Dricus du Plessis Headlines EFC Fight Night for Cape Town in February
- Former UFC titleholder Dricus du Plessis helped unveil a major MMA event coming to Cape Town in February 2026
- The showcase will open the EFC’s 2026 season, bringing top local talent to the GrandWest Grand Arena
- The announcement highlighted a shared mission to expand opportunities and strengthen MMA development across Africa
Former UFC Champion and MMA fighter Dricus du Plessis was part of the announcement of an EFC event to be held in Cape Town in February 2026.
Source: Getty Images
Du Plessis, who lost his championship title to Khamzat Chimaev in August, was joined by the Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Knox Hydrate founders Ethan Hughes, and EFC president Cairo Howarth.
The event will take place on 26 February 2026 at the GrandWest Grand Arena, marking the first clash of the year on the EFC calendar. Fans can expect a night filled with high-octane bouts as local fighters test their limits against international opponents yet to be announced.
Cape Town fighters set for a major home showcase
Representing Cape Town are some of the city’s finest, including three-time EFC Bantamweight Champion Faeez “Troublemaker” Jacobs, Men’s Middleweight Champion Luke Michael, and rising stars Terrence Balo, Tumelo “Mellow” Manyamala, and Adriaan Sanchez.
Each fighter is ready to prove their mettle in front of a home crowd, setting the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable MMA spectacle.
Du Plessis, who has been training and preparing to reclaim his title, said the event would not only focus on the fights or the fighters, but also aim to create more opportunities for people to sustain themselves in the sport.
Source: Getty Images
Du Plessis champions growth in African MMA
He explained that he understood the challenges faced by newcomers, noting that funds, finding a good gym, and travel were among the biggest hurdles for any fighter. He added that, despite these difficulties, South Africa and Africa as a whole had still managed to achieve great things with limited resources.
He further mentioned that he wanted to give back to the sport that had given him so much, emphasising that, as cliché as it might sound, it was completely true.
Du Plessis explained that the event was not just his initiative, but a joint effort with the EFC, which had supported him and invested in the sport since he was 14 or 15 years old. He highlighted that the EFC had pioneered MMA on the African continent and had helped elevate it to a new level.
He added that the event belonged to both of them and that their goal was to demonstrate to the world and to major international organisations that they were capable of hosting a world-class MMA event.
Dricus speaks out after defeat
Briefly News previously reported that South African UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus du Plessis reacted to his bruising defeat at the hands of the UAE’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.
“Stillknocks,” who came into this fight as the underdog, put on a brave face despite the one-sided fight and vowed to bounce back.
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Source: Briefly News
