We have a new EFC strawweight champion!
The charismatic fire-ball that is Poland’s Karolina Wojcik edged out Italy’s Chiara Penco at EFC76 last night in the final event on the Extreme Fighting Championship calendar.
What was tipped to be an exciting stand-up contest, played out exactly that way as these two athletes went toe-to-toe for almost five rounds, testing each other’s feet, fists and hips.
At the Time Square Sun Arena in Pretoria, the fight went all the way into the championship rounds as Chiara stayed behind her jab, using her range as guard while Karolina was like an energizer bunny moving around looking for that opening gate to strike.
She found an entrance a few times putting some damage on the ID of the champion in the first round.
While the first round seemed to go to Karolina’s higher work rate and control, but Chiara came out stronger in the second as she brought her power, bloodying her opponent.
The third round Karolina turned up the pressure in close quarters against the fence forcing
revealed serious dominance in the pressure game against the fence, the champion to pull guard, and once again looking very dangerous off of her back.
In the fiftth round, Chiara picked her shots well and landed some clean blows compounded with knees, while Karolina domintated against the Hexagon.
The fight went all the way and when that final bell rung, it was appluase all-round as these two warriours left it all out on the canvas.
It was visible as they both laid on their backs looking up at the lights for a moment in a fight that was cordial and fought in the most respectful manner.
The judges awarded Karolina the title by split decision, setting up an obvious
and eventual rematch between her and her previous opponent Cheyanne Vlismas who beat her in their last match.
Cheyanne’s victory over Karolina came with much controversey as many thought the Polish warrior beat her.
Vlismas, who was set to face Chiara last night, withdrew from this past weekend’s event and will now face up to her rival early next year.
The official EFC 76 results are as follows:
Marcel Els defeated Kabeya Amisi via tapout (armbar) 3:31 into round 1.
Devon Cronje defeated Orlando Mashaba via tapout (guillotine) 1:23 into
round 1.
Asiashu Tshitamba defeated Tukunda Gorimbo via unanimous decision.
Neil Du Plessis defeated Roger Griffin via tapout (guillotine) 0:54 into round 1.
Marino Cutendana defeated Martin De Beer via split decision.
Tumisang Madiba defeated Billy Oosthuizen via TKO (strikes) 1:56 intro round
3.
Justin Smith defeated Pietie Coxen via tapout (guillotine) 1:12 into round 1.
Roedie Roets defeated Sindile Manengela via tapout (rear naked choke) 0:44 into round 3.
José Da Rocha defeated Conrad Seabi via TKO (strikes) 0:50 into round 1.
Dallas Jakobi defeated Mark Kamba via tapout (verbal submission) at the end of round 2.
Stuart Austin defeated Andrew Van Zyl via knock out 4:58 into round 1.
Jared Vanderaa defeated Ruan Potts via TKO (strikes) 3:25 into round 3, to claim the interim EFC heavyweight title.
@juliankiewietz
IOL Sport
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