EFC73: It's all or nothing for Jose Da Rocha in the Welterweight championship
Da Rocha: "Kalunda do not underestimate me and give your best, because if you don't I'll knock you out in the first round."
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| Photographer/EFC Worldwide |
Athletes from the around the world gathered at the Sun City Sun Park today (September 7), to weigh-in for Saturday (September 8) night's interim welterweight clash between the DRC's Gunther Kalunda (4-0) and Brazil's Jose Da Rocha (9-4). The current welterweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is unavailable to fight and the reigns have been put on the division's top contenders to give the fans the fight of the night. Twenty more athletes will also be looking to claim their space in the hexagon.
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This is not the first time you’re challenging for the welterweight championship. Do you feel more prepared this time? For sure. The first time I took on a week's notice, this time I had a full camp. It's much different.
Your opponent, Kalunda has a record of 4-0-0 with yours at 9-4-0. How do you feel going into this fight with a fighter currently with no losses? I saw that he had a loss in an event with custom rules so it didn't appear in his MMA record. But I believe he must be confident coming into this fight and he might think he'll remain undefeated. I like to fight people like that. I took several invincibilities away in my career in Muay Thai and MMA and I plan to do it again.
Kalunda is known to have dangerous submission skills with a judo background, how will you use this to your advantage with your power striking and jiu-jitsu skills? I believe my footwork and takedown defence will be key to keep it standing, but if it goes to the ground I'm very confident in my jiu-jitsu skills on the top and on the bottom. I see holes everywhere in his game and I'm hoping to exploit them.
Being a fighter from Brazil, how is the fight scene there compared to South Africa and do you find the sport growing? Brazil had a big boom, but lately, the scenario isn't as favourable anymore. I don't have much knowledge about MMA in its entirety around here, but you have something amazing with EFC. There's no organization in Brazil that equals to it. Production, structure, pay. EFC is like a premier league, in Brazil we're lacking in that regard. You'll see great fights put together, but the presentation and all other aspects have a long way to go. You see classes more full in gyms, more interest, more fans, but the big difference for us fighters is having events like EFC giving us international and life-changing opportunities.
What do you enjoy most about fighting in South Africa when given the opportunity? Everything. The fans, the staff, the places we visit, the atmosphere in the arena. I've been having some very special moments that I'll always be fond of.
Which opponent has given you the best fight in the EFC so far? I have to say it was Dricus. Although it was short, both of us had our moments. That's one of the reasons I want that rematch so bad as well.
Each fight requires different preparations, how do you prepare for a title challenge? Conditioning is important. To get used to 5 rounds and the strategy for it are different. Everything you plan to do has to be done with those factors in mind.
What is your next fight after this one (Welterweight championship? If everything goes well, I hope to win this fight and fight Dricus for the undisputed belt in December.
What can the fans expect from this fight and what would you like to say to Kalunda? Expect to see me at my best and doing everything in my power to have my hands raised. I'm fighting as a representative of Brazil, but when I'm in that hexagon I think about all the great people who treated me well and showed me support during my stays in South Africa. So if I get this victory it will also be dedicated to all of them and the EFC staff who gave me this life-changing opportunity. To Kalunda, do not underestimate me and give your best, because if you don't I'll knock you out in the first round.
Your opponent, Kalunda has a record of 4-0-0 with yours at 9-4-0. How do you feel going into this fight with a fighter currently with no losses? I saw that he had a loss in an event with custom rules so it didn't appear in his MMA record. But I believe he must be confident coming into this fight and he might think he'll remain undefeated. I like to fight people like that. I took several invincibilities away in my career in Muay Thai and MMA and I plan to do it again.
Kalunda is known to have dangerous submission skills with a judo background, how will you use this to your advantage with your power striking and jiu-jitsu skills? I believe my footwork and takedown defence will be key to keep it standing, but if it goes to the ground I'm very confident in my jiu-jitsu skills on the top and on the bottom. I see holes everywhere in his game and I'm hoping to exploit them.
Being a fighter from Brazil, how is the fight scene there compared to South Africa and do you find the sport growing? Brazil had a big boom, but lately, the scenario isn't as favourable anymore. I don't have much knowledge about MMA in its entirety around here, but you have something amazing with EFC. There's no organization in Brazil that equals to it. Production, structure, pay. EFC is like a premier league, in Brazil we're lacking in that regard. You'll see great fights put together, but the presentation and all other aspects have a long way to go. You see classes more full in gyms, more interest, more fans, but the big difference for us fighters is having events like EFC giving us international and life-changing opportunities.
What do you enjoy most about fighting in South Africa when given the opportunity? Everything. The fans, the staff, the places we visit, the atmosphere in the arena. I've been having some very special moments that I'll always be fond of.
Which opponent has given you the best fight in the EFC so far? I have to say it was Dricus. Although it was short, both of us had our moments. That's one of the reasons I want that rematch so bad as well.
Each fight requires different preparations, how do you prepare for a title challenge? Conditioning is important. To get used to 5 rounds and the strategy for it are different. Everything you plan to do has to be done with those factors in mind.
What is your next fight after this one (Welterweight championship? If everything goes well, I hope to win this fight and fight Dricus for the undisputed belt in December.
What can the fans expect from this fight and what would you like to say to Kalunda? Expect to see me at my best and doing everything in my power to have my hands raised. I'm fighting as a representative of Brazil, but when I'm in that hexagon I think about all the great people who treated me well and showed me support during my stays in South Africa. So if I get this victory it will also be dedicated to all of them and the EFC staff who gave me this life-changing opportunity. To Kalunda, do not underestimate me and give your best, because if you don't I'll knock you out in the first round.
The official EFC 73 weigh-in results are as follows:
Fight 1: Featherweight
Danie Swart 65.90kg; Amisi Kabeya 65.60kg
Fight 2: Welterweight
Christian Bobo 75.40kg; HP van Staden 77.00kg
Fight 3: Middleweight
Roy Lokolo 82.90kg; Mzwandile Hlongwa 83.00kg
Fight 4: Bantamweight
Asiashu Tshitamba 60.90kg; Wade Kerpsuy 60.60kg
Fight 5: Lightweight
Tshilumba Mikixi 69.80kg; Pierre Botha 69.30kg
Fight 6: Heavyweight
Matunga Djikasa 108.50kg; Kevin Koekemoer 119.9kg
Fight 7: Heavyweight
Juan Bezuidenhout 112.90kg; Ricky Misholas 111.50kg
Fight 8: Lightweight
Anicet Kanyeba 69.40kg; Cameron Pritchard 69.90kg
Fight 9: Featherweight
Sizwe Mnikathi 66.00kg; Steven Goncalves 65.40kg
Fight 10: Heavyweight
Jared Vanderaa 115.30kg; Elvis Moyo 119.90kg
Fight 11: Welterweight Title Fight
Jose Da Rocha 76.90kg; Gunther Kalundaa 76.90kg
Till next time. . .
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