Future champs emerge at Barebones showcase

Whenever the conversation turns to grassroots MMA in the Mother City, it's hard not to marvel at the sheer potential waiting to be unleashed.  

The combination of raw talent and unwavering hunger is something special.  

Thanks to platforms like Barebones MMA Championships, that potential is being harnessed and showcased. This past weekend marked the fourth installment of the event. 

The amateur promotion has exploded into a breeding ground for martial artists taking that first nerve-wracking walk to the cage.

It’s not uncommon for new tournaments to bring a different energy but what Lyndall Sandenbergh and her team have built goes beyond innovation.  

This weekend’s event, hosted in Sunningdale, was also a homecoming for some fighters. 

Watching them return with improved skills and renewed confidence is the clearest sign that something great is happening here.  

It's only a matter of time before many of these names start appearing in the biggest MMA promotions around the world.  

The ambition and the dreams are already there and you can hear it in how these young fighters talk about their futures.

Devon Sarkis from Madfit, himself a product of Barebones MMA, emphasised just how vital these opportunities are for up-and-coming fighters. 

"Often it’s training and training with nothing lined up, so to have a platform where you can fight every two or three months makes a huge difference. There are guys dreaming about the UFC, PFL, ONE Championship, and to have a place where they can test themselves regularly, it gives us something to work towards. It pushes everyone to level up.” 

Sarkis wasn't fighting this weekend but was cornering his training partners.

“Win or lose, the guys are back in training the next week and it’s good to have an environment where people are very driven.” 

Over 15 fights took place throughout the afternoon and any assumptions about amateur MMA being soft or sloppy were quickly thrown out the window.  

These young warriors showed nerves of steel and technique that defies their experience levels.  

The event delivered everything you’d expect from a top-tier MMA night: submissions, back-and-forth wars and devastating knockouts. 

Two titles were on the line and both title fights were delivered in spectacular fashion. In the main event, Bertie Niemand claimed the Barebones heavyweight title with a second-round finish over Emmanuel Okafar. The win capped off a night of high-energy action and put Niemand’s name in the spotlight.

Before that, the middleweight title was up for grabs as well. Alex Suzuki took on Steve Kassakula and made quick work of his opponent, earning a first-round submission and walking away with the belt. 

The main card also featured several standout performances. Andrew Hunter showed resilience in rallying for a stoppage win over Zaakir Parker in a featherweight title eliminator.  

Junaid Brown edged Yusuf Salie by split decision in a tightly contested bout, while William Viljoen came out on top in a back-and-forth light heavyweight brawl with Moesha Mbala.

Featherweight action saw Glody Mieza win with a first-round TKO over Damian Erasmus. But perhaps the highlight of the night came courtesy of Toufeeq van Schalkwyk who delivered a perfectly timed headkick to knock out Perfect Madziviride, sending the crowd into a frenzy. 

The main card opened with a women’s catchweight bout at 58kg where Aayesha Majiet scored a TKO win over Jennifer Ann June Bromwich, setting the tone for what was to come.