OKTAGON 63 TOURNAMENT RESULTS: SLOVAKIAN MIRACLE BUCHINGER AND SHOCKING TWISTS

Wow – a big night for Bratislava and an even bigger one for the fate of individual fighters. Karlos Vémola confirmed his fight with Will Fleury, and the cage saw incredible surprises, rapid finishes, as well as resilient and tough battles. The miraculous Buki showed once again that retirement is far from sight, Apollo dominated splendidly, and Pukač secured a major victory in his hometown. It was a rough night for Roušal and Fodor, as Palokaj and Lapilus left everyone breathless with their wins. Aby engaged in a long and grueling fight with OKTAGON's newest powerhouse, and Zhumagulov lived up to his reputation. Bratislava also celebrated the victories of Cigánik, the excellent Paulus, and Smolková, who dismantled her opponent with a TKO just one minute into the fight.

Read through the tournament, fight by fight:

TIPSPORT PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT: BUCHINGER VS. NAFUKA

The ending seemed almost like a dream come true for the Slovak fans – the legendary Buki had supporters behind him from the moment he entered the cage. Despite a dramatic first round, which we’ve come to expect from Buchinger, there were some nerve-wracking moments when a quick end seemed inevitable. But he survived, didn’t give up, and it paid off. In the second round, he came at Nafuka with wild intensity, growing hungrier with each strike. Nafuka, caught off guard by this resurgence, quickly became overwhelmed. And after the third minute of the final round, it was clear – there had been enough hits. A Slovak miracle, the best performance of the night. Buki left his gloves in the ring briefly as if signaling a farewell, only to pick them up again during the post-fight interview – he’s not done yet!

KERTÉSZ VS. APOLLO

Years of experience have refined both OKTAGON veterans, from whom we expect top performances. Apollo was clearly better in the first round, controlling the fight with seasoned skill. The second round was more balanced, both in terms of action and scoring. But the final round erased all doubts. Apollo turned the match entirely in his favor, delivering powerful strikes right until the last seconds to make a statement. No one has managed to end Apollo’s reign even in his 42nd career fight.

PUKAČ VS. DIEDRICK

Robo Pukač came out swinging from the first round like a beast. He delivered powerful strikes to Diedrick and gradually won over not only the crowd but also the judges. With superb form and confidence, he slowly dismantled the renowned striker from England. The third round was all or nothing, and Pukač succeeded, outboxing Diedrick and claiming a major home victory.

RYŠAVÝ VS. PALOKAJ

The first round showcased Ryšavý at his best, as fans love to see him – sharp and on top form. Judges saw it similarly, with two out of three favoring him. But then Palokaj took control, dictating the pace both standing and on the ground. By the third round, Palokaj’s superiority was clear – his takedowns proved decisive for Ryšavý. Nevertheless, Slovakia had nothing to be ashamed of.

FODOR VS. LAPILUS

Wow! Before anyone could catch their breath, Lapilus unleashed pure chaos in the cage. He slammed Fodor into the fence and unleashed a barrage of brutal strikes that had even TV viewers shaken. Referee Touš had to stop the fight, taking a bruised hand with him yet again.

ABY VS. ZHUMAGULOV

Two seasoned fighters did not disappoint. Aby sustained a cut on his head in the first round that bled heavily but didn’t slow him down. By the second round, Zhumagulov was in control, with the wound monitored by a doctor, who let the fight continue to its conclusion. In the end, Zhumagulov took the final round, mainly thanks to punches that seemed to belong in a different weight class. Aby fought valiantly, showing little fatigue, leaving fans wondering what might have happened if it went further. A high-quality match and a successful debut for OKTAGON’s new star.

ROUŠAL VS. MAGUIRE

While Maguire entered to a song sung by his sister, Roušal chose his usual prison attire. What followed, however, was unlike anything we’d seen from Roušal before. He won the first round, although his opponent wasn’t far behind. In the second round, Roušal landed a hard punch, knocking the Irishman down. Roušal came close to ending the fight, delivering a flurry of blows until – an amateur mistake. Roušal naively fell into a choke and within seconds, Maguire celebrated a huge win via Triangle Choke. That’s what you call a lost win!

PAULUS VS. ELONEN-KULMALA

A tough fight for Paulus, who had a thrilling journey. The judges favored Finland in the first round, while the second was closer, with two out of three judges scoring it as a draw. Roman Paulus knew he had to go all out – expertly capturing his opponent and securing an impressive Rear Naked Choke in the final round, his third this year in a tremendously successful season. Another victory for Bratislava!

SMOLKOVÁ VS. SIMPLICIO

A home win in spectacular style. Smolková erased memories of last year’s Tipos Arena fight, charging at her opponent with relentless strikes. Within a minute, she had Simplicio on the ground, unresponsive to the final barrage of blows, with the fight stopped at 1:06 by TKO. Wow!

CIGÁNIK VS. ENZ

Right from the start, Slovak fans had reason to cheer. Cigánik put on a stronger performance than his German opponent, winning round after round. He attempted a Rear Naked Choke, displayed excellent boxing, and the judges agreed unanimously that the victory went to him. Congratulations on his first OKTAGON win!