EFC 126 takes place on Thursday the 7th of August at the World Sports Betting EFC Arena in Johannesburg. We look at three of the fights on the Main Card from a betting angle, offering up a bet in each for consideration.
Click here to bet on the full fight card
WILLIE VAN ROOYEN vs ANATOLIE GAFIN
EFC Flyweight Title Fight – Main Event:
Willie van Rooyen is an undefeated (in the EFC) South African fighter who has made a strong impression in the EFC’s flyweight division, boasting a professional record of 6-0. With each appearance, Van Rooyen has continued to improve, earning a reputation for his composure and crisp striking.
Since making his debut under the institution back in 2023, he has picked up 4 wins by knockout and the remaining 2 by decision. The last time he fought was in May where he beat Kleberson Sousa 37 seconds into the first round by knockout to claim the belt at EFC 123.
Anatolie Gafin, originating from Moldova in the West of Europe, has had 5 professional fights so far, winning 4 and losing 1. He has fought abroad at various mixed martial arts events, and it is important to note that all of his triumphs have been by finish, with 3 of them coming in the first round.
Gafin steps into the EFC arena this Thursday carrying explosive power in his punches. Although he’s making his promotional debut, he enters with clear title ambitions. His most recent outing came at the Apollo 1 event, where he secured a first-round victory over Arman Raisi via doctor’s stoppage.
BETTING – click here to bet
Van Rooyen 1.45
Gafin 2.85
PREDICTION:
I believe Van Rooyen’s technical prowess, unbeaten momentum, and experience at EFC level will be too much for Gafin to handle. My prediction: a Round 2 TKO victory for the champion via ground-and-pound.
NTANDO ZONDI vs MUHAMMAD SALOHIDINOV
Flyweight Co-Main Event:
Ntando Zondi has been rapidly climbing the flyweight ranks and, with a current record of 4-1, now finds himself among the division’s top contenders. Fighting out of Gauteng, Zondi is a well-rounded athlete who combines lightning-fast striking with intelligent wrestling to break down his opponents.
He started his career within the organization with a trio of back-to-back 1st round finishes and then lost by decision to Sibusiso Sovendle in late 2024. He found his feet again in the last fight he took part in, however, beating Godknows Ndlovu by decision a couple months ago at EFC 124.
Muhammad Salohidinov, fighting out of Russia, is making his EFC debut with much anticipation. He has been training at a high level and brings a record of consistent performances overseas, fighting 5 professional bouts and winning 4 while settling for just 1 loss.
Salohidinov enters this challenge with confidence in his ground game, having secured first-round submission victories in his last two bouts. Most recently, he faced Labazan Aliev at MFP 255 in May, where he dominated the contest and locked in a rear-naked choke just two minutes into the fight
BETTING – click here to bet
Zondi 1.70
Salohidinov 2.15
PREDICTION:
Zondi is explosive and has more EFC experience, but Salohidinov will be tough to put away especially if he takes this bout to the ground. I’m predicting a hard-fought decision win for Zondi after 3 competitive rounds.
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GIFT WALKER vs SIBUSISO SOVENDLE
Bantamweight Fight – Main Card:
Gift Walker, fighting out of Springs, returns to the cage with a strong 6-2 record. Impressively, five of his victories have come via stoppage — four by submission and one by knockout — highlighting his sharp grappling skills and relentless forward pressure in previous bouts.
Walker went through a tough patch of form during 2024 falling short twice, but bounced back to take a decision win over Moses Mokhari when they met in May.
Sibusiso Sovendle is a fighter from Pretoria who has fought a total of 9 fights for the EFC and sits on a record of 5 wins with 4 defeats. He is known for his stamina and striking volume, which has helped him overcome tougher opponents in the past and he will utilize his experience in this upcoming clash.
Sovendle will be eager to return to the win column as he enters this bout on the back of two consecutive losses, the most recent coming by decision against Thimna Mhlauli in June.
BETTING – click here to bet
Walker 1.28
Sovendle 3.60
PREDICTION:
Walker is the clear favourite here and I expect him to dominate early. My prediction is a round 2 submission victory for him.
Suggested Bets:
Van Rooyen vs Gafin
Van Rooyen by Ko, Tko Or Submission at 1.66
Zondi vs Salohidinov
Zondi by decision at 4.50
Walker vs Sovendle
Walker by Ko, Tko Or Submission at 1.95
THE TREBLE AT 14.56
All 3 of my bets to land comes in at a tasty 14.56 and you can copy the bet (subject to price changes) using this code 38558679
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but subject to change.
