World Kickboxing Series makes explosive debut in Mother City

The weekend capped off what has been a stellar year for martial artists in the Mother City, as the World Kickboxing Series (WKS) Africa successfully staged its inaugural event in Milnerton.

The past few weeks have been dominated by amateur MMA promotions and boxing, making the switch to pure kickboxing a welcome and electrifying addition.

The expectation is that this new series will reach even greater heights come 2026.

WKS Africa director, K-1 veteran Wade Hammond, was very much satisfied with how the proceedings went on the day, noting that the bouts themselves were keenly and evenly matched, ranging from the amateurs to the pro-amateurs.

"The plan is to get excitement back into kickboxing because I still believe this is the most exciting combat sport there is. It's non-stop action," said Hammond.

He says he is focused on building a platform the 'old-school way' based on substance and genuine competition.

Like in most sports, building from the ground up is the only way to ensure sustainability, which is part of what Hammond referenced when discussing the importance of providing real opportunities to youngsters.

The WKS series is now likely to return in March in what should be an even bigger event, with the high likelihood of talent from the rest of the country being matched up against the best Mother City fighters.

That comes from the given high level of interest generated by the first installment. Local stars Jiyaad Diedricks, Rais Hoosain, and Magloire Mutabi were some of the standout performers over the weekend.

The two locals who were vying for the WKS belts might have fallen short in their pursuits, but the quality of the action itself is a powerful testament to the youngsters being on the right track. Diedricks' journey was cut short when he lost the semi-final match against the eventual champion Thando Mahlangu in a fierce contest that had the crowd glued to the action until the final bell. It was the fight that could easily have been mistaken for a main event affair.

The disappointment was only for the home crowd, not getting the opportunity to see the rising star contest for the belt.

In another high-stakes semi-final, Hoosain made it to the title fight after winning his semi-final bout against Jean-Claude Dixon. But he fell agonisingly short of the belt in the final.

The decision that cost the Bushido-trained fighter the final match was razor-thin as he gave his all in his pursuit of ensuring the local contingent captured the coveted title. Mutabi was another exciting fighter, taking on the ever-action-ready Frank Ngoka, with Mutabi emerging the victor in a tactical but heavy-hitting battle.