October 8 @ 2:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Professional MMA does not offer unlimited chances.
A fighter can build a reputation, collect victories and earn a place among Africa’s best. But when the losses begin to pile up, past achievements can quickly lose their value.
At EFC 138, Allistar “The Menace” Kunene and Bheki “Dog Danger” Ngcobo enter the Hexagon knowing that their next performances could have a significant impact on what comes next.
Both men have won inside the promotion. Both have demonstrated the ability to compete at a high level.
But neither can afford to rely on what they have already done.
Two Losing Streaks, One Opportunity
Ngcobo’s professional career began with real promise.
The South African won three of his first four fights, including consecutive ankle-lock submissions over Mickey Cloete and Vincent Nakana. Those victories established “Dog Danger” as a dangerous submission specialist.
Since then, however, the momentum has disappeared.
Five consecutive defeats have followed, with his most recent loss coming against Namibia’s Veja Hinda at EFC 134.
That run has placed Ngcobo in a difficult position.
EFC 138 is another opportunity to prove that the fighter who once started his career with such promise is still there.
But the challenge is not simply about winning a fight. It is about rebuilding confidence, restoring momentum and showing that the difficult stretch has not defined the rest of his career.
Across the Hexagon, Kunene understands that pressure.
The Menace Needs a Reset
Kunene has also experienced the highs of professional MMA.
Having represented South Africa in amateur competition, he has demonstrated versatility in the professional ranks, with EFC victories coming through both strikes and submissions.
His consecutive first-round finishes over Kenan Hornabrook and Jesse Schaper showed what he could do when his game came together.
But three straight defeats have followed.
Now “The Menace” faces a familiar situation: another experienced opponent, another opportunity and another chance to change the direction of his career.
Neither fighter is being handed an easy route back to the winner’s circle.
Instead, EFC has matched two athletes with similar problems against each other.
One of them will leave EFC 138 with a victory. The bigger question is what that victory will mean.
A Debut Built on Years of Sacrifice
While Kunene and Ngcobo fight to rebuild, Kheola Godfrey and Thapelo “Rasta” Malatjie will experience the beginning of their professional journeys.
Their flyweight contest brings two very different paths into the Hexagon.
Godfrey began training MMA in 2019 and has spent years competing as an amateur, developing his grappling and training alongside some of Africa’s most accomplished fighters.
But his route to the professional ranks has not been straightforward.
After leaving his village in search of greater opportunities, financial hardship and periods of homelessness forced him to step away from the sport at different stages.
Each time circumstances allowed, he returned.
Now, training under former EFC champion Demarte Pena at Fight City in Johannesburg, Godfrey finally gets the professional opportunity he has worked towards for years.
Rasta Brings a Dangerous Ground Game
Malatjie arrives with a different kind of momentum.
The 23-year-old Johannesburg prospect has compiled a 4-1 amateur record, with all four victories coming by submission.
His amateur wins include finishes by rear-naked choke, guillotine and Ninja Choke, establishing a clear threat on the ground.
After suffering the only defeat of his amateur career, “Rasta” responded with three consecutive submission victories.
That run has earned him a chance to test his game at professional level.
For Godfrey, EFC 138 represents the culmination of years of sacrifice. For Malatjie, it is the next step after an impressive amateur campaign.
Two very different journeys. One professional debut.
A Heavyweight Championship Headlines the Night
EFC 138 is presented by World Sports Betting and takes place at the WSB EFC Arena in Johannesburg on Thursday, 8 October.
The event is headlined by the vacant EFC Heavyweight Championship between undefeated number-one contender Terrence “The Mountain” Born and former two-time heavyweight champion Matunga “HHH Power” Djikasa.
The main card also features Angola’s unbeaten Clelio “Luffy” Diogo against Johannesburg’s Godfrey “Feralspunky” Mkhwanazi.
Diogo made an immediate impression at EFC 135, submitting Nicolaas Vermaak by rear-naked choke in the opening round to extend his professional record to 3-0.
Mkhwanazi brings ten professional bouts of experience and enters following victories over Allistar Kunene and William “Ragnar” Lekana.
The matchup gives Diogo a chance to prove he is ready for tougher opposition, while Mkhwanazi will look to halt the Angolan’s momentum.
The event’s fight card also includes Dzikasa vs Born for the heavyweight title, with additional contests confirmed across the main and preliminary cards.
When Opportunity Becomes Urgency
EFC 138 is not simply another night of MMA.
For Kunene and Ngcobo, it is about finding a way forward after difficult runs.
For Godfrey and Malatjie, it is the beginning of a new chapter.
And for the fighters across the card, it is another chance to show that they belong inside the Hexagon.
On 8 October, the opportunity is there. But this time, simply competing is not enough.
