Founding (2009)
The Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) was established in 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa, by three brothers: Cairo, Silas, and Calvin Howarth. Long-time admirers of the UFC, the brothers set out to build a professional, UFC-modelled MMA promotion for the African continent, where the sport had previously lacked a large, organised platform. The company launched its inaugural event, EFC Africa 01, on 10 November 2009 at the Ticketpro Dome (formerly the Coca-Cola Dome) in Johannesburg. The promotion initially operated under the name EFC Africa and signed athletes who were born in or fighting out of Africa.
Establishing a continental base (2010-2014)
The first seven EFC events were all held at the Ticketpro Dome before the promotion began expanding to other South African venues from 2011 onward, eventually running cards in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, and at casino resorts including Carnival City and Sun City. During this period EFC built a structured weight-class system with recognised championship belts and developed a roster of homegrown stars. Angolan-born, South Africa-based Demarte 'The Wolf' Pena emerged as the promotion's first featherweight champion and one of its defining early figures, later capturing a second belt at bantamweight to become a two-division titleholder. The promotion secured regional broadcast distribution that helped MMA reach a mainstream television audience across southern Africa.
Growth and a star pipeline (2014-2018)
EFC consolidated its position as the largest MMA promotion in Africa, producing roughly ten live events per year and presiding over hundreds of professional bouts. It became a recognised proving ground for fighters who went on to international careers, with more than a dozen athletes graduating to the UFC. Among them, Dricus du Plessis became an EFC two-division champion (welterweight and middleweight) before signing with the UFC, where he later won the middleweight title. In October 2017 the promotion launched a reality television series, 'The Fighter,' to develop and showcase prospects, with a first season featuring middleweight men and a later season featuring flyweight women.
Going worldwide (2018-present)
Having signed a large pool of exclusively contracted athletes and built a continent-wide footprint, EFC expanded its branding and distribution internationally, operating as EFC Worldwide. In 2018 the promotion secured a deal with the streaming service DAZN to broadcast events to the United States and other markets, complementing existing African distribution through partners such as SuperSport and SABC Sport. EFC events have been broadcast in over 120 countries. The promotion remains privately owned and run by the Howarth brothers, with Graeme Cartmell serving as Vice President of Talent and Matchmaker, and it continues to develop African fighters while signing competitors from across the world.