Tinotenda Hove- Lewis Mataya announced himself in the Extreme Fighting Championship in style on Thursday night, outclassing South Africa’s Ayanda Zwane to secure a unanimous decision victory at EFC 137.

Fighting out of Zimbabwe and competing under the nickname “The Porcupine,” Mataya controlled all three rounds of the featherweight bout at the EFC Performance Institute in Johannesburg. All three judges scored the contest 30-27 in his favour.

The win takes Mataya to 5-1 as a professional and caps a remarkable story of sacrifice. In the build-up to the fight, the Zimbabwean revealed he had sold his personal car to fund his training camp for his promotional debut.

He faced an experienced Zwane, who entered the cage with a 7-5 record, but Mataya never looked troubled, showing composure and tactical discipline to seal the victory.

For Zwane, 27, the loss marked the end of the road. Moments after the result was announced, he took off his gloves and laid them down in the centre of the Octagon — the traditional sign of retirement from mixed martial arts.

Mataya, meanwhile, leaves Johannesburg with momentum and a statement win to kickstart his EFC journey.