The EFC 125 card is set to take place at the WSB EFC Arena, on Thursday the 3rd of July. Below, we take a closer look at the Main Event between Luke Michael and Siyakudumisa Nomvemve where the Middleweight title is on the line, as well as two featured supporting bouts from a betting angle.
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LUKE MICHAEL vs SIYAKUDUMISA NOMVEMVE
Middleweight Title Fight Main Event:
Luke Michael, fighting out of Cape Town, is no stranger to the EFC cage, with 13 total bouts under his belt of which he has won 7 and lost 6. Across his career, which dates back to 2014, he has racked up notable wins against some high-level opposition due to his balanced style and fight IQ.
Of his last 5 trips to the cage, he has won 3 and lost 2, notably 2 of these wins came by knockout., however his most recent encounter concluded in a round 1 submission loss to Zaakir Badat when they met in December at EFC 120.
Siyakudumisa Nomvemve is a rising talent from Gauteng who possesses incredible striking power and can often be seen getting things done within the distance. He began his run under the organization in 2023 and since then he has fought a total of 6 times, winning 4 of these while losing 1, the outstanding bout resulted in a no contest.
Across his last 5 matchups, he has won 3 and lost 2 with the latest test for Nomvemve being in June where he fought Khaled Laallam in a UAE Warriors event and lost by decision. This means he enters this title fight with less than a month-long training camp and recovery time.
BETTING – click here to bet
Michael 1.66
Nomvemve 2.25
PREDICTION:
I think that Michael’s experience and composure should help him weather the early storm and control the fight. I’m predicting Michael by submission in Round 3.
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HANRU BOTHA vs AYANDA ZWANE
Featherweight Co-Main Event:
Hanru Botha is a tough fighter from Polokwane who is known for his clean striking and overall stamina. His career within the EFC spans over a 12-year period although, in this time he has not fought frequently and sits on a record of 7 wins with 5 losses.
Hanru’s recent form has been poor and in his last 4 appearances, he has picked up just 1 victory while losing the remaining 3. His latest clash was in March against Kaleka Kabanda where he lost in round 1 via submission.
Ayanda Zwane, representing Johannesburg, is a fighter who makes use of effective striking and athletic ability to come away with victories, despite his inconsistent campaign in the EFC which has seen him win 4 and lose 4 of his fights since his debut which took place just over 2 years ago.
Zwane has battled in his last 3 appearances, losing all of them. The last action he had was in March when he met with Billy Oosthuizen and lost by round 3 submission.
BETTING – click here to bet
Botha 1.85
Zwane 1.95
PREDICTION:
This fight is set to be an extremely close one on paper and I think it will be competitive at all times, with both fighters seeing out the fight clock and Zwane picking up a decision win.
CHRISTOPHE WALRAVENS vs ADAMA DIOP
Heavyweight Bout:
Christophe Walravens, born in the DRC but residing in Cape Town, enters Thursday evening with a record of 3 wins and 2 losses as well as a reputation for explosive finishes and technical stand-up skills. He is known for applying early pressure onto his opponents and all 3 of his wins have been by knockout in round 1 or 2.
The last time he entered the cage was against Brendon Groenewald at EFC Africa 35 back in 2014 where he lost by TKO in round 1. It is important to note he has not fought in over a decade.
Adama Diop is a powerhouse from Senegal who possesses talent in the field of brutal striking and holds ample knockout power behind his punches. He has fought a total of 5 fights at a professional level where he won 4 and lost the other.
It is important to note that the only EFC fight he has taken part in was in 2022, where he demolished Nico Yamdjie by knockout only 24 seconds into the 1st round. His most recent head-to-head was with Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze at the Hexagone MMA 25 event, which took place in March. Diop won the fight with a straight right in round 1.
BETTING – click here to bet
Walravens 2.65
Diop 1.50
PREDICTION:
Although I believe that Walravens will bother Diop early, he will be no match for the favourite and after such a lengthy break from fighting, Diop takes this with a round 1 KO for me.
SUGGESTED BETS:
Michael vs Nomvemve
Michael by Ko, Tko or DQ at 1.70
Botha vs Zwane
Zwane by decision or technical decision at 4.00
Walravens vs Diop
Diop by Ko, Tko or DQ at 1.66
All 3 of my bets to land is 11.28 and all 3 fighters to win by any method is 4.85 (any draw would mean a loss)
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
