EFC featherweight champion Igeu Kabesa is all business ahead of his fight with Scotland's Calum Murrie in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Kabesa (10-1) will make his second title defence against Murrie (4-1) at EFC 74 since reclaiming the belt with a swift TKO of fellow accomplished wrestler Pierre Botha (8-7) in August 2017.
'Smiley' dished out similar punishment to Brazilian veteran Paulo Silva (22-13) in March this year, and expects more of the same at Carnival City this weekend.
"I love to show up and take names," Kabesa told KweséESPN.
"I'm not really the talker... Come EFC 74 I will take another name and stay EFC featherweight champion."
Asked if this was the biggest test of his career, Kabesa instead pointed to his 2015 decision win over current Bellator fighter Peter Queally (11-4-1), a teammate of Irish superstar Conor McGregor (21-3) at Straight Blast Gym.
"My biggest test I would say was Peter Queally. He was bigger and I think his training with Conor makes his game hard. But I love hard fights."
Kabesa considers himself "better in all aspects" to Murrie, deriving confidence from training with high-level teammates under coach Walter Wendt at the Alberton Wrestling Club.
His sparring partners include EFC flyweight champ Nkazimulo Zulu (9-2-1) and bantamweight fighter Tumisang Madiba (7-5), who are also preparing for trips to the Hexagon.
Madiba (7-5) will meet Sylvester Chipfumbu (4-1) on the main card of EFC 74, while 'Zuluboy' will put his strap on the line for the fourth time against SBG Cape Town standout Gary Joshua (4-0) on November 3.
"We are growing as a team," says Kabesa.
"New guys have come. We have Tobie Alberts Junior and Martin Erasmus as my wrestling partners and a few others.
"Zuluboy, Madiba, Scout and Bart are my MMA training partners.
"There are also guys from Tapout, there's Demarte Pena, and the guys from UMF." Kabesa first won EFC gold in March 2016 by defeating Murrie's compatriot Danny Henry (11-2) via unanimous decision.
He took out Pierre's twin broth Hanru in his next fight, but then got submitted by Henry in a rematch.
However, Henry vacated the belt when he got recruited by the UFC in July 2017.
Kabesa regained honours soon after at Pierre's expense.