If you are a fan of combat sports, the name Dulatov is surely not unfamiliar to you. The talented brothers Tamerlan, Islam, Djibril, and Sulumbek have a story that could easily be the plot of a movie. And soon, we will see Tamerlan in action, right in his hometown of Düsseldorf.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/26547bc9-4781-4450-8a32-d63afe59cefe/cs.1737473294942.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/69c52490-3909-49f2-80c5-d127cd31634f/cs.1737473300337.png"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>ARRIVAL IN GERMANY</h2>More than 15 years ago, the Dulatov family was forced to flee from Chechnya and found refuge in Düsseldorf. However, the beginnings were far from easy. They had to overcome prejudice and the challenges of life in a new country. Thanks to their strong family bond, they managed to overcome all obstacles and gradually earned recognition – and an outstanding career.<h2>A STELLAR CAREER IN THE WORLD OF FASHION</h2>Düsseldorf turned out to be the perfect place for the four charismatic brothers. The first to break into modeling was Djibril. His discovery was completely accidental – a casting agency worker approached him while he was shopping in a mall. What started as a funny incident quickly turned into a career: Djibril shot his first campaign for the world-renowned brand Lanvin.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/B81rAtGISPV/"></oktinstagramcomponent>Soon, his brothers followed suit. Prestigious offers from brands like Armani, Gucci, and Diesel kept pouring in. Islam even became the main face of Versace, which is considered the pinnacle of success in the fashion industry. But not everything is rosy – modeling is still often condemned in their homeland as inappropriate from a religious perspective.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtRTIXEH7WI/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>COMBAT SPORTS</h2>Aside from modeling, they share another passion – the world of combat sports. All the brothers have dedicated themselves to it and have achieved remarkable success. They started with boxing and kickboxing, but today they are professional MMA fighters. Islam and Tamerlan, in particular, are big stars, known especially from our cage. Islam has even recently signed a contract with the UFC!<h2>CHILDREN OF FORTUNE</h2>A healthy lifestyle, sports, and a thriving career – all luxuries they could hardly dream of as refugees. Today, they train alongside the best coaches and world stars. That is why they dream of opening a gym one day, where immigrant children can prepare themselves and start writing stories similar to the Dulatov brothers.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdDCTD2uiya/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>DULATOV IN THE CAGE? THIS FEBRUARY</h2>Tamerlan is preparing for his fight in Düsseldorf, where he will surely receive enormous support from the home crowd. Last May, this fighter even had the opportunity to train alongside the legendary Michael "Venom" Page!<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7gyty4o4SG/"></oktinstagramcomponent>OKTAGON 66 PACKED WITH LOCAL STARS AND CZECHOSLOVAK FIGHTERS. ON FEBRUARY 1ST IN GERMANY!<okteventcomponent eventid="103"></okteventcomponent>

From immigrants to stellar careers in fashion and sports. And not just once, but four times. Read the full story of the Dulatov brothers.

LIKE A MOVIE. THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE DULATOV BROTHERS

A card packed with thrilling stories. This Saturday, Cologne, Germany, will host OKTAGON 91. The Lanxess Arena awaits not just two spectacular title fights, but above all, fighters with incredible life stories. Read the biggest highlights from Saturday’s lineup.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/35176781-2a2c-4230-9d62-18652fe95f52/cs.1783516026379.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/5ff8cc4d-fbfa-44d1-ae14-b84bbbfa0727/cs.1783516038491.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>FROM AN ORPHANAGE TO A TITLE AND A DANCER IN THE CAGE</h2>The main event features the most anticipated middleweight rematch. Kerim Engizek has not had an easy life. From the age of seven, he grew up with his brother in an orphanage in Düsseldorf, where he learned the necessary toughness very early on. Today, he is a reigning champion with a devastating cadence of kicks that he delivers to his opponents on average every 16 seconds. Outside the cage, however, he has a big heart, supports orphaned children, and his faithful companion is his Pomeranian, Dexter.On the other side stands the Polish gladiator Krzysztof Jotko. The former UFC fighter did not originally plan a career in MMA at all, because he was fully dedicated to breakdance. Moreover, he performed his dance moves right inside the cage after defeating Engizek in their first encounter. In OKTAGON, Jotko has a literally bulletproof defense. In all his bouts under the yellow-black flag, he spent a total of only 23 seconds on the ground in the bottom position.<h2>VICTORY OVER DESTINY</h2>A story that gives you chills. Aaron Aby is the embodiment of immense human will. As early as two weeks into his life, doctors diagnosed him with cystic fibrosis, which he fights every day. To make matters worse, in 2017, aggressive testicular cancer gave him a prognosis of only three to six months of life. However, the Welsh warrior triumphed over his cruel fate and returned to professional sports.Few also realize that this BJJ black belt holder was once a huge football talent. In the Wales youth national team, he kicked the ball alongside world superstars like Gareth Bale or Aaron Ramsey. In the cage, he will now be tested by the dangerous Zoran Milic, who in his career has never lost before the limit.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dacb_caMiG_/?hl=cs"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>FACILITY MANAGER AGAINST A FORMER KING</h2>The former ruler Patrik Kincl will perform in only his second non-title fight since 2021. He built his rich experience over a very long time. When his current opponent, Hojat Khajevand, was starting his professional career, the Czech matador already had 26 bouts behind him.The Iranian-German Khajevand, however, showed his toughness in the million-dollar Tipsport Gamechanger project, where he was the very first in the project's history to manage to fight from the position of an alternate all the way to the semi-finals. While most of his opponents focus solely on sports, Khajevand works hard 40 hours a week as a facility manager. In the past, he has publicly admitted that his ultimate goal is to quit his regular job and become a full-time professional. A valuable scalp of Patrik Kincl could definitively bring him closer to this desired freedom. Today, his teammates jokingly call him "Helmut" – a nod to the fact that with his discipline and work ethic, he surpasses even the Germans themselves.<h2>THINGS YOU HAVEN'T HEARD YET</h2><ul><li>Kamil Oniszczuk demonstrated a literally perfect defense against takedowns – he successfully defended all 17 takedown attempts that his opponents tried on the yellow-black ground, which could be a decisive skill in the fight against Mick Stanton.</li><li>Máté Kertész is the longest-serving foreign fighter in the organization. During his career, he has attempted over 110 takedowns, which represents an absolute organization record.</li><li>Gjoni Palokaj will attack the featherweight throne. In OKTAGON, he has already faced twelve submission attempts. He managed to masterfully escape from all these situations.</li><li>Heavyweight Nikolaj Wagner became a hero when he jumped into his last fight on short notice just three hours before the start. Even so, he managed to deliver one of the best battles of the evening with a completely epic entrance. In his career, he also went through a six-year break.</li><li>One historical milestone is in the air. If there are at least eight decision victories in Cologne, the tournament will go down in history as an event with the organization's 400th historical points decision.</li><li>The Croatian miracle Nikola Janković will also appear on the card. He has 11 professional fights behind him and is only 21 years old. He never leaves his fights to the judges – he delivered all 9 victories before the limit (mostly by TKO, although he originally comes from the world of BJJ and wrestling).</li></ul>The German metropolis will experience a night that will be indelibly etched in memory! The OKTAGON 91 tournament will erupt at the Cologne Lanxess Arena on July 11th, and you must not miss it. Secure your spot directly in the arena, or watch the entire tournament live via PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>. You can buy tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

A card packed with thrilling stories. This Saturday, Cologne, Germany, will host OKTAGON 91. The Lanxess Arena awaits not just two spectacular title fights, but above all, fighters with incredible life stories. Read the biggest highlights from Saturday’s lineup.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLOGNE FIGHT CARD: A DANCER IN A TITLE FIGHT AND A VICTORY OVER DESTINY

One night, two thrones. The OKTAGON 91 tournament brings two title fights to Cologne, and in one of them, the explosive champion Mochamed Machaev (17-2) will face the dangerous challenger Gjoni Palokaj (13-3). The reigning king of the featherweight division destroys whatever gets in his way and is going for the first successful defense of his belt. However, he faces a man who has never lost in the yellow-and-black cage. Will the champion defend his throne, or will the challenger ruin his spectacular plans?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/2d01f51e-0ab9-42f7-8aeb-25b327620a7c/cs.1783426467403.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/db5d6e95-189b-4a04-bfa2-bbe2db73670f/cs.1783426474531.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>MAGO "THE BEAST" MACHAEV: THE RULER WITH DYNAMITE IN HIS HANDS</h2>For the twenty-six-year-old champion, the cage is a natural hunting ground where he gives his opponents no room to breathe. Machaev's story began in Chechnya, from where his family moved to Austria when he was just a child. In his new country, combat sports became a way for him to fight for his own place, and he grew into one of the most feared finishing machines on the continent. Today, he represents Vienna's Soma Fight Club and brings to the cage elite striking built on karate and kickboxing.Before heading to OKTAGON, he went through the international scene and collected a streak of ten consecutive victories across various organizations. In the Brave CF organization, he was named Breakout Fighter of the Year in 2020. He jumped into the yellow-and-black cage in 2024 as part of the second season of the million-euro Tipsport Gamechanger, where he shot down the experienced Makwan Amirkhani in the third round. His only hesitation came when he fell short against Acoidan Duque at the OKTAGON 58 tournament. Machaev then returned to his natural featherweight division and started his ride for the belt: he defeated James Hendin on points at the Frankfurt stadium, took apart Wanderley Junior with a technical KO in the second round, and in January, he claimed the vacant throne with a hard KO in the first round over Samsonidse. He is currently riding a three-fight win streak.Machaev but isn't just a puncher. Of his seventeen victories, nine came by KO or TKO, yet he is just as dangerous on the ground, where he has never lost by submission. In the yellow-and-black cage, he has defended an incredible 85 percent of all takedown attempts (28 out of 33) and currently holds the fifth place among the highest-ranked fighters in the entire organization. Moreover, he remains undefeated in his natural division. He arrives in Cologne as a confident ruler who does not intend to let go of his newly acquired belt.<h2>GJONI PALOKAJ: A CARDIO MACHINE THAT DOES NOT KNOW THE TASTE OF KO</h2>On the other side of the cage stands a man who has no intention of just being a backdrop for a title defense. Thirty-one-year-old Gjoni Palokaj was born in Hannover, but his roots go back to Prizren in Kosovo. He found solid ground in combat sports when he started training in 2013 on the recommendation of his uncle David Palokaj, founder and head coach of the renowned Fightschool Hannover gym. Palokaj is unique outside the cage as well, having managed to combine his tough career with a university degree in electrical engineering.The best proof of his qualities is a record from 2019. Palokaj is the only man in the world who managed to defeat the feared Islam Dulatov, today's UFC star. He entered OKTAGON in 2024 and has not found a conqueror since. In his debut, he defeated Jaroslav Pokorný on points, ran over Jakub Batfalský in the main event in Hannover, and most recently handed a decision loss to James Hendin in Düsseldorf in January, dropping him twice and defending all his takedown attempts. Six fights, six wins, and all by decision. Overall, he hasn't tasted defeat in over three and a half years and eight consecutive fights.Palokaj's style is a nightmare for his opponents. He is a tireless grappler and strategist who has never been dropped by strikes. He doesn't rely on a single shot, but on systematic pressure and endless cardio: he has already delivered twenty-four takedowns in OKTAGON, the fourth highest number in the entire organization, and has spent over thirty-one minutes in control on the ground. He was originally supposed to fight for the belt at home in Hannover, but a nasty infection ruled him out of the fight. Now he gets a second chance in Cologne, where he plans to dethrone Machaev.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZPdZovEtee/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>THE CLASH OF TWO WORLDS: EXPLOSION VERSUS ENDLESS PRESSURE</h2>This title duel offers a thrilling clash of two different styles. On one side, the devastating striking power and explosiveness of the champion, who destroys in the early rounds; on the other, the steel cardio and constant grappling pressure of the challenger, who hasn't finished anyone in OKTAGON yet, but hasn't let anyone escape his control either. Machaev has never lost by submission, while Palokaj has never tasted a KO.It will be decided over every centimeter of space. Will Machaev keep the fight in the center of the cage, where he can fully unleash his explosive game and send the challenger to the ground with one precise shot? Or will Palokaj survive the opening storm, push the champion to the fence, drag him to the ground, and drown him in his relentless control in the championship rounds? Will the explosive king defend his throne, or will the tough engineer from Hannover make history?Don't miss the next spectacular MMA show! The OKTAGON 91 tournament kicks off on July 11 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne and promises an evening full of battles that won't let you breathe. Secure your spot in the stands and experience the electrifying atmosphere and the crowning of champions right in the center of the action! Secure your place directly in the stands, or watch the entire tournament live via PPV on<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://oktagon.tv"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>. Click the link below to buy tickets.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

One night, two thrones. The OKTAGON 91 tournament brings two title fights to Cologne, and in one of them, the explosive champion Mochamed Machaev (17-2) will face the dangerous challenger Gjoni Palokaj (13-3).

HARD TEST FOR THE CHAMPION: WILL MACHAEV HAND PALOKAJ HIS FIRST LOSS IN THE ORGANIZATION?

One is riding a wave of peak form, the other is perhaps fighting for bare survival. On-fire Cihad Akipa has won five in a row and is heading to Cologne for a scalp that could catapult him into the welterweight elite. Standing against him is Máté Kertész, a living legend of OKTAGON and the longest-serving foreign fighter in the history of the organization, who, however, has been driven to the edge of the abyss by three consecutive defeats. The duel promises a great spectacle, but for both actors, it could be a life-defining crossroads. Where it leads them will be decided on July 11, 2026, at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. Will the experienced matador stop the on-fire German, or will Akipa write another chapter of his rise?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/bbf559dd-f5e1-4b98-8e40-e78e311dfd7d/cs.1783423595223.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/c2e5999a-2ccc-4f2b-b02a-ad333c10ae9a/cs.1783423600425.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>CIHAD „PUNISHER" AKIPA: A STRIKER WHO TURNED DEFEATS INTO FUEL</h2>The home predator Cihad Akipa (11-2) heads into battle with a clear goal: to snatch victory from a respected veteran. He brought an arsenal from professional kickboxing into MMA, where he fought under the GLORY and Enfusion banners, for example. However, his entry into OKTAGON was rough. First, he was defeated on points by Matthew Bonner at OKTAGON 49, and a few months later, he was caught in a guillotine at tournament 53 by the Croatian „Terror" Ivica Trušček. These were the only two defeats of Akipa's entire career, and both came right here. But the German striker turned them into fuel instead of bitterness.The result is a streak of five wins in a row, three of them under the yellow-black flag. After two losses, he first defeated Dominic Schober on points, then outplayed the Czech fighter Matouš Kohout, and last October, he won by TKO against David Piechaczek right in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, where he is now returning. He confirmed his form with two wins outside the organization, the most resonant of which was the February victory over the Brazilian grappler Alexander Goncalves at the Smesh MMA 2 tournament, a performance after which it was called the most complete fight of his career. His long reach and hard kicks make him a nightmare in the stand-up. He has never lost by KO or TKO and has secured nearly two-thirds of his wins before the limit. To prepare as well as possible for Kertész, he went to a camp in Croatia, directly to Trušček, the only man who managed to finish him in the cage.<h2>MÁTÉ „COLD BLOODED" KERTÉSZ: A LEGEND AT A CAREER CROSSROADS</h2>On the other side of the cage stands a man who intends to stop the on-fire German. Máté Kertész (15-10) is walking history of OKTAGON. He entered the yellow-black cage already at OKTAGON 6, where he knocked out Lukáš Pajtina in his debut. Since then, he has become the longest-active foreign fighter in the history of the organization. In Cologne, his jubilee twentieth start under the yellow-black flag awaits him. In nineteen fights in OKTAGON, he has managed to win ten. He stood at the birth of the million-euro Tipsport Gamechanger project, participating in its first series. He waged a memorable war with long-time champion David „Pink Panther" Kozma twice, the second time directly for the welterweight throne in the five-round main event of OKTAGON 17. On his journey, he collected a number of valuable scalps, twice defeating the German Celt Christian Jungwirth, he also handled, for example, Róbert Pukač, and last left the cage victoriously at OKTAGON 55 in Stuttgart, where he finished Niklas Stolze by submission.His style is pressure and ground fighting, in which he belongs to the historically most active fighters of the organization. Besides a record of 110 takedown attempts, which is the most of all fighters in OKTAGON history. He is second in the number of successful takedowns (43) and third in the number of defended ones (50). He has spent over fifty minutes on the ground and nearly twenty in the clinch by the fence, both ranking him at the absolute top of the organization's statistics. When he ties up his opponent at the fence and gets him underneath, he knows how to torture him for a whole round. For years, he was considered a man whom no one could finish before the limit.But right now, he is going through the most difficult period of his career. He has three lost fights in a row, and in two of them, his opponent managed to finish him. First, the Brazilian Leandro Silva defeated him on points, then the Czech banger Andrej Kalašnik knocked him out in the first round, and in Munich, the undefeated Felix Klinkhammer caught him in a leg lock. From a former title contender, he is suddenly a man whose future in the yellow-black colors hangs by a thread. For the thirty-four-year-old veteran, Cologne could be the last chance to remind everyone why no one could break him for so long.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYKf7faoSff/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=AbUjmx8q6w9v6mA83JaWsRa"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>WHO WILL IMPOSE THEIR GAME IN COLOGNE?</h2>The on-fire Akipa is in life-best form and knows that the scalp of one of the most respected names in the organization can catapult him among the welterweight elite, while for Kertész, a fourth consecutive defeat could mean the end in the organization after twenty fights. Furthermore, it is a classic clash of styles. The long German striker builds his game on stand-up, while the Hungarian grappler builds his on takedowns and ground fighting. One is aiming for entry among the stars and turned his last defeat into the fuel of his rise, the other is defending everything he has built over long years in the yellow-black cage. Will the on-fire German send the Hungarian legend to his knees, or will the veteran remind the division that he is far from ready to leave?The yellow-black colossus returns to Germany. The OKTAGON 91 tournament will strike in full force on July 11 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, and headed by the title rematch Engizek vs. Jotko, it promises a stunning evening full of hard battles. You simply cannot miss this crossroads of destiny! Secure your seat directly in the stands or watch the entire tournament live via PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>. You can buy tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

One is riding a wave of peak form, the other is perhaps fighting for bare survival. On-fire Cihad Akipa has won five in a row and is heading to Cologne for a scalp that could catapult him into the welterweight elite.

AT THE CROSSROADS: SURGING AKIPA TAKES ON HUNGARIAN LEGEND IN COLOGNE

At the OKTAGON 91 tournament in Cologne, a clash of two undefeated fighters will take place. Twenty-three-year-old Slovak talent Patrik Šebek (4–0) will be the only Slovak on the entire card to face the undefeated German fighter Altin Zenuni (4–0). Patrik has a victorious debut in OKTAGON behind him, during which he silenced the audience in Düsseldorf in January by defeating home favorite Emir-Can Al on points. Now he is heading into enemy territory once again. Moreover, he is entering Cologne in a new, lightweight division and in the role of an underdog on paper. What does he have to say about his toughest opponent yet, why does he enjoy the role of the biggest enemy, and what are his plans for the rest of the year? You will find out in our interview.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/c91b2ea8-982b-4734-afe8-cda1f5061420/cs.1782911687470.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/01cca2a6-93e5-4d2c-850f-cb49746b1b73/cs.1782911693440.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent>Patrik, OKTAGON 91 in Cologne is just around the corner. The last time you stood in the OKTAGON cage was in January for your debut in Düsseldorf. What is your state of mind going into your second fight under the yellow-and-black flag?Well, I take every fight in OKTAGON as a chance of a lifetime, so I am in the same state of mind. The only difference from the first fight will be that I basically already know what I am getting into, what the atmosphere will be like, what will be happening, and the things around it.How did you actually get into MMA, and who or what shaped you the most on this journey?I got into it by watching the female OKTAGON Výzva, after which I wanted to try training. And by coincidence, a friend of mine went to training sessions in Martin, so he took me along, and since then I've been doing it at Colosseum in Martin.Is there anyone in this sport, whether at home or in the world, whom you consider your role model, and what appealed to you about them?No, I don't really have a role model. For me, it's more like there are some fighters I like and some I don't, but I don't have a specific role model.Your opponent is another undefeated fighter, Altin Zenuni, a product of Düsseldorf's UFD Gym, an IMMAF veteran, and a multiple-time German champion. What do you see as his biggest strengths, and do you consider him your toughest opponent so far?Well, this will definitely be my toughest opponent so far. His biggest strength will probably be wrestling.It is a clash of two undefeated fighters. How big is the motivation for you to hand Zenuni his first defeat and at the same time protect your own zero?Well, it's always great when I can be the first one to beat someone, it adds a little bit to the motivation. But I don't focus entirely on that, I focus on my own performance, to make it 1000%.On paper, Zenuni is ranked higher, and bookmakers are casting you in the role of the underdog, just like before your debut in Düsseldorf, which you ultimately won. Does the underdog role drive you forward, or do you not look at the numbers at all?I will be glad when they see the level I am at. Let them think I'm an underdog for now, everything will show in the cage.You are entering Cologne in the lightweight division, whereas until now you have fought in welterweight. Why did you decide to drop down a weight class, how demanding is the weight cut for you, and do you consider this change your advantage?My coach and I decided on the weight change, we'll see how it suits me. It will probably be a slight advantage because I've had fights with heavier opponents, but I am curious myself how it will suit me. The weight cut won't come for free.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFv_B1gel5/"></oktinstagramcomponent>You fought your OKTAGON debut in a hostile atmosphere against home favorite Emir-Can Al and silenced the arena with a clear points victory. In Cologne, a crowd that will most likely be on your opponent's side again awaits you at the Lanxess Arena. Does the role of someone who arrives to spoil the home crowd's joy suit you?I actually enjoy this role. Arriving as the biggest enemy and on enemy ground, that is exactly for me, I am looking forward to it.You are called the "Octopus" mainly due to your top-tier ground game. How do you feel in the stand-up, and is it something you are actively working on in your preparation right now?Well, I work on all aspects of the fight, I would already say that I feel just as good in the stand-up as I do on the ground.Where exactly do you prepare for your fights, and what does your regular training week look like when you have to combine it with work?I prepare at Colosseum MMA Martin and Performance Martin, occasionally we go out for sparring somewhere outside of Martin. As for work, I am not working at the moment. I have a great job where I can agree with my boss that I won't work before a fight and can return after the fight. So currently I am living my dream: morning training, evening training, rest in between, and maybe running some errands at most, otherwise full focus on MMA.You yourself said that four fights a year is the maximum for you. How many more do you want to manage this year after Cologne, and where would you like to head next?We will see how the fight turns out, but if I am healthy, I would very much like to fit in two more fights this year.What would you like to say to everyone who will be rooting for you, whether they come to Cologne or watch you at home on their screens?Keep your fingers crossed, I am heading into enemy territory as the only Slovak on the card. I will represent proudly, you have something to look forward to.Will the Slovak talent survive enemy ground, or will the home fighter defend his invincibility in front of his own crowd? The OKTAGON 91 tournament will storm the Cologne Lanxess Arena on July 11th and promises an evening full of heart-stopping battles. Do not miss the next milestone of Europe's best MMA league and support your favorite! You can buy tickets or PPV at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

At the OKTAGON 91 tournament in Cologne, a clash of two undefeated fighters will take place. Twenty-three-year-old Slovak talent Patrik Šebek (4–0) will be the only Slovak on the entire card to face the undefeated German fighter Altin Zenuni (4–0).

INTERVIEW WITH PATRIK ŠEBEK: "ARRIVING AS THE BIGGEST ENEMY, THAT IS EXACTLY FOR ME"

It took just 217 seconds. That's how quickly the Polish veteran locked in a choke with no escape last January and plunged the entire Düsseldorf arena into stunned silence. In under four minutes, Krzysztof Jotko (29-6) took the million-euro Gamechanger trophy away from home king Kerim Engizek (24-5) and ended his eleven-year unbeaten run. But there was one thing he couldn't take, because it wasn't on the line back then: the middleweight championship belt. And that is exactly what changes now! On 11 July, Cologne's Lanxess Arena becomes the stage for a rematch in which everything is at stake.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/4ab19ea2-df34-46b8-ba5b-29f353ab3ef6/cs.1782734871715.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/99bb8bea-7396-4e94-b612-a2048f4457cc/cs.1782734877002.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>KERIM ENGIZEK: THE HOME KING WITH DYNAMITE IN HIS HANDS</h2>Kerim Engizek is the reigning king of the middleweight division, arriving in Cologne with one clear mission: to settle his January debt. He fought his way to the top of European MMA despite a harsh upbringing on the streets of Düsseldorf. He carved out his path with his fists, first in the boxing ring and later in his second family, the renowned UFD Gym in Düsseldorf, where a gifted brawler grew into one of the most feared fighters on the continent. Fourteen of his twenty-four wins came by KO or TKO, and he stopped half of all his opponents in the very first round. He has also never once lost by KO or TKO.Before Jotko stopped him in January, Engizek had gone eleven years and seventeen fights unbeaten! The peak of that ride came in October 2024, when he outpointed Patrik Kincl by unanimous decision at a football stadium in Frankfurt and became the very first man to defeat him inside the yellow-and-black cage. With that, he ascended to the middleweight throne. No wonder OKTAGON fans voted him the surprise of 2024. Engizek doesn't apply pressure with his fists alone; his low kicks land on average once every sixteen seconds, chipping away at his opponents piece by piece until that one shot arrives that ends it all.The road through the million-euro Gamechanger cost him dearly, though. In the opening round, at home in Düsseldorf, he handled the tough Kamil Oniszczuk, then wiped out the seasoned Mick Stanton by TKO. In the semifinal he fought Dominik Humburger in one of the wildest wars of the whole season, but walked away from it with a broken hand. Surgery and a disrupted preparation robbed him of a large part of his camp, and he entered the final against Jotko far from his ideal form. That is where his long run came to an end. Now, fully prepared, he wants to erase that defeat on home soil. This time it's not just about revenge, but also about keeping his belt.<h2>KRZYSZTOF JOTKO: THE STRATEGIST HUNTING FOR A TITLE</h2>Krzysztof Jotko already holds the million-euro Tipsport Gamechanger trophy. Now he arrives in Cologne for the one thing still missing. The Polish veteran spent nearly nine years in the UFC, where he piled up eleven wins across seventeen fights, earned a Performance of the Night award, and matched up with the world's elite. His weapon isn't a single punch, but the ability to methodically take an opponent apart. Nineteen of his twenty-nine wins came by the judges' decision. He found his way to combat sports by a detour, too. As a youngster he did breakdance and discovered the beauty of MMA by chance on television. Today he lives and trains in Florida at the renowned American Top Team, alongside world champions.He has yet to find a conqueror inside the yellow-and-black cage and holds a spotless 4-0 record. Outside the UFC, he has never tasted the bitterness of defeat. His ground control borders on perfection; across all his OKTAGON fights he has spent a total of just twenty-three seconds on his back. On his way to the Gamechanger final he beat Ion Surdu, stopped Marek Mazúch by TKO, and in the semifinal also handled the tournament's sensation, Hojat Khajevand.The climax came in Düsseldorf. He locked a choke onto Engizek in the very first round, ended the seventeen-fight unbeaten run of the home king, and collected a cheque for 300,000 euros. But the belt wasn't on the line back then, and that is exactly what drives Jotko to Cologne. He arrives on enemy territory as a man who has already proven he can silence an entire arena in a matter of minutes.<oktyoutubecomponent url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPLqvCoX0Lg"></oktyoutubecomponent><h2>THIS TIME EVERYTHING IS ON THE LINE</h2>Some stories demand a second chapter. Engizek arrives in Cologne driven by the desire to wash away the defeat that broke his long streak, right in front of his own fans. Jotko, for his part, knows that on the other side of the cage stands the only man who can take away everything he won last January. Neither of them can afford to lose. And that is exactly why everything is at stake in the Lanxess Arena.When the curtain fell in Düsseldorf last January, it left behind a host of unanswered questions. Was it merely a mix of circumstances and injury, or pure dominance by the Polish fighter? Engizek swears it was the former. Jotko is determined to prove the latter. In Cologne, both will get their chance to write that answer once and for all. Will Engizek erase the most painful defeat of his career in front of his home crowd and keep his belt, or will the Polish strategist go and claim the championship belt and bring the middleweight division under his rule?OKTAGON heads to Cologne and brings a title storm with it. OKTAGON 91 strikes in full force on 11 July and promises a thrilling night packed with hard-hitting battles. You simply can't miss this rematch! Secure your seat in the stands and be there, or watch the whole event live via PPV. Get your tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

It took just 217 seconds. That's how quickly the Polish veteran locked in a choke with no escape last January and plunged the entire Düsseldorf arena into stunned silence. In under four minutes, Krzysztof Jotko took the million-euro Gamechanger trophy away from Kerim Engizek.

REMATCH FOR EVERYTHING: ENGIZEK DEFENDS HIS THRONE AGAINST THE MAN WHO ONCE BROKE HIM

Almost two years after losing his throne, Patrik Kincl has his sights set back on the top. On July 11th, Cologne’s Lanxess Arena turns into a battlefield for the future of OKTAGON’s middleweight division. The night’s main event belongs to the title rematch between Kerim Engizek and Krzysztof Jotko, but the main card also serves up a clash that could decide who even gets within sight of a title shot. Former champion Patrik Kincl (29-12) marches into hostile German territory, where home favorite Hojat Khajevand (10-5) awaits him. Will the Czech strategist prove he still has a chance to claim the middleweight throne, or will Khajevand write the biggest story of his career right here in Cologne?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/bc693806-ebd3-46b6-9063-6c759737423c/cs.1782391725278.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/bd287611-cf80-440a-b782-7b6b52f8f658/cs.1782391730589.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>PATRIK “THE INSPECTOR” KINCL: A LEGEND WHO REFUSES TO GIVE UP</h2>To Czech fans, he’s a living legend. His parents steered him toward combat sports at the age of five, when he started out in judo. He later turned to skateboarding and snowboarding, returning to the mats only as a teenager, this time through boxing. And that’s when he lost his way. A bout of youthful recklessness landed him behind bars, where he spent two years. It was there, by his own account, that he decided to climb back up from rock bottom, and MMA became his way out. To this day he doesn’t hesitate to say it saved his life. In OKTAGON, he went on to author one of the longest reigns in the organization’s history, and for a long stretch he sat atop the pound-for-pound rankings as the best fighter in the promotion, regardless of weight.He captured the middleweight belt in February 2022 at OKTAGON 31, outpointing Samuel “Pirát” Krištofič, and held it for nearly three years. His most prized defense remains the showdown with Karlos Vémola at OKTAGON 43, one of the most-watched fights in the history of the Czech-Slovak scene, in which Kincl became the first Czech ever to beat “The Terminator” on points. He lost the throne only in October 2024 at OKTAGON 62, when Kerim Engizek took the belt from him at a German football stadium in front of a record crowd. Six months later, in June 2025 at OKTAGON 72, he also came up short against Makhmud Muradov in a bid for the vacant interim title. Two straight defeats raised questions about whether “The Inspector” still had anything left to offer. He delivered his answer in December 2025 at OKTAGON 81, closing out his long-standing rivalry with Robert Pukač via a clear decision. Now he wants to prove that falling from the throne was just a stop along the way, not the end of the line.<h2>HOJAT KHAJEVAND: THE GERMAN GIANT-SLAYER</h2>On the other side of the cage stands a man with no intention of playing the backdrop to Kincl’s comeback. Khajevand’s story began far from the spotlight, with an escape from his native Tehran and a life in an asylum shelter in Freiburg. It was in Germany that he found solid ground beneath his feet, and today he runs his own gym there, Astra Sports Academy, raising the next generation of fighters. His weapons were forged by wrestling, which he took up at the age of ten. That school built the foundation of his game, but Khajevand didn’t stop at wrestling. He can break an opponent down with pressure and takedowns just as easily as he can drop him with a hard shot on the feet.He earned major attention as a reserve fighter in last year’s Tipsport Gamechanger. First, stepping in as a reserve, he stopped Kennedy Rayomba and Łukasz Siwiec in the opening round, and when one of the top names dropped out of the tournament, he stepped straight into the quarterfinals. There he shocked former interim champion Piotr Wawrzyniak, taking the decision, and battled his way to the semifinals. His run was halted only by the eventual tournament winner, Krzysztof Jotko. With an 80% finishing rate, Khajevand is exactly the kind of opponent you’d rather not underestimate. Now he gets his chance to share the cage with one of the organization’s biggest names, and on German soil to boot.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1452"></oktfightcomponent><h2>WHO WILL RULE THE COLOGNE CAGE?</h2>This is for everything. The division’s number two, Kincl, is defending his standing above number four Khajevand, knowing that a slip against a man ranked beneath him would knock him out of the title picture. Khajevand, on the other hand, is hunting a scalp that could turn him into a star. On paper, “The Inspector” walks in as the man expected to win, and that’s exactly the role he has to confirm on hostile ground. Kincl himself admitted that, had he not watched Khajevand’s recent fights, he’d have been tempted to underestimate him. And that’s the unknown hanging over this entire bout. The Czech strategist is at his most dangerous the moment he reads his opponent, yet Khajevand is precisely the type who’s hardest to figure out. Will Khajevand claim the scalp of a former champion, or will “The Inspector” prove he still has a claim to a title shot?The yellow-and-black colossus returns to Germany. OKTAGON 91 erupts on July 11th at Cologne’s Lanxess Arena, bringing a title rematch and a battle for the future of the middleweight division. So don’t wait, secure your spot right there in the stands! Tickets are available at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

Almost two years after losing his throne, Patrik Kincl has his sights set back on the top. On July 11th, Cologne’s Lanxess Arena turns into a battlefield for the future of OKTAGON’s middleweight division.

KINCL CHASES THE TITLE, BUT THE GAMECHANGER SENSATION STANDS IN HIS WAY

Eight finishes out of eleven fights! That was OKTAGON 90, an event where the judges had to rule on only three bouts. The rest of the card was dominated by a lightning-fast KO, a crushing TKO and a textbook submission, and both title fights ended before the limit on top of that. What did the historic first Berlin gala of OKTAGON look like through the eyes of the scoring judges?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/dacc706d-6ef0-4701-b319-6c81192a731a/cs.1782298720625.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/dbffb113-605a-44c0-b405-0fba0434b0b7/cs.1782298725799.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>WILL FLEURY VS. KASIM ARAS</h2>The peak of the Berlin night never reached the scorecards. The opening round played out tactically and Will Fleury controlled it with precise leg kicks so well that all three judges awarded it to him. The second round did bring a firefight in which Aras briefly pushed forward, but the Irish champion struck back with everything he had. He landed a high kick that rocked his opponent and then switched him off on the feet with a hard left to the chin that dropped Aras to the canvas. KO in the second round, and Fleury remains undefeated under the yellow-and-black banner.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1429" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MATEUSZ LEGIERSKI VS. GÖKHAN AKSU</h2>The scoring judges didn't have much work at this title fight either. Both men flew at each other at a tremendous pace and Legierski unexpectedly went down himself after one of the exchanges. But the Polish champion got straight back up, found the target for his heavy punch again and took his opponent down himself. There he unleashed a devastating ground and pound, under whose avalanche the referee had to step in. TKO in the first round, and the lightweight king defended his throne for the very first time.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1441" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ALINA DALASLAN VS. DJULIA ARIANA</h2>All three judges awarded the opening round to home fighter Alina Dalaslan, who was the more precise on the feet. Germany's princess of MMA gave them no more work than that. In the second round both fighters opened up sharper exchanges, and halfway through it the turning point came. Dalaslan landed a hard spinning elbow that split her opponent's forehead open, and because of the cut the fight was stopped. TKO in the second round, and Dalaslan continues her flawless run without a single loss.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1397" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>DENIS FRIMPONG VS. NIKO SAMSONIDSE</h2>Here the cards stayed completely blank. Niko Samsonidse entered the heated duel with tremendous composure and decided its fate with his very first strike. A clean left jab rocked Frimpong, who immediately crashed to the canvas, and it was over. KO in the opening of the first round, and a phenomenal performance from the German fighter.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1410" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>NIKLAS STOLZE VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2>The fastest finish of the entire night. Pfeifer flew into the cage like a hurricane and in the very first seconds landed a crushing strike that sent Stolze tumbling to the ground. The charged-up heavy hitter waited for nothing, threw himself after his shaken opponent and unleashed a destructive series. TKO in the opening of the first round, with the judges getting to write down nothing at all.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1423" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ATTILA KORKMAZ VS. SAID-KHUSEIN AKHYADOV</h2>The only split decision and the most even battle of the whole card. The very tight opening round was seen by two of the three judges for Akhyadov, the third gave it to Korkmaz. The second round then belonged clearly to Korkmaz, who landed a clean spinning kick to the head after which a finish hung in the air, and all three judges awarded him the round. Everything was therefore decided by the final five minutes, a war full of sharp exchanges in which Said-Khusein Akhyadov was the more accurate. Two of the judges ultimately saw him as the winner, the third Korkmaz, and the hard-earned victory by split decision goes to the fighter who took the bout on short notice on top of it all.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1466" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ARIJAN TOPALLAJ VS. JAN STANOVSKÝ</h2>The cards opened only for the first round. In it, Topallaj outgunned his opponent on the feet, defended his takedown and all three judges awarded him the round. Early in the second round, however, he gave Stanovský no room for a turnaround. He caught his neck, tightened the guillotine firmly and delivered a submission in the second round.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1432" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MATĚJ PEŇÁZ VS. ALAN SILVA</h2>Matěj "Money" Peňáz didn't give the scoring judges much work. The elite striker sent out a crushing punch to the chin that dropped Alan Silva, and he didn't hesitate for a second. He moved behind his shaken opponent, showed dominant control and forced the referee to step in with a series of strikes. TKO in the first round, and already Peňáz's eighth first-round finish on OKTAGON soil.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1457" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>AHMAD HALIMSON VS. JOSEPH DONKOR</h2>The clearest of the night's verdicts. Ahmad Halimson controlled the action from the opening horn, stepped on the gas late in the first round and claimed it for himself. The second five minutes offered the same picture, with him again the more precise. Donkor did threaten with a hard rear hand a few seconds before the end, but it wasn't enough for a turnaround, and so Halimson confidently protected his lead in the third round. All three judges agreed, and the unanimous decision of 30:27 goes to Halimson.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1398" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ZAFAR MOHSEN VS. RICHIE SMULLEN</h2>A thrilling ride that left the cards untouched. Zafar Mohsen threw exceptionally hard shots from the very first seconds and repeatedly sent Richie Smullen to the ground. Each time he let his shaken opponent get up, only to sit him back down with another precise strike, and he finally capped the whole assault with a clean hook to the liver. KO in the first round.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1431" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>DAVLET KARATAEV VS. DANIEL SALAS</h2>The gala was opened by one of the three duels that reached the scorecards. Young talent Davlet Karataev dictated the pace from the first seconds, kept the entire fight on the feet with precise punches and kicks, and Daniel Salas found no recipe for his offense. All three judges gave Karataev all three rounds, and one of them even saw his dominance as so clear-cut that he scored every round 10:8. The unanimous decision of 30:27, 30:24 and 30:26 means a commanding victory for the home fighter.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1442" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent>Berlin's premiere is written into OKTAGON's history, but the yellow-and-black colossus isn't stopping and continues its German run! On July 11, the Lanxess Arena in Cologne will host OKTAGON 91, headlined by the title rematch Engizek vs. Jotko. Don't miss another night full of hard battles and secure your place right in the heart of the action. Get your tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

Eight finishes out of eleven fights! That was OKTAGON 90, an event where the judges had to rule on only three bouts. The rest of the card was dominated by a lightning-fast KO.

OKTAGON 90 THROUGH THE JUDGES' EYES: BERLIN WITNESSED A FESTIVAL OF FINISHES

Berlin became the stage for a thrilling show that delivered several lightning-fast finishes in the opening seconds of battle. Reigning lightweight king Mateusz Legierski dominantly defended his championship throne inside the cage, while Irish phenomenon Will Fleury once again showcased his class and remains undefeated under the yellow-and-black banner. Dive into the detailed recap of OKTAGON 90 and relive the hardest moments of the entire night!<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6b42780d-3aba-4b24-bfb6-d6a5847b43f5/cs.1781992809632.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/c472cdd7-162f-404f-8c88-191ce47c39a7/cs.1781992824415.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>WILL FLEURY VS. KASIM ARAS</h2>Two-division champion Will Fleury did it again and still hasn't found his conqueror under the yellow-and-black banners of OKTAGON! The opening round began rather tactically from both sides. While Aras opted for a more cautious approach, Fleury systematically dismantled his opponent from the first seconds with hard leg kicks. Aras tried a few aggressive rushes, but almost none of his strikes found a clean target. Early in the second round, however, a wild firefight erupted inside the cage. Aras managed to land successfully and then pushed the Irishman against the fence. But Fleury flipped the entire bout in his favor in a flash. He unloaded a crushing high kick that rocked his opponent and immediately followed with a heavy left. The shaken Aras crashed to the canvas, where Fleury opened up a devastating barrage of strikes that ended the fight. The star champion celebrates another dominant triumph. The Irish phenomenon won't rest for long, though, because on August 1st a huge test awaits him at a hopelessly sold-out Štvanice in the form of elite Czech striker Daniel Škvor.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1429"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MATEUSZ LEGIERSKI VS. GÖKHAN AKSU</h2>The night's first title battle delivered a thrilling spectacle from the very opening seconds. Both men flew at each other at a tremendous pace. Legierski twice threatened with a hard right that visibly rocked Aksu. The determined challenger fired back in a flash, however, with a shot that unexpectedly dropped the Polish champion to the canvas. The reigning lightweight king showed the heart of a warrior and immediately got back to his feet. He soon found the target for his heavy punch again, took his opponent down and unleashed an absolutely devastating ground and pound. Under the avalanche of hard shots, the referee had no choice but to stop the bout early. Mateusz Legierski thus defended his championship throne in grand style for the very first time and proved to everyone exactly why he rules this division.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1441"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ALINA DALASLAN VS. DJULIA ARIANA</h2>Germany's princess of MMA did it again! In the first round both fighters measured each other on the feet. Dalaslan was the sharper in the opening round and claimed it for herself. In the second round the fighters opened up far more aggressive exchanges. Midway through the second, Dalaslan landed a hard spinning elbow that opened up her opponent's forehead, and due to the gash the fight was stopped on a TKO at 2:39 of the second round. Dalaslan thus continues her flawless run without a single loss.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1397"></oktfightcomponent><h2>DENIS FRIMPONG VS. NIKO SAMSONIDSE</h2>Another express finish of the Berlin night didn't let the fans in the arena catch their breath for even a moment. Niko Samsonidse entered this heated duel with tremendous composure and decided the fate of the entire fight with his very first shot. He landed two absolutely clean and devastating blows right on the chin, after which Denis Frimpong crashed straight to the ground. The anticipated clash thus found its winner before it could even properly get going. Samsonidse handed his opponent a brutal KO at 0:53 of the first round and, after a dominant start, celebrates a phenomenal triumph.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1410"></oktfightcomponent><h2>NIKLAS STOLZE VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2>This was a lightning-fast affair indeed! Pfeifer flew into the cage like a hurricane and landed a crushing strike in the very second second, after which Stolze immediately collapsed to the ground. The charged-up heavy hitter waited for nothing, threw himself after his shaken opponent and unleashed a devastating ground and pound. Under the avalanche of heavy shots, the referee had no choice but to wave the bout off immediately. The clock stopped at an incredible 0:22 of the opening round. Pfeifer thus produced an absolutely dominant start, gave his opponent no chance whatsoever and adds a fantastic express victory to his record.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1423"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ATTILA KORKMAZ VS. SAID-KHUSEIN AKHYADOV</h2>The opening five minutes played out entirely on the feet, where Korkmaz threatened with dangerous kicks while Akhyadov countered precisely with hard punches. The even start ultimately went to the latter. The middle round brought truly heart-stopping moments. Korkmaz landed an absolutely clean spinning kick to the head and an early finish hung by a thread. The shaken fighter, however, showed enormous heart, fought his way out of the critical situation and immediately began dishing out heavy shots himself. Although his opponent ramped up brutal pressure even more in the final seconds, Akhyadov survived a true hell inside the cage. The closing portion turned into a pure war full of sharp exchanges. But the more accurate man in the end was Akhyadov. Even though he took this bout on short notice, he showed himself to the fans in the best possible light and, after an admirable performance, takes a hard-earned victory by decision.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1466"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ARIJAN TOPALLAJ VS. JAN STANOVSKÝ</h2>Topallaj flew into the cage with enormous energy and from the first seconds began outgunning the Czech representative on the feet. Stanovský tried to change the pace and delivered a successful takedown, but his aggressive opponent took over the initiative in a flash and threatened with a dangerous choke. Although Stanovský managed to fight his way to top control late in the opening round, he lost the advantage very quickly and the round went to the Albanian-German fighter. Early in the next five minutes there was no room left for a turnaround. At 1:22 Topallaj swiftly caught his opponent's neck, tightened the guillotine and forced Stanovský to tap.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1432"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MATĚJ PEŇÁZ VS. ALAN SILVA</h2>Matěj "Money" Peňáz once again delivered exactly what the fans were tensely expecting and added another devastating TKO finish to his record in the very first round. About a minute and a half into the fight he sent a crushing punch straight to the chin, after which Silva went down. The Czech striker didn't hesitate for a second, swiftly moved behind his shaken opponent and showed absolutely dominant control. A hard series of shots followed, under whose weight the referee had to wave the bout off at 2:30. The elite striker thus recorded his eighth first-round finish on OKTAGON soil and returned to the cage in truly stellar form.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1457"></oktfightcomponent><h2>AHMAD HALIMSON VS. JOSEPH DONKOR</h2>The opening round offered a very active and even spectacle. Both fighters traded in sharp exchanges on the feet and in tight clinches against the fence. In the very closing moments of the first round, however, Halimson stepped on the gas, landed his strikes precisely and swung the opening part of the battle his way. The second five minutes also played out purely on the feet, where it was Halimson who delivered far cleaner punches and kicks. A few seconds before the end Donkor unexpectedly threatened with a hard rear hand that visibly rocked his opponent, but no miracle turnaround came. The fight thus reached the third round. In it, Halimson confidently protected his lead all the way to the final horn and, after a controlled performance, celebrates a victory by decision.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1398"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ZAFAR MOHSEN VS. RICHIE SMULLEN</h2>Now this was an absolutely thrilling ride! Afghan-German fighter Mohsen flew into the cage with a clear goal and landed exceptionally hard shots from the first seconds. The crushing pressure bore fruit very quickly when one of the bombs sent Smullen to the ground and an early finish hung in the air. Mohsen, however, let his shaken opponent get up, only to sit him back down with another precise strike moments later. The scenario repeated; the shaken opponent managed to rise to his feet once more, but a few seconds later came a final body shot that split the entire bout open for good. KO at 2:19 of the first round. Mohsen thus delivered an unprecedented show, marked a hard KO on his record and, after an absolutely dominant performance, celebrates a spectacular triumph.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1431"></oktfightcomponent><h2>DAVLET KARATAEV VS. DANIEL SALAS</h2>Davlet Karataev confirmed his standing to the letter and delivered a clear victory by decision. From the very first seconds of the opening round it was the young talent who dictated the pace inside the cage. His exceptionally precise punches and hard kicks found their target, while Salas searched in vain for any recipe against his opponent's heavy offense. The entire bout played out purely on the feet, where Karataev reigned supreme and held firm control over the action. The sharp striker confidently managed the duel and, after a dominant performance, adds a well-deserved win to his record.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1442"></oktfightcomponent>Don't miss the next spectacular MMA show! The yellow-and-black colossus isn't stopping and, after a thrilling night, continues its German run. OKTAGON 91 in Cologne promises another night full of hard battles that are guaranteed to lift you out of your seat. Be there too and experience the electrifying atmosphere right in the heart of the action! Get your tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

Berlin became the stage for a thrilling show that delivered several lightning-fast finishes in the opening seconds of battle. Reigning lightweight king Mateusz Legierski dominantly defended his championship throne inside the cage.

OKTAGON 90 RESULTS: A NIGHT OF LIGHTNING KOs, LEGIERSKI DEFENDS, FLEURY REIGNS

OKTAGON is heading to Berlin for the first time in history, and it's bringing a card unlike anything you've seen before. On June 20, Uber Arena will host two title fights and a gala evening packed with home-grown stars and international elite. From title defenses to unbeaten hunters and the return of hungry finishers — this night has it all. Check out the complete card fight by fight and get ready for the Berlin storm.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/88b14c31-ea63-4fb5-b14d-a7f1c40b310e/cs.1781893986968.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/227fd1d4-d635-44a3-80ed-7d6f5f667372/cs.1781893997375.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>WILL FLEURY VS. KASIM ARAS</h2>The main event of the evening and a battle for the heavyweight throne that promises an absolute earthquake. Irish two-time OKTAGON champion Will Fleury (16-3) hasn't lost in six years and arrives in Berlin carrying two belts and the status of the organization's P4P number one. He last defended his heavyweight crown when he stopped former UFC heavyweight Martin Buday in under two minutes. But standing in his way is the relentless home warrior Kasim Aras (11-5), who knocked out Adam Pałasz in OKTAGON and outpointed Simon Biyong on the scorecards. Both fighters are yet to taste defeat inside the yellow-and-black cage. One of them will lose that record on Saturday.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1429"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MATEUSZ LEGIERSKI VS. GÖKHAN AKSU</h2>Polish champion Mateusz „Dynamit" Legierski (13-2), after a serious back injury that kept him out of the cage for over a year, returned to the throne with a unanimous five-round victory over Attila Korkmaz. Now he's looking to defend the lightweight title for the first time. His weapon is a murderous pace that breaks opponents in the late rounds. Facing him is finisher Gökhan „Abinator" Aksu (14-6-1), who is practically a stranger to the judges' scorecards. All fourteen of his wins came before the final bell, eleven of them by KO. Will Legierski drown his challenger in the deep waters of the late rounds, or will the Turkish finisher deliver yet another lightning-fast stoppage?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1441"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ALINA DALASLAN VS. DJULIA ARIANA</h2>The unbeaten German hope steps into the biggest test of her career. Home star Alina „Iron Fist" Dalaslan (5-0), IMMAF world champion and protégé of boxing legend Regina Halmich, holds a clean record and wants to defend it at all costs in front of her Berlin crowd. But standing in her way is Brazilian striker Djulia Ariana (5-2), who relies on an aggressive stance and hard exchanges. Can Dalaslan handle the pressure of the biggest gala evening of her career, or will the Brazilian striker end her unbeaten run in front of a packed Uber Arena?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1397"></oktfightcomponent><h2>DENIS FRIMPONG VS. NIKO SAMSONIDSE</h2>The Irish showman comes to Berlin to ruin the home hero's plans. Denis „The Menace" Frimpong (8-3) is a relentless fighter who crushes opponents with his pace and a loud show to boot. But standing in his way in his home city is Niko „One Love" Samsonidse (12-4), one of Germany's best submission specialists and a two-time challenger for the OKTAGON featherweight title. Now moving up to lightweight, he intends to celebrate his Berlin debut with a victory. Can the home grappler silence the Irish showman, or will Frimpong bury him under relentless pressure?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1410"></oktfightcomponent><h2>NIKLAS STOLZE VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2>One came to confirm his position, the other came to steal it. Magdeburg veteran Niklas „Green Mask" Stolze (14-9), the very first fighter to make it from OKTAGON to the UFC, arrives in Berlin with a reputation as a fighter who simply cannot be ignored. But hungry home talent Tyrone Pfeifer (7-1) is coming for him — a fighter who, after scalping the feared „German Executioner" Bartl, feels this is his life's chance to break into the elite.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1423"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ATTILA KORKMAZ VS. SAID-KHUSEIN AKHYADOV</h2>The Berlin hero returns with something to prove. Home fighter Attila „The Fearless" Korkmaz (16-11), number three in the lightweight rankings, is promising a spectacular finish after his losing title fight against Legierski. But stepping in his way is Stuttgart's Said-Khusein „Borz" Akhyadov (8-5), who accepted this enormous challenge at the last minute and arrives in Berlin with one goal: to shock the arena and steal the scalp of the home favourite. Will Korkmaz return to winning ways, or will the determined late replacement spring a surprise in front of his own crowd?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1466"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ARIJAN TOPALLAJ VS. JAN STANOVSKÝ</h2>The Albanian Eagle is going hunting. Arijan Topallaj (9-2-1) has seven first-round victories to his name and enters the cage with one goal: to finish before the bell rings. But standing in his way is Jan Stanovský (8-2), a Brno prospect riding a three-fight finishing streak with a fresh win over Rajewski. Which of these two relentless finishers will send his opponent to the canvas first?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1432"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MATĚJ PEŇÁZ VS. ALAN SILVA</h2>The long-awaited return of a Czech star. Matěj „Money" Peňáz (10-1), unbeaten in OKTAGON, steps back into the cage after a year and a half away. Nine of his ten victories didn't need to wait for the judges' verdict. Standing in his way is seasoned Brazilian veteran Alan Silva (20-13-1), ruler of five Brazilian organisations with double champion status. Can Peňáz cap his return with yet another finish?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1457"></oktfightcomponent><h2>AHMAD HALIMSON VS. JOSEPH DONKOR</h2>The Berlin hunter steps out in front of his home crowd. Ahmad Halimson (7-4-1) brings relentless pressure that gives his opponents no room to breathe. He last used it to take down Jan Malach and wants to build on that performance at the Uber Arena. But determined Joseph Donkor (6-2) is coming to stop him, arriving in Berlin with one aim: to ruin Halimson's evening and steal every bit of the spotlight for himself.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1398"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ZAFAR MOHSEN VS. RICHIE SMULLEN</h2>A hard finisher will face a fighter from the gym that produced Conor McGregor himself. Experienced German veteran Zafar „The Powerhouse" Mohsen (14-4) is dangerous both on the feet and on the ground — six wins by KO/TKO and five by submission. He outpointed Samuel Bark in his OKTAGON debut and arrives in Berlin on a four-fight winning streak. But facing him is Richie Smullen (15-4-1) of the famous SBG Ireland, a seasoned fighter with experience from Bellator and The Ultimate Fighter reality show, who stopped Barborík and most recently shared the cage with Ivan Buchinger.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1431"></oktfightcomponent><h2>DAVLET KARATAEV VS. DANIEL SALAS</h2>One of Europe's greatest lightweight talents will open the entire evening. Berlin's Davlet Karataev (8-2) is a technically refined fighter with an unpredictable style, and in front of his home crowd he wants to show the world why everyone is talking about him. But standing in his way is experienced Mexican fighter Daniel Salas (20-8-1), a champion with three titles from the Mexican Budo Sento Championship, who went through The Ultimate Fighter and also competed in Japan's RIZIN. Can the young talent handle the pressure of a seasoned Mexican finisher?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1442"></oktfightcomponent>Berlin is gearing up for OKTAGON's first-ever gala evening, and Uber Arena on June 20 will host two title fights and a whole army of home stars. Want to be there when OKTAGON storms the German capital for the first time? Don't miss this historic milestone — watch the full evening live on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>!<okteventcomponent eventid="124"></okteventcomponent>

OKTAGON is heading to Berlin for the first time in history, and it's bringing a card unlike anything you've seen before. On June 20, Uber Arena will host two title fights and a gala evening packed with home-grown stars and international elite.

BERLIN CARD FIGHT BY FIGHT: TWO TITLE FIGHTS AND AN ARMY OF HOME HEROES

The black-and-yellow colossus is heading to the German capital for the very first time, and the Uber Arena will host not one but two title fights on June 20th. But Berlin isn't just about championship belts. The entire card is packed with gripping stories and staggering numbers. Dive into the best fun facts hiding inside the first-ever OKTAGON event in Berlin.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/feaa0fb9-4ada-4be1-9ede-191e27c0602a/cs.1781702239832.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6dee0b81-b572-4638-8b3f-71d81fc10967/cs.1781702244830.png" link="" croppedcorners="false" cropcornertr="true" cropcornerbl="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>SIX YEARS UNBEATEN AND THE SMALLEST HEAVYWEIGHT</h2>Will Fleury steps into the cage on June 20th — exactly six years to the day since he last tasted defeat. Back on June 20th, 2020, Maciej Rozanski put him away with a submission. Since then, the double champion has gone ten fights without a single loss and is looking to mark that anniversary in the best way possible: defending the heavyweight throne. The Irish king has also held the P4P number one spot for 308 days, the second-longest reign in OKTAGON history behind only Patrik Kincl, and he remains the only heavyweight champion to ever successfully defend his belt.Standing in his way is hometown hero Kasim Aras, a man who breaks every rule about what a heavyweight should look like. At just 178 centimetres, he is the shortest fighter on the entire divisional rankings. He makes up for it with devastating power — he knocked out Adam Pałasz with a single punch. A product of KKS Sparta Aachen, Aras also brings experience from American Bellator MMA and holds titles from Elite MMA Championship and Fair Fighting Championship.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZr8Hn1jPeK/?hl=cs&amp;img_index=1"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>EARTHQUAKE IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION</h2>You could say Gökhan Aksu barely knows what a judges' scorecard looks like. The fighter nicknamed "Abinator" has never once won a professional fight on points. All fourteen of his victories ended before the final bell, eleven of them by KO or TKO. Inside the OKTAGON cage, he has delivered all three of his wins in the very first round. The lightweight challenger rides a six-fight winning streak into his title shot. Berlin also brings a reunion of old rivals — on the same card, Aksu will cross paths with two men he has already shared the cage with. The first is Irish showman Denis Frimpong, whom he silenced with hard hooks. The second is local favourite Ahmad Halimson, whom the Turkish finisher faced back in 2023 in Innsbruck, Austria.Standing between him and the belt is a man who has already rewritten the record books. Mateusz Legierski became the very first lightweight champion in OKTAGON history back in February 2020, effectively founding the entire division. He eventually won the title back by dismantling Attila Korkmaz at OKTAGON 80, taking four of the five rounds. He was originally set to defend in front of a home crowd in Szczecin, but a broken thumb forced him out at the last minute. Among all active foreign fighters in the organisation, no one has collected more wins than he has. In Berlin, he will defend his belt for the very first time.<h2>THE RETURN OF "MONEY"</h2>After sixteen long months away, one of the Czech scene's biggest names is stepping back into the cage. Matěj "Money" Peňáz boasts an unrivalled wingspan of 211 centimetres and has gone undefeated through all ten of his OKTAGON appearances. Nine of those ten wins came before the final bell, seven of them in the first round alone. One of those lightning-fast finishes came in just 29 seconds when he put Ole Magnor to sleep at OKTAGON 50. His opponent, Alan Silva, arrives in Berlin with almost no recovery time. The seasoned Brazilian last competed on May 30th, meaning he will step into the Uber Arena just three weeks after his previous fight — his fifth bout in the last six months.<h2>FINISHING MACHINES</h2>The judges may have an equally quiet evening in the heavyweight clash between Timo Feucht and Elvis Grohmann. German tank Feucht has finished all eight of his professional wins before the final bell. His opponent Grohmann has won three fights as a professional and sent every single opponent to the canvas by clean first-round KO. This collision of two giants looks like a brawl that may not survive the first round."The Albanian Eagle" Arijan Topallaj has similarly built his reputation on quick finishes, closing out seven of his nine victories in the opening frame. He holds the fastest KO among all active OKTAGON lightweights, putting Karol Ryšavý away in just 36 seconds. Standing across from him is Brno talent Jan Stanovský. He has quietly overtaken his fellow Brno teammates in the divisional rankings. He fights under the nickname "Dzevelekis," taken from his grandfather, and rides a two-fight finishing streak. His last win in Szczecin — taken on short notice — was particularly sweet: it was his first victory as a father.<h2>CLASH OF STYLES AND A NEW CHAPTER</h2>Niko Samsonidse brings one of the most powerful stories on the entire card back to the city that raised him. Outside the cage, a quiet social worker and passionate skater; under the arena lights, a predator with a 92% finishing rate. His career has been derailed by a horrific shin fracture, a broken jaw, and two failed attempts at the featherweight title — but the Berlin-born grappler is turning the page. He now sets his sights on the lightweight division to prove his full potential.In his way stands Irish showman and current sixth-ranked lightweight Denis Frimpong. He became the first fighter in history to stop Arijan Topallaj by TKO — yet has never once won a professional fight by submission. Still hungry after his recent loss to Gökhan Aksu, the winner of this battle will move firmly into the top five of the lightweight rankings and take a major step towards a title shot.<h2>YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW THIS</h2><ul><li>Alina Dalaslan, the unbeaten "Princess of German MMA," walked away from a prestigious position at a German car manufacturer to pursue her fighting dream. At her very first OKTAGON event, she worked as a member of the Security team. Today she holds the fastest kick output of any active OKTAGON fighter — landing a strike every 12 seconds on average — and is the only female fighter in the organisation to win by spinning elbow KO.</li><li>Attila Korkmaz has competed in 27 professional fights and has never once been stopped by KO or TKO. Outside the cage, he pays the bills working as an IT specialist.</li><li>Niklas Stolze made history as the first OKTAGON fighter to work his way up to the UFC, where he even went toe-to-toe with the highly touted Benoit Saint Denis.</li><li>Davlet Karataev holds the fastest finish on the entire card. He put one of his opponents away with a body kick in an unbelievable 7 seconds.</li><li>Ahmad Halimson got into martial arts because of his weight issues. Today he competes at lightweight, taking on debutant Joseph Donkor, who returns to the cage after a year and a half away.</li></ul>Berlin becomes the stage for a night that will go down in European MMA history on June 20th! OKTAGON 90 explodes at the Uber Arena with two title fights and a full evening of battles that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Secure your spot in the stands and be there live, or catch every second of the action via PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="124"></okteventcomponent>