EFC 49 vacant middleweight title fight: Kruger to fight England’s Bahati
In February this year, it was announced that EFC middleweight champion Liam Cleland was retiring and relinquishing the championship belt.
At the same time, it was revealed that South Africa’s JP Kruger and Poland’s fearsome Rafal ”The Polish Tank” Haratyk would be contesting for the vacant middleweight title at EFC 49, on Friday, May 13.
However, in the weeks building up to the encounter, Haratyk suffered an injury, which has caused him to pull out of the fight.
It has now been confirmed that England’s massive Yannick ”The Black Mamba” Bahati has replaced him to fight JP.
Hailing from Birmingham, England, and training out of the famous UTC gym, Bahati has made waves with his two previous appearances in the EFC Hexagon.
He entered the EFC on a undefeated four fight winning, streak as a middleweight, but on both EFC appearances has been forced to fight in battles, on late notice, above his preferred weight class.
He fought the light-heavyweight contender Champion Dalcha, taking him the distance in an incredible three-round war, and later faced division powerhouse Warren Allison, finishing him with his sublime submission skills.
Both these encounters saw Bahati fight heavier opponents than his traditional middleweight division, and both times he rose to the occasion in phenomenal form.
Bahati has built onto his international record and has proved that he belongs as a top EFC contender.
“I signed with the EFC with the goal of becoming a two division champion,” he stated when signing for Kruger fight.
“On May 13 I will achieve one of those goals by becoming EFC middleweight champion.
”JP is a well-rounded fighter, but everything he does I do better and I will stop him inside the first round.
“I see him hitting the canvas; he is sloppy on the feet and I will KO him. If he survives that, I will pass his guard and submit him. He moves like a white belt on the mat to me.”
This fight between the local fan favourite and the massive Englishman will headline the EFC 49 event. – @SabeloBoksburg
