Fighter welfare a major win for EFC

The mixed martial arts fraternity continues to make significant strides, with an increase in events, a special showcase planned for Cape Town, and growing interest from sponsors coming on board.

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Speaking to SABC Sport, Howarth said improving fighter welfare had been a key priority - one the organisation is proud to have delivered on.

"2025 has been an awesome year for EFC and the sport of mixed martial arts on the Africa continent. Some of the highs were definitely implementing full medical aid for all contracted EFC athletes - so if you are competing for us, we put you on medical aid fully covered by EFC. We are really proud to have implemented that," said Howarth.

Howarth also noted that an increasing number of athletes from the EFC stable have gone on to compete successfully on other platforms.

"More EFC athletes have gone on to compete in the UFC Octagon and other international MMA promotions this year. It continues to provide a platform for African martial arts athletes to compete, sharpen their skills and grow their brands. Until they can grow their careers out of this amazing sport," added Howarth. 

The EFC boss admits that a setback from their point of view this year was seeing Dricus du Plessis lose his UFC middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev back in August.

"I'd say - when former champion Dricus du Plessis lost his UFC title. But we believe he will be back and regain his title. We will support him all the way," he expressed.

With regards to 2026, Howarth says there’s no doubt their Knox Legacy series is exactly the ideal way to start the year.