Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
LITERALLY, Lewis Mataya has risen from nothing to something, in a very short space of time.
Last month, the Chipinge-bred Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter was virtually unknown to many, but he is now a celebrity who commands almost 150 000 followers on Facebook.
A former herd boy and an orphan who was once arrested for lack of proper documentation in South Africa, Mataya is basking in glory after winning his debut EFC match.
The 28-year-old Mataya defeated South Africa’s Ayanda Zwane in a featherweight bout at EFC 137, held at the EFC Arena in Johannesburg on September 10.
That victory marked a successful debut for Mataya, who has revealed that he sold his car to fund a training camp ahead of the fight.
Mataya has faced a lot of adversities along this journey, to an extent that he has coined a famous Shona statement “Ndinorova”, which has gone viral on social media platforms.
“The moment I say Ndinorova, it also means I can conquer, I can rise above anything!” Mataya told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
Mataya has been trending.
Media outlets have been scrambling for an interview.
Yet some few weeks ago, not many knew about his name.
Nicknamed “Porcupine” because of his Shona totem “Nungu”, Mataya grew up in Chipinge where he would engage in horse play fights, known locally as chikudo.
He was orphaned at the early age, was raised in a household of 13, and would also have ended up with a career in the armed forces, had he not fallen in love with combat sport.
Mataya started off at amateur level, winning gold at the 2022 IMMAF Africa Championships in South Africa, after recording three straight victories against Allistar Kunene, Geraldo Bok and Ken Nyaondo.
He is also described as a two-time African amateur champion.
In an interview with this publication in July, Mataya chronicled how the journey started “by accident” in 2014.
While studying at the library at Manyame Air Base, Mataya would watch soldiers training Taekwondo through the window.
He then committed to combat sport in 2014.
“I excelled so much that I even began to dream of Olympic gold, but after four years I started gravitating towards MMA, especially around its boom in 2018.
“The more I learnt about grappling, striking, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu, the more I realised this was where I belonged,” Mataya said.
Those memories must have flooded his mind when he won his debut EFC fight 10 days ago.
“The EFC gave me a platform to showcase my skills, which I am very grateful for,” said Mataya.
“More importantly, I was fighting a South African in his home city, yet in the arena you could hear people shouting and screaming for me — “Mataya! Mataya!”
“That is very rare, and it is something that really stuck with me. I am grateful to EFC for providing me with that platform.”
He added: “It was a really tough fight. I was fighting someone who was bigger and more experienced, yet I conquered.
“When I was in the cage and realised how hard he hits, I saw two options in front of me: quit or rise above the challenge.
“I chose to rise above it by showing strength and determination. That is an experience that will stay with me for my whole life — that determination, that strength and that resilience to fight through and conquer anything life throws at me.”
Steadily, Zimbabwe has been producing decent Mixed Martial Arts competitors.
Temba Gorimbo, Nicholas Hwende, Sylvester “Gladiator” Chipfumbu, Alfred Stoddart and Simbarashe “The Hawk” Hokonya are some of the prominent names.
Mataya credits that to the resilient nature of Zimbabweans.
“We (Zimbabweans) work hard, we are very determined and wherever I go, I always feel like I have a mental and physical advantage over my opponents,” he said.
“I credit that to being Zimbabwean and being raised the way I was — in a country of resilient citizens.”
Mataya might be 27, but he is already looking into the future of MMA in Zimbabwe.
He has started training junior fighters.
“These guys are like my brothers. They are my legacy. I am a pioneer, and they are the first generation coming after me,” said Mataya.
“Their average age is around 20 or 21.
“I started training some of them when they were 16 or 17. An example is Kudakwashe Mutanga, who became an amateur champion in Cape Town.
“That was the belt I held until I turned professional and he went ahead and won it too.
“These guys are responsible for the growth of MMA in this country — not just as athletes, but also as coaches, because some of these young men are now getting into coaching as well.
“MMA is still starting out in Zimbabwe. When I started, I had to travel to Dubai and other countries to train.
“But for these youngsters coming through now, the facilities and opportunities to train back home are becoming more available and continue to grow.”
On selling his car to fund his preparations, Mataya said: “I sold my car because I needed resources.
“If those things are taken care of — if we have proper rings, recovery centres and athlete-focused training centres — we can grow this sport and become a force within our region and beyond.”
Mataya will recover from his latest fight before going into camp for the next assignment.
“I will speak to my management team about how we proceed, where we go next and when,” he said.
“Once I know, I will let the country know.”
He believes Zimbabwe has to invest more resources in MMA.
“We need to invest more resources into the sport — proper training spaces, better media coverage, and companies to come on board,” he said.
“But, my country has been really supportive and my friends from outside the country — our neighbours — have all been supportive as well.
“I am very grateful to have experienced, and to continue experiencing, that level of support. Thank you, Zimbabwe!”
