The best ever South African MMA fighters

Africa has always produced good fighters, across all disciplines, and the increase in popularity of mixed martial arts has meant that we are now getting to watch some of the best new fighters coming from the continent.

South Africa, in particular, has provided some excellent new talent in the last few years.

The biggest MMA organization in the world, the UFC, has just put on its 300th major event and although there were no South Africans on show in Paradise, Nevada, there are fighters from this country beginning to make waves in the world of MMA.

As MMA – and UFC in particular – attract more and more fans from South Africa, we thought we would profile some of the biggest and best fighters from this country. They are sure to be competing in top bouts soon and flying the flag proudly for South Africa.

Don Madge

A lightweight fighter who won both his bouts in UFC before moving to the Professional Fighters League (PFL), Madge is one of the most well known South African MMA fighters out there at the moment. With incredible strength and fight skills, fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the octagon.

After taking up karate at the age of six, Madge continued to hone his skills in a number of disciplines before making his professional MMA debut for the EFC Africa organization in 2011. His form there earned him a shot in the UFC and he currently holds an impressive 10-1 record, with one bout finishing as a draw.

Luthando Biko

After excelling as an amateur, Luthando "Shorty" Biko took to the professional life immediately. He has mostly competed under the EFC Worldwide banner but also recently appeared at an Ares Fighting Championship event, defeating Frenchman Samir Faiddine.

That was the South African flyweight's fourth win in a row – and the seventh in the last eight. In fact, Biko's last defeat was way back in 2021 and he looks like he is going to push on with an already impressive career. He may only stand at 5ft tall but this is one fighter that really packs a punch.

Mark Hulme

A master of forcing submissions, Hulme is a welterweight fighter who seems destined for greater things. He may not have made the card in any UFC event quite yet, but it will probably not be too long before his skills and talent are showcased on the biggest stage in MMA.

Fighting out of Johannesburg, Hulme has most recently appeared at Unified events but also has a history of EFC bouts in his home country. With a professional career record so far of 12-3, Hulme is on a roll. He has won his last four fights and has actually only lost once since 2015. A UFC debut looks very likely in the near future.

Igeu Kabesa

Now 30, "Smiley" is considered by many to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters outside of the UFC – and it can only be a matter of time before he makes the step up to that grade. His current record stands at 18-2, with his most recent victory coming in April of this year.

Kabesa is ranked as the number one featherweight in South Africa and has fought exclusively for the EFC organization up until this point. He is the current featherweight champion after regaining his title last year. Equally happy knocking opponents out or forcing them into submissions, Kabesa is sure to remain smiling for a while yet.

Dalcha Lungiambula

A former EFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, Lungiambula found the move up to UFC a little difficult. He had earned himself a very well-deserved 9-1 record in EFC before signing a contract with the elite organization in 2018. Since then he has won two of six UFC bouts.

Lungiambula's last fight under the UFC banner was at UFC 282, where he second round defeat in the middleweight division. A big family man, he has been known to publicly thank them for his support at the end of his fights and will now be hoping to find a new organization to continue what had been a promising MMA career.

Dricus du Plessis

A former junior kickboxing world champion, du Plessis is probably the most well known South African MMA fighter. He is the current UFC middleweight champion and is number nine in the men's pound-for-pound rankings. His championship victory came at the start of the year when he beat Sean Strickland by a split decision. In doing so, he became the first-ever UFC champion from South Africa.

Du Plessis had put together an 11-1 record in EFC at the beginning of his professional MMA career before fighting under a Polish banner in 2018. He briefly returned to EFC before signing a deal with UFC and has only gotten better since. His six victories in UFC is the sixth longest winning streak in the middleweight division and he has already won a number of Fight of the Night awards, including one in the championship bout against Strickland.

Du Plessis will now be looking to defend his title in the next year and consolidate his position as the best middleweight in the world as well as the greatest ever South African fighter. His success will act as an inspiration for all younger fighters in the country, proving that South Africa is able to produce some of the best mixed martial artists in the world.