EFC: How Terence Balelo wore out Musa Sethwape with 10-hour notice

And then the morning of the event the Joburg-born MMA athlete was not medically cleared by doctors to compete. 

But thank goodness Terrence ‘Black Panther’ Balelo agreed to step in with 10 hours' notice to take on Sethwape, who by now was perhaps the favourite considering his new opponent was fresh from a defeat a month prior. 

Balelo was forced into submission by Gift Walker at the EFC Institute on 7 September to suffer defeat in the flyweight championship bout. 

His decision to jump on a flight from Cape Town last week Thursday was not just about redemption, but to prove to matchmakers around the world that the ‘Black Panther’ was no coward. 

“I get woken up by a call from Ashley [Calvert, the assistant matchmaker] saying they’d love to fly me up to fight Musa. I had to talk to my coach first and he did not believe me. I said we had to fly out on the night, get the job done and go get that belt,” Balelo told SABC Sport. 

But did he have any time to study Sethwape, a strong fighter with an excellent grappling technique? 

“Like we always said, we are always training. I have been putting in work after that last fight [the loss against Walker]. To be honest, I haven’t been that intense with the workouts. We got onto the plane, watched a few fights and sort of studied him a little bit. I knew I had to stay calm and be myself, save my energy and not blow myself out. It’s five rounds and he might have had the upper hand in the later rounds, that’s what I was thinking.” 

Those who made their way to EFC 108 and witnessed Balelo’s grand entrance with shades on at night, blonde hair and an entourage would have been excused for thinking his mind was on holiday. 

However, from the first round until the end the 23-year-old was in control, quick, sharp and simply too much for a sluggish-looking Sethwape – the ‘Black Panther’ wore him out by making sure the favourite was never in his comfort zone. 

“My coach told me not to get caught up in a brawl. I am the type of fighter that likes to put up a show for the people. I think my movements threw him off like it throws off everyone. I made a mistake with Gift Walker, I did not trust my jujitsu. But it was a lesson for me,” Balelo explained.