Homecoming hero: Ndebele shines at historic debut in Cape Town

IT WAS a dream return home for South Africa's world champion Nkosi Ndebele.

- JULIAN KIEWIETZ

On Saturday night, at the Grand Arena in Goodwood, Cape Town, the former BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion competed in Mzansi for the first time in seven years and delivered the ultimate homecoming performance.

Ndebele featured on the historic PFL Africa card at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, where passionate South African MMA fans were treated to a world-class night of action.

Fighting in the inaugural PFL Africa tournament, Ndebele (9-3) wasted no time advancing to the semifinals of the bantamweight knockout competition. He stopped Egyptian opponent Mahmoud Atef (5-3) via TKO (strikes) with just 10 seconds remaining in the opening round.

“I'm feeling great - what an experience to fight in front of my home crowd, my people, friends and family after all these years,” said Ndebele, who last fought on South African soil at BRAVE CF 19 in 2018 before forging an international career with the Bahrain-based promotion.