Passion, power, skill, heart, bright lights, and frenzied fight fans encapsulated the atmosphere of Barebones MMA Championships 4: Apocalypse, held at the Sunningdale Sports Complex in Milnerton this past weekend.
The venue was packed to capacity with spectators supporting their favourite fighters, as BMC 4 delivered a behemoth fight card featuring 19 bouts in total — including three title fights and one title eliminator. The card was divided into three sections: the Early Prelims, Prelims, and the Main Card. The Early Prelims featured the Youth division, while the remaining bouts showcased senior competitors. Fourteen gyms were represented, highlighting the diversity and growth of the Cape Town MMA scene.
The Early Prelim Card showcased the impressive skillsets of the Youth fighters, offering optimism for the future of MMA. A standout bout in this section was the Youth A Welterweight Title clash between Frank Ngoka of Troublemaker MMA and Fanie Beets of Performance Institute. Ngoka demonstrated impeccable prowess from start to finish, striking a balance between technicality and power.
The fight began with both fighters exchanging low kicks, but quickly transitioned to the canvas. Round two opened with a well-executed double-leg takedown by Ngoka, who maintained composure and excellent top control, delivering powerful ground-and-pound strikes from full mount. He successfully defended his title in style.
The Prelims and Main Card delivered in equal measure, showcasing the composure, accuracy, and technical brilliance of the senior fighters. The Fight of the Night was undoubtedly the Featherweight clash between Toufeeq Van Schalkwyk of Fighterz Inc. and Perfect Madziviride of Hopefield MMA. Less than a minute into the first round, Van Schalkwyk delivered a perfectly timed head-kick knockout — the fastest finish of the evening.
The much-anticipated Featherweight Title Eliminator between Andrew Hunter of Titans MMA and Zaakir Parker of Troublemaker MMA had fans on the edge of their seats. Although Parker showed great heart during grappling exchanges, Hunter dominated from full mount with relentless ground and pound to secure victory. The win puts Hunter in prime position for a title shot in the next BMC instalment.
The co-main event was nothing short of spectacular. A composed Alex Suzuki effectively neutralised the aggressive offence of Steve Kassakula. During brief striking exchanges, Suzuki landed clean shots while staying out of range. He then secured underhooks, dragged Kassakula to the canvas, and executed a slick guillotine choke against the cage to become the new Middleweight Champion.
The main event ended BMC 4 on a high note with a Heavyweight Title clash between Emmanuel Aku Okafar of Performance Institute and Bertie Niemand of Trident MMA. Both fighters came out swinging in round one, with strikes including knees, kicks, and punches.
Okafar rocked Niemand with a hard right hook, but Niemand recovered and landed a double-leg takedown followed by a barrage of ground-and-pound punches. In round two, Niemand repeated the takedown, achieved full mount, and continued the onslaught, eventually being crowned the new Heavyweight Champion.
The Barebones MMA promotion continues to grow from strength to strength, delivering high-calibre fights, professional organisation, and an ever-expanding audience. BMC 5 is scheduled for September and is set to build on this thrilling momentum.
Results
Early Prelims – Youth Card
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Ismaeel Booley def. Connor Oosthuizen via armbar (Round 1)
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Slater Van Der Heever def. Noah De Wet via unanimous decision
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Frank Ngoka def. Fanie Beets via TKO (Round 2) – Welterweight Title (77.2 kg)
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Dante Jones def. Johnathan Erasmus via anaconda choke (Round 2) – Featherweight Title (under 65.3 kg)
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Mohammed Cassim def. Jacob Gumedi via split decision
Prelims
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Nilesh Jessa def. Tristan Wallace via TKO (Round 1)
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Dean Van Wyk def. Yurish Jessa via TKO (Round 3)
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Aswad Reid def. Sam Aitken via split decision
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Kiran Jeffrey def. Altaaf Armien via split decision
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Brynton Van Gein def. Tony Kabongo via triangle choke (Round 1)
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Josh Bester def. Luqmaan Hartley via unanimous decision
Main Card
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Aayesha Majiet def. Jennifer Ann June Bromwich via TKO (Round 1)
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Toufeeq Van Schalkwyk def. Perfect Madziviride via KO (Round 1)
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Glody Miezi def. Damian Erasmus via TKO (Round 1)
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William Viljoen def. Moesha Mbala via unanimous decision
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Junaid Brown def. Yusuf Salie via split decision
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Andrew Hunter def. Zaakir Parker via TKO (Round 3) – Featherweight Title Eliminator (61.3–65.8 kg)
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Alex Suzuki def. Steve Kassakula via guillotine submission (Round 1) – Middleweight Title (77.2–83.9 kg)
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Bertie Niemand def. Emmanuel Aku Okafar via TKO (Round 2) – Heavyweight Title (93.1–120.2 kg)
