What was meant to be the ultimate musangwe (bare-knuckle fist fighting) tournament in Vhembe turned into a disappointing and lacklustre event.
The tournament, hosted by the Musangwe Official Championship and featuring some of the region's top fighters, took place at Tshifudi Stadium last Saturday.
Among the fighters who clashed on the day was Cena, the reigning and undisputed champion, who faced hardened opponent Noko. Their highly anticipated bout ended in a draw, with no decisive winner. Another prominent fighter, Ngwazi, suffered a defeat at the hands of Chenge, while the match between Timer and No Risk also concluded in a draw.
Despite the lineup of thrilling bouts and a live performance by the legendary Colbert Mukwevho, the event failed to attract the expected crowd. Only a small number of spectators attended.
Musangwe Official Championship spokesperson Mr Freedom Malivhoho expressed disappointment over the poor turnout but maintained that not all was lost. "We are so disappointed as organisers. We left no stone unturned in preparing for the event, but to our shock, only a handful of people turned up. It was a battle of titans that musangwe fans should not have missed, yet they let this major event pass. Even the performance by the evergreen Colbert Mukwevho could not draw the crowds we expected," he said.
Malivhoho added that while the outcome was a setback, it also provided valuable lessons. "Despite the financial implications, this event has been a learning curve. We succeeded in one of our objectives - bringing the crème de la crème of the musangwe fighting world to a single event. This experience will guide us in organising future tournaments. Our goal is to establish this venue as a must-visit destination for musangwe enthusiasts. Bit by bit, we will improve, and we are hopeful that our next event will be a resounding success," he said.
Some attendees attributed the poor turnout to the high entry fee. They noted that spectators were more accustomed to traditional musangwe fights, which typically take place in the bush and are free to watch.