Extreme Fighting Championship Explained

Extreme Fighting Championship
Foundation:	September 2009
Founders:	Cairo Howarth Silas Howarth Calvin Howarth
Location City:	Paulshof, Johannesburg
Location Country:	South Africa
Key People:	Cairo Howarth Silas Howarth Calvin Howarth Graeme Cartmell
Industry:	Mixed martial arts promotion
Homepage:	http://www.efcworldwide.com/

Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) is a South African mixed martial arts promotion company established since 2009. It is the largest MMA promotion company on the continent of Africa^[1] and features on its roster professional fighters from across the world including the United States, Europe, South America, the UK, Australia, and Africa. The organization produces 10 live events annually. They currently have over 120 athletes exclusively contracted to the organisation.^[2] EFC events are currently broadcast in over 120 countries around the world on numerous television networks in multiple languages.^[3] To date, EFC has held 106 events (104 numbered events and 2 fight night events) and presided over approximately 1,000 matches.^[4]

History

EFC was founded in 2009 by brothers Cairo Howarth, Silas Howarth, and Calvin Howarth^[5] who are the present owners and along with Graeme Cartmell, who is the Vice President of Talent and Matchmaker, are the key people in the company. Prior to 2009, the Howarth brothers were great admirers of the UFC and would regularly watch UFC events through pay per view channels. This inspired them to create an African-based MMA promotion company modelled on the UFC which they named Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC). EFC's inaugural event took place at the Ticketpro Dome (formerly the Coca-Cola Dome) in Johannesburg, South Africa on 10 November 2009.^{[6] [7]} The first 7 events took place at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg. From the 8th event in 2011 onwards, the organization held events in other major cities throughout South Africa which to date includes Cape Town, Durban, Carnival City Casino, Sun City Casino, Pretoria and Johannesburg. When the demand to watch EFC events grew, they signed television broadcasting and streaming deals with a number of media organizations throughout the world. Today EFC has broadcasting deals in place with Multichoice Supersport, SABC Sport, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, CSI Sports, DAZN, Best4Sport, and IB Sports.^[8]

Rules

Extreme Fighting Championship's rules are based upon the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. All bouts are contested over three, five-minute rounds, with the exception of five-round championship bouts. There is a one-minute rest period between rounds. As per the Unified Rules of MMA, Extreme Fighting Championship only allows competitors to fight in approved shorts, without shoes or any other sort of foot padding. Fighters must use approved light gloves (4-6 ounces) that allow fingers to grab. The referee has the right to stop the fighters and stand them up if they reach a stalemate on the ground (where neither are in a dominant position nor working toward one) after a verbal warning.

Match outcome

Matches usually end via:

• Submission

a fighter taps on the mat or his opponent three times (or more) or verbally submits.

• Knockout

a fighter falls from a legal blow and is either unconscious or unable to immediately continue.

• Technical Knockout: stoppage of the fight by the referee if it is determined a fighter cannot "intelligently defend" himself or by ringside doctor due to injury.
• Judges' Decision: Depending on scoring, a match may end as:
  • unanimous decision (all three judges score a win for one fighter),
  • split decision (two judges score a win for one fighter with the third for the other),
  • majority decision (two judges score a win for one fighter with one for a draw),
  • unanimous draw (all three judges score a draw),
  • majority draw (two judges score a draw).
  • split draw (the total points for each fighter is equal)

A fight can also end in a technical decision, technical draw, disqualification, forfeit or no contest.

Judging criteria

The ten-point must system is used for all EFC bouts; three judges score each round and the winner of each receives ten points, the loser nine points or less. If the round is even, both fighters receive ten points. The decision is announced at the end of the match, but the judge's scorecards are not announced.

Fouls

The following are considered fouls in EFC bouts:

1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Groin attacks of any kind.
6. Fish hooking, gouging as in self-defense and some martial arts.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head. (see Rabbit punch)
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow. (see Elbow (strike))
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. (see piledriver (professional wrestling))
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
21. Spitting at an opponent.
22. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury.
30. Interference by the corner.
31. Throwing in the towel during competition.

When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a no contest if unintentional. If a foul causes a fighter to be unable to continue later in the bout, it ends with a technical decision win to the injured fighter if the injured fighter is ahead on points, otherwise it is a technical draw.

EFC champions

Class	Upper weight limit	Champion	Event	Date	Source
Heavyweight	265lb	Anthony Morel def. Joffie Houlton	EFC 115 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	11 July 2024
Light Heavyweight	205lb	JC Lamprecht def. Mzwandile Hlongwa	EFC 106 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	10 August 2023
Middleweight	185lb	Vacant
Welterweight	170lb	Mark Hulme def. Ziko Makengele	EFC 102 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	13 April 2023
Lightweight	155lb	Igeu Kabesa def. Kaleka Kabanda	EFC 112EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	11 April 2024
Featherweight	145lb	Igeu Kabesa def. Bradley swanepoel	EFC 99 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	3 November 2022
Bantamweight	135lb	Vacant
Flyweight	125lb	Terence Balelo def. Liridon Ramani	EFC 114 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	6 June 2024
Women's Bantamweight	134lb	Vacant
Women's Flyweight	125lb	Vacant
Women's Strawweight	115lb	Alice Ardelean def. Jessica Mouneimne	EFC 101 EFC Performance Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa	3 March 2023

Championship history

Heavyweight World Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Ruan Potts	align=center	EFC 9	align=center	30 July 2011
2	align=left	Andrew Van Zyl	align=center	EFC 18	align=center	1 March 2013
3	align=left	Ruan Potts (2)	align=center	EFC 26	align=center	12 December 2013
Potts vacated the title on May 10, 2014 after signing with the UFC
4	align=left	Brendon Groenewald	align=center	EFC 35	align=center	6 November 2014
5	align=left	Andrew Van Zyl (2)	align=center	EFC 39	align=center	7 May 2015
6	align=left	Cyril Asker	align=center	EFC 44	align=center	3 October 2015
Asker vacated the title on April 10, 2016 after signing with the UFC
7	align=left	Danie van Heerden	align=center	EFC 48	22 April 2016
van Heerden vacated the title on October 15, 2016 after leaving EFC
8	align=left	Andrew Van Zyl (3)	align=center	EFC 54	align=center	15 October 2016
9	align=left	Dalcha Lungiambula	align=center	EFC 71	align=center	23 June 2018
Lungiambula vacated the title on April 10, 2016 after signing with the UFC
-	align=left	Jared Vanderaa	align=center	EFC 76	align=center	8 December 2018
10	align=left	Jared Vanderaa	align=center	EFC 77	align=center	16 March 2019
Vanderaa vacated the title on November 4, 2020 after signing with the UFC
11	align=left	Thabani Mndebela	align=center	EFC 88	align=center	14 August 2021
Mndebela vacated the title when he signed with the UAE Warrios.
12	align=left	Matunga Djikasa	align=center	EFC 98	align=center	6 October 2022

Light Heavyweight World Championship

186 to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	J.P. Joubert	align=center	EFC 15	align=center	27 July 2012
Joubert vacated the title after retiring.
2	align=left	Gideon Drotschie	align=center	EFC 20	align=center	27 June 2013
3	align=left	Norman Wessels	align=center	EFC 35 Cape Town, South Africa	6 November 2014
-	align=left	Dalcha Lungiambula def. Tumelo Maphutha for interim title	align=center	EFC 52 Cape Town, South Africa	5 August 2016
Title was vacated on March 4, 2017 when Wessels retired. The interim champion Dalcha Lungiambula become the champion.
4	align=left	Dalcha Lungiambula promoted to undisputed champion	align=center	EFC 52 Cape Town, South Africa	5 August 2016
Lungiambula vacated the title on 29 June 2019 after signing with the UFC
5	align=left	Simon Biyong	align=center	EFC 82	align=center	28 September 2019
Biyong vacated the title on 10 October 2020 after signing with the Bellator MMA
6	align=left	JC Lamprecht def. Mzwandile Hlongwa	align=center	EFC 106	align=center	10 August 2023

Middleweight World Championship

171 to 185 lbs (77 to 84 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Garreth McLellan	align=center	EFC 8	align=center	14 April 2011
2	align=left	Jeremy Smith	align=center	EFC 12	align=center	2 March 2012
3	align=left	Garreth McLellan	align=center	EFC 24	align=center	10 October 2013
McLellan vacated the title on April 11, 2015 when he signed with the UFC
4	align=left	Liam Cleland	align=center	EFC 41	align=center	11 July 2015
Cleland vacated the title on May 13, 2016 after he retired
5	align=left	Yannick Bahati	align=center	EFC 49	align=center	13 May 2016
6	align=left	Dricus Du Plessis	align=center	EFC 61	align=center	19 August 2017
-	align=left	Brendan Lesar def. Garreth McLellan for interim title	align=center	EFC 80 Sibaya, South Africa	29 June 2019
Du Plessis vacated the title on October 10, 2020 he signed with the UFC
7	align=left	Luke Michael	align=center	EFC 92	align=center	5 March 2022
-	align=left	JP Kruger def. Conrad Seabi for interim title	align=center	EFC 103	align=center	11 May 2023

Welterweight World Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Dallas Jakobi	align=center	EFC 10	align=center	1 September 2011
2	align=left	Jadyson Costa	align=center	EFC 13	align=center	13 April 2012
3	align=left	Michiel Opperman	align=center	EFC 16	align=center	19 October 2012
4	align=left	Dino Bagattin	align=center	EFC 23	align=center	12 September 2013
5	align=left	Henry Fadipe	align=center	EFC 29	align=center	1 May 2014
6	align=left	Adam Speechly	align=center	EFC 32	align=center	7 August 2014
7	align=left	David Buirski	align=center	EFC 37	align=center	21 February 2015
Title was vacated on July 03, 2014 when Burisku moved up to Middleweight.
8	align=left	Dricus Du Plessis	align=center	EFC 50	align=center	17 June 2016
Du Plessis vacated on April 14, 2018 he signed with KSW
9	align=left	Gunter Kalunda Ngunza	align=center	EFC 73	align=center	7 September 2018
Ngunza vacated on April 25, 2019 he signed with ONE
10	align=left	Themba Gorimbo	align=center	EFC 82	align=center	28 September 2019
Gorimbo vacated on October 29, 2021 he signed with UAE Warriors
11	align=left	Ziko Magengele	align=center	EFC 93	align=center	9 April 2022
12	align=left	Mark Hulme	align=center	EFC 102	align=center	13 April 2023

Lightweight World Championship

146 to 155 lbs (66 to 70 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Wentzel Nel	align=center	EFC 3	align=center	8 May 2010
2	align=left	Costa Ioannou	align=center	EFC 8	align=center	14 April 2011
3	align=left	Don Madge	align=center	EFC 20	align=center	27 June 2013
3	align=left	Leon Mynhardt	align=center	EFC 25	align=center	7 November 2013
4	align=left	Dave Mazany	align=center	EFC 51	align=center	15 July 2016
5	align=left	Don Madge (2)	align=center	EFC 58	align=center	8 April 2017
Title was vacated on October 27, 2018 when Madge signed with the UFC.
6	align=left	Martin van Staden	align=center	EFC 68	align=center	31 March 2018
7	align=left	Dave Mazany (2)	align=center	EFC 72	align=center	11 August 2018
Title was vacated on March 16, 2019 when Mazany retired.
8	align=left	Joe Cummins	align=center	EFC 77	align=center	16 March 2019
-	align=left	Alain Ilunga def. Anicet Kanyeba for interim title	align=center	EFC 86	align=center	12 June 2021
-	align=left	Tshilumba Mikixi def. Cole Henning for interim title	align=center	EFC 100	align=center	1 December 2022
Titles were vacated prior to EFC 110
		EFC 110	7 December 2023

Featherweight World Championship

136 to 145 lbs (61 to 66 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Demarte Pena	align=center	EFC 10	align=center	1 September 2011
Title was vacated on July 03, 2014 when Pena moved down to Bantamweight.
2	align=left	Boyd Allen	align=center	EFC 32	align=center	7 August 2014
3	align=left	Danny Henry	align=center	EFC 44	align=center	3 October 2015
4	align=left	Igeu Kabesa	align=center	EFC 47	align=center	5 March 2016
5	align=left	Danny Henry (2)	align=center	EFC 57	align=center	4 March 2017
Title was vacated on July 16, 2017 when Henry signed with the UFC.
6	align=left	Igeu Kabesa (2)	align=center	EFC 62	align=center	19 August 2017
7	align=left	Reinaldo Ekson	align=center	EFC 86	align=center	12 June 2021
Ekson vacated his title after signing with PFL
8	align=left	Igeu Kabesa (3)	align=center	EFC 95	align=center	16 July 2022

Bantamweight World Championship

126 to 135 lbs (57 to 61 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Nkazimulo Zulu	align=center	EFC 27	align=center	27 February 2014
2	align=left	Demarte Pena	align=center	EFC 31	align=center	3 July 2014
-	align=left	Irshaad Sayed def. Cedric Doyle for interim title	align=center	EFC 48 Cape Town, South Africa	22 April 2016
Title was vacated on December 16, 2017 when Pena was suspended 4 years by WADA for testing positive for steroids at EFC 55. The results of his two bouts were changed to No Contest^[9]
3	align=left	JP Buys	align=center	EFC 69	align=center	28 April 2018
-	align=left	Luthando Biko def. Cal Ellenor for interim title	align=center	EFC 75 Cape Town, South Africa	3 November 2018
-	align=left	Faeez Jacobs def. Nkazimulo Zulu for interim title	align=center	EFC 81	10 August 2019
Title was vacated on November 17, 2020 when Buys signed with the UFC.
4	align=left	Faeez Jacobs promoted to undisputed champion	align=center	-	align=center	-
5	align=left	Sylvester Chipfumbu	align=center	EFC 85	align=center	8 May 2021
Chipfumbu vacated the title when he signed with the UAE Warriors.
6	align=left	Cameron Saaiman def. Sindile Manengela	align=center	EFC 94	align=center	4 June 2022
Saaiman vacated the title in March 2022 when he decided to compete on Dana White's Contender Series.
7	align=left	Nicholas Hwende def. Nkazimulo Zulu	align=center	EFC 96	align=center	11 August 2022
Hwende vacated the title in June 2023 when he decided to compete at Brave CF
8	align=left	Nkazimulo Zulu (2) def. Musa Sethwape	align=center	EFC 105	align=center	13 July 2023
Zulu vacated the title to compete in the Flyweight division.
-	align=left	Terence Balelo def. Musa Sethwape for interim title	align=center	EFC 108 Johannesburg, South Africa	12 October 2023

Flyweight World Championship

116 to 125 lbs (53 to 67 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Nkazimulo Zulu	align=center	EFC 43	align=center	27 August 2015
Title was vacated when Zulu signed to appear on .
2	align=left	JP Buys def. Baldwin Mdlalose	align=center	EFC 54	align=center	15 October 2016
Title was vacated when Buys moved up in weight.
3	align=left	Jake Hadley	align=center	EFC 78	align=center	13 April 2019
Title was vacated on September 27, 2019 when Hadley signed with the Bellator MMA.
4	align=left	Nkazimulo Zulu (2)	align=center	EFC 89	align=center	10 September 2021
5	align=left	Luthando Biko	align=center	EFC 91	align=center	4 December 2021
Biko vacated the title when he signed with the Ares FC.
6	align=left	Gift Walker	align=center	EFC 107	align=center	7 September 2023
7	align=left	Nkazimulo Zulu (3)	align=center	EFC 111	align=center	7 March 2024

Women's Flyweight World Championship

116lb to 125lb

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Amanda Lino	align=center	EFC 60	align=center	10 June 2017
2	align=left	Manon Fiorot	align=center	EFC 83	align=center	14 December 2019
Title was vacated on January 20, 2021 when Fiorot signed with the UFC.

Women's Strawweight World Championship

Under 115lb

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Chiara Penco	align=center	EFC 67	align=center	10 March 2018
2	align=left	Karolina Wójcik	align=center	EFC 76	align=center	8 December 2018
Title was vacated on June 8, 2019 when Wójcik signed with Venator FC.
3	align=left	Alice Ardelean	align=center	EFC 101	align=center	2 March 2023

Notable athletes and alumni

• Garreth McLellan: Former EFC Middleweight champion^[10] who was signed by the UFC in 2015.^[11] He competed in 5 UFC bouts from April 2015 until March 2017.
• Ruan Potts: Former 2 times EFC Heavyweight champion^[12] who was signed by the UFC in 2014^[13] He competed in 3 UFC bouts from May 2014 until February 2015.
• Cyril Asker: Former EFC Heavyweight champion^[14] who was signed by the UFC in 2016.^[15] To date he has competed in 5 UFC bouts.
• Danny Henry: Former 2 times EFC Featherweight champion^[16] who was signed by the UFC in 2017.^[17] In his debut match at he earned a Fight of the night bonus. To date he has competed in 4 UFC bouts.
• Dalcha Lungiambula

Former EFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight champion^[18] who was invited to compete in the UFC in 2019.^[19] To date he has competed in 3 UFC bouts.

• Dricus du Plessis: Current UFC Middleweight champion, du Plessis is the former EFC Middleweight and Welterweight champion. Originally called up to the UFC in September 2020, he made his promotional debut against Markus Perez on 11 October 2020 at UFC Fight Night 179^[20] and won via a TKO in the first round.^[21] Du Plessis was scheduled to face Trevin Giles on 20 March 2021 at UFC on ESPN 21, but had to withdraw from the event after being refused entry to the US due to Covid related restrictions placed on South Africans.^[22]
• Jared Vanderaa

Former EFC Heavyweight champion who was signed to the UFC in November 2020 after competing in the fourth season of Dana White's Contender Series. He was scheduled to fight Sergey Spivak at UFC 256 on 12 December 2020.^[23] However, Vanderaa tested positive to Covid 19 and was therefore removed from the event.^[24] The bout was rescheduled for on 20 February 2021. Vanderaa lost via TKO in the 2nd round.

• Manon Fiorot Former EFC women's Lightweight champion and winner of the EFC's second season of the reality program - The Fighter. She was signed to the UFC in December 2020 and made her debut against Victoria Leonardo at UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Magny on 20 January 2021. Fiorot won via TKO in the second round.

Other EFC athletes signed to the UFC

• Don Madge. Former 2 times EFC Lightweight champion^[25] who was invited to compete in the UFC in 2018.^{[26] [27]} In his debut match at UFC Fight Night 138 he earned a "Performance of the night" bonus with a knockout via a head kick. To date he has competed in 2 UFC bouts - UFC Fight Night 138 and UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier. Madge was scheduled to face Nasrat Haqparast at on 13 March 2021 but had to withdraw from the event after being refused entry to the US due to Covid related restrictions placed on South Africans.^[28]
• JP Buys Former EFC Flyweight and Bantamweight champion^[29] who was invited to compete in UFC owner Dana White 's Tuesday Night Contender Series in August 2017^[30] and again in the fourth season in November 2020. After beating his opponent in the final fight of the fourth season on 17 November 2020, Buys was signed to the UFC.^[31] He made his UFC debut against Bruno Gustavo da Silva at on 20 March. 2021, losing by TKO. He was 0-4 in the promotion with losses from Montel Jackson, Cody Durden, and Marcus McGhee, before being released from the promotion in October 2023.
• Nkazimulo Zulu. Former two times EFC Flyweight champion^[32] and current EFC competitor who was invited in 2016 to compete in The Ultimate Fighter which was produced by the UFC and Fox Sports 1. Zulu competed on The Ultimate Fighter Season 24, Opening Round, Day 2.^[33]

Reality shows

The Fighter: Season 1

EFC launched a reality TV show on 14 October 2017 called The Fighter.^{[34] [35]} Housed in a villa in Johannesburg, South Africa, 10 male MMA Middleweight prospects from around the world lived and trained together, as well as competed against one another for a multiple fight contract and a guaranteed EFC title fight. They were split into two teams each coached by an experienced EFC athlete. The Fighter was broadcast on global television in 10 one-hour episodes. It was concluded on 16 December 2017 at EFC 66 with The Fighter title bout taking place between the two finalists followed by a bout between the two coaches^[36]

The Fighter: Season 2

Following the success and positive reception to The Fighter: Season 1, EFC launched The Fighter: Season 2^{[38] [39]} on 26 April 2019. It followed the same format as Season 1 but with 10 female MMA Flyweight athletes from around the world instead. They were housed in Rosebank, South Africa, where they trained together and competed against one another in a quest to win a multiple fight contract and a guaranteed EFC title fight. As with Season 1, the competitors were split into two teams each coached by an experienced EFC athlete. Season 2 was also broadcast on global television in 10 one-hour episodes. It was concluded on 29 June 2019 at EFC 80 with The Fighter Season 2 title bout taking place between the two finalists followed by a bout between the two coaches.^[40]

Subsidiary companies

EFC owns the following companies:

• EFC Gym
• EFC Performance Institute

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: SABC STRIKES HISTORIC DEAL WITH EFC. 24 January 2017. MMA Fighting. 20 November 2019. 11 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231011090941/https://www.mmafighting.co.za/sabc-strikes-historic-deal-with-efc/. dead.
2. Web site: Mayweather vs. McGregor: LIVE London press conference. Strickl. Nick. 2017-07-14. Cage Pages. en-US. 2019-11-24.
3. Web site: EFC - Inverleigh Broadcasting Corp. 2019-11-25. Inverleigh.com. en-US. 2019-11-25.
4. Web site: Extreme Fighting Championship (Africa) Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more. Sherdog.com. Sherdog. 2019-11-25.
5. Web site: Keeping it in the family. Silver. Sibiya. 26 March 2017. Sport.
6. Web site: EFC 01.
7. Web site: EFC Africa - Extreme Fighting Championship Africa 1. Sherdog.
8. Web site: Broadcast Schedule.
9. Web site: EFC's Pena Barred For Four Years. 11 January 2018.
10. Web site: Gareth McLellan regains the EFC Middleweight title. SAPA Reporter. 2013-11-10. citizen.co.za. 2019-11-25.
11. Web site: UFC signs EFCA champ Garreth McLellan. Simon. Zane. 2014-12-10. Bloody Elbow. en. 2019-11-28.
12. Web site: Potts reclaims EFC title from Van Zyl. eNCA. en. 2019-11-25.
13. Web site: UFC signs South African MMA champ Ruan Potts. Simon. Zane. 2014-02-10. Bloody Elbow. en. 2019-11-28.
14. Web site: EFC 44 'Foreign Invasion' Results: Asker, Mynhardt, Henry Leave with Belts. Tatum. Rob. Combat Press. en-US. 2019-11-25.
15. Web site: UFC signs a French HW & Bosnian LW. Simon. Zane. 2016-02-09. Bloody Elbow. en. 2019-11-24.
16. Web site: EFC champ Danny Henry wants UFC for Scottish homecoming. Georgiou. Andreas. 2017-05-12. MMA Plus. en-GB. 2019-11-25.
17. Web site: Short notice or not, Danny Henry knew when he got the UFC's call, he had to answer. 17 July 2017. MMA Junkie.
18. Web site: Kihn. Stephen. 2019-02-11. 'Champion' Dalcha's UFC deal details. 2019-11-28. Sport. en.
19. Web site: Kihn. Stephen. 2019-02-08. 'Champion' Dalcha signs with the UFC. 2019-11-25. Sport. en.
20. Web site: Anderson. Jay. 2020-09-25. Former KSW Champ Dricus Du Plessis Signs with UFC, Will Fight Markus Perez in Debut. 2020-09-30. Cageside Press. en-US.
21. Web site: Bitter. Shawn. 2020-10-10. UFC Fight Island 5 Results: Dricus Du Plessis Impresses in Debut With KO. 2020-10-12. Cageside Press. en-US.
22. Web site: 2021-03-12. Visa issues force Dricus du Plessis out of UFC event. 2021-03-16. The South African. en-ZA.
23. Web site: Gonzalez. Gabriel. 2020-11-17. UFC 256's Jared Vanderaa on Post-Fight Reception Following DWCS, Sergey Spivak. 2020-11-18. Cageside Press. en-US.
24. Web site: Jared Vanderaa tests positive for COVID-19, out of UFC 256 fight vs. Serghei Spivac. 2021-01-18. www.msn.com.
25. Web site: Madge Bests Mazany, Wins Lightweight Title. 2017-04-08. FIGHT SPORTS. en-US. 2019-11-28.
26. Web site: DON MADGE SIGNS WITH THE UFC. 2018-02-13. South African MMA. en-US. 2019-11-25.
27. Web site: Don Madge signs with the UFC. eNCA. en. 2019-11-25.
28. Web site: Don Madge withdraws from UFC Fight Night 187 vs. Nasrat Haqparast due to visa issues. 2021-03-16. www.msn.com.
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38. Web site: The Fighter Season 2 premiers on 26 April. supersport.com.
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40. Web site: EFC 80 - EFC Worldwide 80. Sherdog.
41. Web site: EFC Worldwide 80 MMA Event. Tapology. en. 2019-11-25.
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