EFC AFRICA champions Costa Ioannou and Demarte Pena were able to retain their titles and remain undefeated at Africa’s premier mixed martial arts event, EFC AFRICA 14, presented by MusclePharm, on 1 June at Carnival City. The evening’s main card bouts (Mikixi vs. Hassan, Pena vs. Hawkey, Ioannou vs. Speechly) went out live on e.tv from 22h30 to millions of viewers around Africa. The event was also available to fans around the world via online streaming.

Angolan featherweight champion Pena fought valiantly for four rounds against Durban’s Wesley ‘The Young Assassin’ Hawkey. Towards the end of the fight it seemed that Hawkey may be too strong and too aggressive for the champ, but Pena managed a remarkable grappling feat by taking Hawkey’s back and locking in a rear naked choke with just seconds left in the round. Pena’s professional MMA record now advances to 4 wins, 0 losses.

Lightweight champion Ioannou had to fight all five rounds against challenger Adam ‘The Prodigy’ Speechly. Speechly definitely seemed the fresher of the two as the bout went to the judges’ score cards, but Ioannou’s ground control and elbow strikes proved enough for his hand to be raised in a unanimous decision victory. Ioannou’s professional MMA record now advances to 5 wins, 0 losses.

Garreth ‘Soldierboy’ McLellan made good on his promise to deliver the intensity that once made him an EFC AFRICA middleweight champion. By defeating Danie van Heerden in a nerve-wracking contest of wills, McLellan moved one step closer to regaining the title from current champion Jeremy ‘Pitbull’ Smith.

In the heavyweight division, Bernardo ‘Black Panther’ Mikixi’s power-punching decimation of Mahmoud Hassan secured a title challenge. Mikixi, the Angolan behemoth, will face South Africa’s Ruan ‘Fangzz’ Potts in the EFC AFRICA hexagon later in the year to determine who the rightful heavyweight champion should be.

Fight of the Night went to Demarte Pena and Wesley Hawkey for their outstanding championship tussle.

Submission of the Night went to Terrence Griessel for his sublime jiu-jitsu and fight-ending guillotine choke.

Full results:

Tez Makuebo defeated James Le Roux by unanimous decision after 3 rounds.

Markus Taljaard defeated Wage Groth by submission (triangle choke) in round 3.

Alain Ilunga defeated Koba Iakobidze by submission (strikes) in round 3.

David Buirski defeated Kelvin Mwale by TKO (ground ‘n pound) in round 1.

Alex Cheboub defeated Ashley Calvert by submission (keylock) in round 2.

JP Kruger defeated Mawande Vapi via submission (rear naked choke) in round 1.

Terrence Griessel defeated Gareth Buirski via submission (guillotine choke) in round 3.

Francois Kabulu defeated Amr Wahman by unanimous decision after 3 rounds.

Wentzel Nel defeated Denzil Wait via TKO (ground ‘n pound) in round 2.

Garreth McLellan defeated Danie van Heerden by submission (rear naked choke) in round 2.

Bernardo Mikixi defeated Mahmoud Hassan by TKO (ground ‘n pound) in round 1.

Demarte Pena defeated Wesley Hawkey via submission (rear naked choke) in round 4.

Costa Ioannou defeated Adam Speechly by unanimous decision after 5 rounds.

EFC AFRICA returns to Carnival City on 27 July for EFC AFRICA 15. Tickets on sale at Computicket www.computicket.com and tickets for the live broadcast to Nu Metro Cinemas available at www.numetro.co.za The three main card bouts will be broadcast live across Africa on e.tv, starting at 22h30 CAT. Full event streamed live online and more information available at efcafrica.com