THE FUTURE IS FEGEN

MMA African lightweight champion, Kiara Fegen, is ready to take the world by storm.

Photos: Supplied By: Julian Kiewietz

SOMETHING special is brewing in South African women’s mixed martial arts.

Aside from EFC matchmaker Graeme Cartmell slowly but surely adding more women to the Extreme Fighting Championship roster, it is the amateur scene that gets the purists excited about the future of women’s MMA.

At the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) Africa Mixed Martial Arts Championship earlier this year, more than a handful of women did well to represent Mzansi.

TOP: Fegen with her South African national coaches after being crowned the MMASA Ladies’ Lightweight champion last month.

One of those talented prospects is the new African lightweight champion, Kiara Fegen.

Fegen beat her teammate Londiwe Hadebe in the final of the women’s lightweight division to earn gold. And when she asked that we get the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage branding in the shot, it was clear that this young talent has her eyes on the big stage.

BEHIND Kiara Fegen’s marketable persona stands a ruthless and highly-talented grappler who can pounce on any opening.

“I would love to take this (combat sports) as far as I can,” says the 20-year-old Fegen.

“I have been focused on my jiujitsu career for the past five years now, so I am expanding to the MMA side to learn more and do more competitions,” adds the Alberton-born athlete, who beat Wilmarie Alberts via a rear-naked choke in their lightweight MMA bout at the Megalodon Fighting Championship in Johannesburg recently.

“That does not mean I am going to push my jujitsu career aside,” says Fegen who initially got into combat sport for self defence purposes before the bug instantly bit.

Fegen is a strong advocate for combat sports and believes it can be beneficial to all girls and women. “I think that every woman should at least get to blue-belt level in jiujitsu or at least two years of MMA training, just to defend themselves. For me, I used to be extremely shy and self-conscious, but now I have more confidence, I’m a lot more friendly and I know that if it comes down to it, I would 100% put up a fight,” adds Fegen, touching on the SA climate which is riddled with gender-based violence.

Fegen is primed to take the world by storm if she continues on her current trajectory. With her laser-sharp focus, grit to withstand the toughest situations, a smile and attitude that is very marketable, Fegen is ready for the next level.

RIGHT: Fegen is a strong advocate for combat sports and believes it can be beneficial to all girls and women.