Nasiphi Vellem kept his unbeaten professional record intact with a unanimous decision victory over Grant Farrow at EFC 139 on November 5 in Johannesburg.

The three-round lightweight bout tested both men inside the cage, but Vellem’s preparation, composure, and tactical discipline carried him to a clear win, moving his professional record to 4-0-1.

Speaking shortly after a fight in a division which is not his, the South African fighter refused to single out the result as his biggest so far. “I take every fight as my toughest fight so I can’t compare them, but now it’s time to prepare for the next one,” Vellem said.

He was quick to thank those who helped him execute the game plan that night. “Thanks to my team at fight camp, all my training partners, my savages at the gym and especially my coach, Dermate Pena. We prepared well for this fight. We knew he would want to strike with us and would be kick-heavy due to his previous performances, so we made a plan and executed it to the best of my ability.”

Vellem made it clear the contest was strictly professional, and that respect for his opponent remained high. “For me it’s always business and nothing personal. Grant is a very good fighter, so we prepared for him. I had no pressure because of the preparations we had done.”

The lightweight appearance was always intended as a one-off move. Vellem confirmed he is returning immediately to featherweight, the division he considers home and where he plans to chase championship gold. “I’m going back to featherweight, my division. I only came up to lightweight for that one fight. The lightweight division will have a new champion soon, and it’s Khanyo Maqam. As for me, I’ll be pursuing the title at the featherweight division.”

He sees every result as meaningful progress towards that goal. “Every win is a stepping stone towards achieving that goal, my brother. I don’t take any of them for granted. And for the upcoming fighters, my message to them is just to never give up and never give in.”

With the win secured and the temporary weight cut behind him, Vellem now turns his full focus back to the featherweight ranks. The Honey Badger remains undefeated, grounded in his team’s preparation, and determined to climb toward title contention one carefully prepared fight at a time.

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