Why Igeu Kabesa altered fighting style to defend EFC title

SABC Sport visited Kabesa at his gym in Polokwane this week, where he detailed why he opted for the suffocating control method and using sporadic ground shots to try and force his Brazilian opponent into submission. 

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In the end, the judges scored in Kabesa's favour after Ekson initially looked to have been in the driving seat and had the title defender worried.

"Every fight is different and I tell the guys, 'Styles make fights.' So, it's like this guy, when you suss him out, he's a counter-fighter, you already know who he is," explained Kabesa.

"If you fight counter-fighters, you've got to be very careful and you've got to have patience – very important because they can catch you off guard."

Kabesa usually strikes fear in his opponents from the onset, however – and perhaps given Ekson had beaten him before in 2021 to take the same belt – he was a lot more measured as he looked to wear the South American out. 

"This one, we told ourselves, 'We have to pull him throughout because we need to make him tired.' So we were prepared for the choke as well," he added.

"I mean, yes, it was tough to defend the choke. I can't say it wasn't on, there were points when it was on, I had to adjust myself and then it's not as bad anymore so I could hold out.

"So we had to fight that whole fight first, and that's where the fight lied – it was in that first round. Because after that, his arms were gone, his gas tank was gone, he started to doubt himself."

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