EFC Bantamweight world champion Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs sets sights on UFC

Lester Kiewit speaks to Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) in South Africa is gaining international attention partly due to UFC Middleweight Champion, Dricus Du Plessis.

MMA fighter Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs hopes to follow in Du Plessis' footsteps.

"It's been my dream since I was 16 years old. I've been pursuing it relentlessly."

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

"Dricus was an EFC champion before he became a UFC champion and I want to duplicate that success 100%." 

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

The 29-year-old from Mitchells Plain recently recaptured the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) Bantamweight title at EFC117, submitting Vince Bembe in round 2 of their fight for his second Bantamweight title reign.  

EFC is a South African mixed martial arts promotion company established in 2009.

It is the largest MMA promotion company in Africa.

"I was bullied for a little bit and then I became somewhat of a rebel and I sort of found myself in the chaos of fighting. I didn't want it to mean something negative and martial arts helped me re-frame that. It helped me put it into perspective, it helped me become educated in what I was doing."

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

Jacobs says martial arts has taught him discipline, self-control, dedication and focus.

"...it was all the things I felt like I lacked everywhere else in life. Martial arts was that one place where I could tame my demons and gain some control."

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

"I want to paint positivity wherever I go and I want to start in the streets where I came from."

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

Jacobs has had an impressive 2024, having been victorious on three occasions.

He is considered one of the best fighters in the country.

"In the next generations that come, we are going to create multiple UFC champions."

- Faeez 'Troublemaker' Jacobs, EFC Bantamweight world champion

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