EFC Middleweight champion Luke Michael, former UFC Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and current EFC Bantamweight champion Faeez Jacobs pose during the launch of the EFC KNOX Legacy Series in Sea Point. | Armand Hough Independent Media.
Image: Armand Hough Independent Media.
Cape Town’s appetite for major MMA events has been emphatically confirmed, with the inaugural EFC KNOX Legacy Series selling out ahead of fight night.
The event takes place on 26 February at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World’s Grand Arena, marking the promotion’s first return to the Mother City in nearly eight years.
The full-capacity crowd reflects the strong demand for EFC’s return to a large-scale venue, despite concerns from some fans and fighters of various faiths about the timing during the month of Ramadan, when many Muslim athletes and supporters are fasting — particularly given Cape Town’s large Muslim MMA fan base.
Cape Town doesn’t just host fights — it breeds warriors. Africa’s MMA hotbed has become the EFC’s most electric playground, where sold-out crowds pack into the Grand Arena, the undisputed Fighting Capital of the Mother City. Photo: EFCWorldWide
Image: EFCWorldWide
The KNOX Legacy Series was officially launched in December in Sea Point, where brand owner and former UFC champion Dricus du Plessis, alongside business partner Ethan Hughes, EFC leadership, and the City of Cape Town, unveiled plans to elevate professional MMA in South Africa.
At the time, only a handful of athletes had been linked to the card. Today, the fight lineup is complete, with fans set to witness a stacked championship showcase in what has long been considered one of South Africa’s fighting capitals.
Headlining the event, EFC middleweight champion Luke Michael (8-6) defends his title against the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Diego Bandu (6-2) in a bout drawing significant attention across the African MMA landscape.
Cape Town favourite Faeez Jacobs (12-6) will defend his bantamweight championship against Australia’s Trent Girdham (17-6-1), while PFA’s Adrian “Rayo” Sanchez (8-5) faces Brazil’s Jefferson Pereira (5-1) for the interim lightweight title.
From Dricus du Plessis’s vision to a full-capacity crowd, the stage is set for a historic night of African MMA. Photo: Supplied
Image: Suuplied
Sanchez was originally scheduled to challenge undisputed champion Martin van Staden (23-13), but the bout was cancelled after van Staden withdrew due to injury.
The Flyweight Grand Prix also reaches its climax, as rising contenders Tumelo Manyamala (7-1) and Ntando Zondi (6-1) battle for championship honours.
Another key flyweight contest will see former interim flyweight and bantamweight champion Terence Balelo (7-2) face Brazil’s Kleberson Sousa (8-5-1).
The last time EFC hosted an event in Cape Town was EFC 72 on 11 August 2018.
Although PFL Africa hosted an event at the Grand Arena mid-last year, fans have long called for the return of EFC, whose Cape Town events were historically among the promotion’s most successful, often outperforming shows in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, EFC centralised their operations at their Johannesburg headquarters, hosting events at the World Sports Betting Arena. While the venue consistently sold out, its 550-seat capacity could not replicate the scale and atmosphere of the Grand Arena, and the KNOX Legacy Series represents a deliberate effort to restore that major-event spectacle.
Speaking at the launch event, du Plessis reflected on how EFC shaped his career.
“The first event I ever attended was EFC 9 or 10 at the Coca-Cola Dome. I couldn’t believe how massive it was, and I knew I needed to be there.
“Here I am today, a former world champion, and all of that started the day I walked into that arena. I want others to have that same opportunity.
“In South Africa, and Africa as a whole, we have so little compared to other nations, yet we’ve achieved so much.
“This vision is about giving back to the sport that gave me everything. I’m doing this with the EFC, who supported MMA when I was just 14 or 15,” said du Plessis, who also became the EFC’s first double champion (welterweight and middleweight).
African MMA has experienced significant growth in recent years, with athletes gaining international recognition and new promotions emerging across the continent.
Long before organisations such as UAE Warriors, BRAVE CF, PFL Africa, and AKO entered the African market, EFC served as the continent’s premier platform, producing athletes who went on to compete globally in organisations such as the UFC, PFL, and ONE Championship.
“All of us in South Africa know this sport because the EFC gave us a platform,” du Plessis said.
“We want to show the world that Africa can host world-class events.
“Another major milestone is that MMA is now being recognised by the city and government as a legitimate sport. That recognition will help more people pursue their dreams.”
EFC president Cairo Howarth confirmed the KNOX Legacy Series will open the organisation’s 2026 calendar.
“This series will kick off EFC’s 2026 schedule in the biggest way possible,” he said.
“It will be broadcast globally across multiple networks, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers.”
The prelim card begins at 3pm, with the main card starting at 7pm. The event will be broadcast on SuperSport and streamed globally via EFC platforms.