The Western Cape will showcase some of its upcoming mixed martial arts talent when a handful of amateur athletes descend upon the Elite MMA gym in Melkbosstrand this weekend.
In its fourth installment, the Cape Town Grassroots event runs on Saturday, February 17th. A platform created for inexperienced and up-and-coming MMA athletes to gain the necessary mileage to compete at higher levels of amateur competition (National and World Championships) before transitioning to the professional scene.
On Saturday, 14 athletes will gauge their skill set, heart, and MMA IQ.
Following Mixed Martial Arts South Africa protocol, the Grassroots events technically cater to amateur athletes with four or fewer fights. Athletes with five or more bouts can compete at promotional-level events (PFC, PPC, Versus, ACE).
Once an athlete has had ten amateur bouts with a winning record of 70 percent, they are then eligible to apply for their professional license through the regulatory body (MMASA), which then allows them to sign with world-renowned brands such as the EFC, UFC, ONE FC, UAE Warriors, BRAVE CF, and more.
“The Grassroots event hosts, on average, between 14-20 athletes, from ages 12-years-old to adults. All youth athletes adhere to the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation youth rules,” says MMASA Western Cape Grassroots coordinator Lyndall Sandenbergh.
The age categories are as follows: Youth C: 12-13, Youth B: 14-15, Youth A: 16-17, Adult Junior: 18-21, Adult Senior: 21+.
Sandendbergh aims to run eight Grassroots events in the Western Cape (four in Cape Town and four in Mossel Bay).
Sandendbergh has given local fight fans reason to get excited with the news of a new promotion in the pipeline to help revive the MMA culture again following a drop in the Cape Town scene.
“For the last four years, there have hardly been any promotional events held in Cape Town, so we have been accommodating all the athletes we can at the Grassroots events. On June 15th, I will start my promotion “Barebones MMA Championships “ in honor of my partner and love, Mec Crain, who passed away three years ago,” says Sandendbergh.
“The first event will be a memorial event in his honor, with all proceeds going to MMA development in the Western Cape. From June 15th, only debutants and athletes with four or fewer fights will qualify for Grassroots events. Those with five or more amateur fights can compete at the Barebones events.”
A few years back, the Cape Town MMA scene was fruitful, with various brands hosting amateur and professional MMA shows.
The Cape Town leg of the Extreme Fighting Championship - Africa’s elite MMA promotion - was one of the most attended professional shows on the continent as scores of athletes, fans, friends, and family showed up at the Grand West Arena to support their favorite local and international warriors.
Since the EFC changed its business model and opted to stay in Johannesburg, opportunities for local fans to enjoy live MMA fighting have been few and far between. While there have been some attempts to reignite the scene, there has been a lack of consistent platforms for Western Cape athletes to showcase their talent, and this is where Grassroots and Barebones hope to fill that gap for the future talents of the Cape.
“MMA in the Western Cape has faced many challenges over the past few years, and we are essentially rebuilding the competitive infrastructure from the ground up.
“We are always searching for corporate partners to co-promote at events and sponsorships for events and athletes. Anyone interested can get in touch with us,” added Sandendbergh.
Grassroots 4 will also be a fundraiser event for the Western Cape MMA team, as a percentage of sales will go to funding team kit, flights, and accommodation for the Nationals, taking place in Johannesburg later this year.
Grassroots 4 starts at 10:55 am (Youth Fights) on Saturday morning, with the adult fights taking place from 1 pm. Tickets are available online (R150) and at the door (from R200 up).