Sovendle does his thing to the beat
SIBUSISO Sovendle and Conrad Seabi have a few things in common.
Not only do they both hold their home – Mamelodi, Pretoria – close to their hearts, but just like Seabi, who can always be seen enjoying music with his family and friends, Sovendle also does things to the beat, with his nickname being “African Rhythm”.
And when it comes to the martial arts side of life, the 20-yearold Sovendle did not hold back in sharing his admiration for his senior, “Cagewise” Seabi.
“I have met him at Planet Fitness,” says the ‘gym freak’ of the Extreme Fighting Championship professional athlete.
“Conrad once came and motivated me and my friend,
Tebatso (Mdele, who also won gold this past weekend). I enjoy watching Conrad. I really like him, the way he operates in the hexagon. I know he is aggressive and he is a big EFC name,” said Sovendle.
Sovendle also shares some of Cagewise’s traits at times, as that aggressive and patient, almost stalking-like, front-foot boxing came to the fore at the weekend during the Mixed Martial Arts South Africa Amateur Championships at the AMMA Underground in Edenvale, Gauteng, where Sovendle won the junior men’s lightweight division.
In his first bout he beat KwaZulu Natal’s Mhlenipheni Sanyweni via a second-round technical knockout (TKO) before advancing to the finals where he dispatched of another
KZN athlete, Sabelo Magudulela in the third round via another TKO to claim the gold.
That win almost guarantees Sovendle a ticket to the International Mixed Martial Arts World Championship in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan in November.
“I am really excited to go to the Worlds and represent my country,” says the young man who enjoys reading and playing drums when he is not putting his time into his Sport Management studies.
Aside from wanting to apply his skills, studies and strengths to the South African National Defence Force and military service one day, Sovendle, too dreams of becoming a champion MMA athlete.
“I also would like to make fighting my career. I have plans to become a champion and inspire the kids in my community,” he said.
The national team set to participate in either the Worlds or the Youth Championship (in Turkey in July) will be announced soon by MMASA.
For the full results on this past weekend’s MMASA Amateur Championship, check out Independent Media’s combat sport partner, MzansiMMA’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages.