Cape Town - After three bruising fights in a single day, four of the best mixed martial artists in the Cape are one step closer to a grand prize of R250 000 and international fame.
The four fighters competed in the Cape Town prelims of Last Fighter Standing (LFS) on Saturday and won through the South African Championships of the event, which will be held in Gauteng in October.
Should they repeat the feat at the nationals at the expense of their counterparts from Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth - they will go on to face fighters from 15 other African nations at the continental finals, where more prize money and a place in the LFS World Championships will be up for grabs.
Saturday’s event saw East London’s Razelle Mohammed, Parklands’ Joshua Ignjatovic, Muizenberg’s Chris Bobo Mpia and George-based Sors Grobbelaar advance from the women’s featherweight, men’s lightweight, men’s welterweight and men’s heavyweight divisions respectively.
Ignjatovic and Mpia’s divisions were the most competitive and they went on to earn rapturous applause from the crowd on their way to victory.
”I’m a bit overwhelmed. My emotions are up and down right now. I feel really good,” Ignjatovic said after his decision win over Cristiano Ndombassy in the lightweight final.
The Cape Fight League lightweight champion was smaller, less powerful and less experienced than Ndombassy, but used his intelligence and movement to evade his opponent’s punches and showed the durability and courage to withstand a barrage of powerful leg kicks.
Ignjatovic won the fight via decision after taking Ndombassy down several times during the bout, and would likely have won by submission or ground and pound if not for the tournament’s 20-second limit to ground fighting.
The 22-year-old aims to win LFS and turn professional after his time in the tournament.
Cape Argus