Cape Town — There has been a shake-up ahead of this weekend’s UAE Warriors events.
After the news that six South African-based mixed martial artists will be on the UAE Warriors 32 and 33 cards, only four will do the walkout come Friday night.
South Africa’s Steven Goncalves, Martin van Staden, Thabani Mndebela, Luthando Biko and Zimbabwe’s Takunda Gorimbo were all set to fight on the UAE Warriors 32: Africa 3 card in Abu Dhabi Friday night, while another Zimbabwean in the form of Sylvester Chipfumbu was set to fight on the UAE Warriors 33 card the following night.
Now, it is confirmed that Chipfumbu’s fight has been moved forward by one day and will join Van Staden, Biko and Mndebela on the Africa 3 card Friday evening.
Extreme Fighting Championship Flyweight king, Biko (10-3) — who successfully defended his EFC title against Brazil’s Magno Alves (5-11-1) at EFC 96 — makes his debut in the Abu Dhabi-based promotion in a Flyweight bout against the talented UK-based Somalian, Muhidin Abubakar (3-0).
EFC legend, and former Lightweight champion, Van Staden (20-12) gets another — and potentially his last — shot at a global run in his professional MMA career when he too makes his debut in a promotion outside of Africa’s premier mixed martial arts organization, the EFC.
Van Staden takes on France’s Aymard Guih (16-12) in a Welterweight bout and will look to turn the tide after losing his fifth title fight after getting knocked out by DRC’S Ziko Makengele (4-0) at EFC 93 for the vacant EFC Welterweight championship, earlier this year.
Former EFC Heavyweight champion, Mndebela (5-2) will be keen on announcing himself properly in UAE Warriors against France’s Prince Aounallah (14-11) following his loss in his first showing against Switzerland’s Luc Ngeleka (6-4) via unanimous decision at UAE Warriors 27 in March.
The third-last bout of the night will see former EFC Bantamweight champion, Zimbabwe’s Chipfumbu (8-4) take on Cameroon’s Jaures Dea (8-5) — who was set to face Goncalves (6-3).
Chipfumbu was set to face Germany’s Rany Saadeh (12-4) in a Bantamweight scrap prior to the reshuffling.
Chipfumbu has had a mixed bag since signing with the UAE Warriors with one late-replacement title shot loss against UAE Warriors Bantamweight champion, Brazil’s Vinicius de Oliveira (17-3) before a win in his last bout against France’s Helder Fernandes (7-7) and he will be keen on returning to the title conversations once more.
The main event of UAE Warriors 33 — which takes place on Saturday evening — will see the biggest rematch in UAE Warriors history as Canada's Jesse Arnett (20-8) is set to defend his UAE Warriors featherweight title against Jordan’s Ali AlQaisi (12-6).
At the time of going live with this story, it was unclear to Independent Media as to why Gorimbo and Goncalves’ fights were cancelled.
The card will be available on UFCFightPass.
UAE Warriors 32: Africa — Fight Card
Friday, September 16
Main Event
Inaugural UAE Warriors Africa Light Heavyweight Title
Kein Oumar (8-3) v Emilio Quissua (3-0)
Co-Main Event
Welterweight
Shido Esperenca (6-0) v Badreddine Diani (4-2)
Featherweight
Jaures Dea (8-5) v Sylvester Chipfumbu (8-4)
Heavyweight
Prince Aounallah (14-11) v Thabani Mndebela (5-2)
Heavyweight
Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze (4-1) v Maxwell Djantou Nana (1-1)
Welterweight
Aymard Guih (16-11) v Martin van Staden (20-12)
Featherweight
Mounir Khelifa (3-1) v Mohamed Camara (4-1)
Flyweight
Muhidin Abubakar (3-0) v Luthando Biko (10-3)
Catchweight 164lb
Rudy Tshisuaka (0-1) v Ayman Galal (1-0)
Catchweight 142lb
Nora Cornolle (2-1) v Asmaa Abach (1-0)
Bantamweight
Ekonian Andenet (0-1) v Alphonse Viny Bessala (2-1)
Lightweight
Yazid Chouchane (7-3) v Mohammed Elawil (5-0)
Heavyweight
Khaled Jashell Ticha Awa (1-0) v Ricardo Bhaly (0-0)