USONDONZIMA emdlalweni wokuxhimfa nokukhahlela owaziwa (mixed martial arts), uKhulekani “Cold Steel” Hlongwa, uthi uzimisele ngokuvuka azithathe ngempi emqoka emuva kokubhinjelwa yizinto ngo-2022.
UHlongwa (38), uzodudulana noJohannes “JC” Lamprecht, ngoLwesine empini yesicoco se-light-heavyweight ngaphansi kwe-Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC). Impi iyingxenye yochungechunge lwezimpi ezizoba e-EFC Perfomance Institute, eSandton, eGoli.
Yimpi yokuqala kaHlongwa nonyaka selokhu ebuyele esisindweni sakhe se-heavyweight, njengoba nyakenye ehlulwe kwaze kwaba kabili eguqiswa nguDiego Bandu noStefan Pretorius esisindweni se-middleweight.
“Ibaluleke kakhulu le mpi kimi ngoba ukuyinqoba kungase kungibeke ethubeni lokuthi ngiyolwa eDubai. Kanti-ke okungenza ngibe magange kakhulu ngayo wukuthi ngizobe ngilwa esisindweni sami engisejwayele se-heavyweight ngoba kungithwalise kanzima ukulwa kwi-middleweight.
“Ngishaywe ezimpini ezimbili zilandelana kwi-middleweight ngenxa yokuthi bekufanele ngehlise isisindo ngidle ngendlela ehlukile. Lokho bekwenza ngibe ntekenteke ngenxa yokungadli nokungajimi ngendlela engiyejwayele,” kuchaza uHlongwa waseBhamshela, eThekwini.
“Ngizilungiselele ngokuphelele ukuyobhekana nale mpi, kangangokuthi ngike ngazilolonga amasonto amathathu ngisekhempini eMgungundlovu, ngizilolonga kanzima ukuyingiselela.
“Ngizimisele kakhulu ngokuyinqoba le mpi, yize imbangi engiyolwa nayo uJC Lamprecht, ngingayazi kahle kodwa ngizozibamba ziqine,” kuqhuba uHlongwa, umnewabo uMzwandile nanye uyinkunzi kulo mdlalo.
ULamprecht waseCenturion, eGuateng, ubhekana noHlongwa nje, uthelwe ngezibonkolo futhi ngoDisemba nyakenye ugingqe uWillem Smith ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi.
Lezi zimpi ze-EFC ezizoba eSandton, zizovezwa bukhoma kwiSupersport 209, ngoLwesine ebusuku.