Igeu right now, he is a great fighter but I will deal with that when we get there,” added the Polokwane fighter whose ultimate goal is to get into the UFC and prove that he is “the best featherweight athlete in the world”.