<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://oktagonmma.com/cs/fighters/miroslav-broz/">Miroslav Brož</a> je legendou českého MMA, teď se ale se světem bojových sportů pomalu loučí. Zato v pořádném stylu – s Eckerlinem se utkají přímo ve Frankfurtu, kterému německý protivník kraluje. Proč odejít na vrcholu, jak to bude s hokejem a jak hodnotí celou svou kariéru? Miroslav Brož v exkluzivním rozhovoru přímo pro OKTAGON odpovídá na všechny palčivé otázky.&nbsp;<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/839c9542-f009-43ab-81a0-76384352cd3c/cs.1714078524595.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6ddfc957-4332-4f2a-a2e2-31cbfae2c056/cs.1714078530546.png"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent>Ve Frankfurtu tě čeká bitva s králem tamního města. Je pro tebe nevýhoda jeho domácí půdy nepříjemností nebo ti to pomáhá vyhecovat se k lepšímu výkonu?Já jsem na tohle zvyklý z hokeje – dost často jsme hráli venku, bývalo to nenávistné, takže tohle mi nevadí, naopak. Mně je jedno, jestli je všechno pro mě nebo proti mně, jde o to, že tam lidi jsou, pomáhá mi to se vyhecovat. Spíš pro Eckerlina je to těžší, protože je pod obrovským tlakem. Pro mě je výhoda, že nemám co ztratit a po dlouhé době jsem v pozici, kdy můžu jenom překvapit. Zároveň jsem se intenzivně připravoval se svým mentálním koučem Petrem Žídkem, abych byl stoprocentně připraven na vše, co se ve Festhalle bude dít. A strašně se na to těším. I Robo Pukač, když šel teď s Jungwirthem ve Stuttgartu, ukázal dobrý způsob, jak i na cizím hřišti předvést velice kvalitní výkon – klobouk dolů.&nbsp;Jak vidíš Eckerlina takticky? Na co si budeš dávat pozor, co od něj očekáváš?Eckerlin je dost komplexní. Umí zaboxovat, kopnout, umí zem, uškrtil Palaiologose… Rozhodně si dám pozor na škrcení a bude oproti mně samozřejmě větší i v postoji. Váha je pro něj, on sám řekl, že váha bude do osmdesáti kilo, ne do sedmasedmdesátky, což pro mě je trošku škoda, protože já mám váhu skvělou a určitě budu lehčí. Uvidíme, nějaké taktické věci máme připravené, je to velice kvalitní zápasník a na to se chystáme.<oktfightcomponent fightid="886"></oktfightcomponent>Blíží se konec tvé kariéry, jak si po posledním zápase oznámil – tělo je unavené, dostávalo pěkně zabrat.&nbsp; Proč přišel po letech zlom? Kdy nastal moment, ve kterém sis řekl, a dost?Nastal asi jednoho dne, kdy jsem&nbsp; jel v pět ráno za dětmi na trénink, skoro jsem se bolestí nezvedl a do toho mi moje přítelkyně řekla, že už mi rok nevařila bez toho, aniž by mi zavolala, kolik má navážit masa a přílohy. A do toho ta zranění. Zásadní okamžik taky byl, když jsem si s Davidem Kozmou zranil koleno. Myslel jsem si, že to nebude tak hrozné, ale musel jsem si dát asi sedm měsíců pauzu. Trénoval jsem i přes bolest, čímž jsem si to taky trošku dok*rvil, mám trvalé následky do dneška. A pak se to začalo valit: další zápas, dvakrát natržený stehenní sval, utržený i druhý biceps a už to jelo. Nejdříve jsem si neuměl připustit, že už to bude muset přijít, ale jednoho dne mi trenér David Vyvážil říká: „Hele, ty už taky máš pár zápasů a budeš končit.“ Já jsem si nejdřív říkal, proč jako, ale najednou jsem si v té pauze s kolenem uvědomil, že život je strašně hezkej a je i o něčem jiným. Pro mě je navíc strašně těžké vypnout hlavu: pokud mám zápas, tak jsem tři měsíce fokusovaný na přípravu a nejsem schopný žít normální život. Zdravotně už jsem neměl nastoupit ani s Crosbym a pak jsem říkal Ondrovi, že už to nedávám, takže jsme se domluvili, že dám Eckerlina, protože toho jsem ještě hodně chtěl. Chtěl jsem se původně rozloučit v Edenu, ale jsem strašně rozbitý už teď, natož po zápase. Doktoři mi jasně řekli, že buď bude uplný konec nebo rok bez ničeho. Mám asi osm nebo deset věcí, které musím doléčit a já to pořád odsouvám, ale už to nejde.&nbsp;Dělal bys dnes, když se ohlédneš zpět, v tomhle zdravotním ohledu něco jinak?Jo, asi bych lépe vyléčil koleno. To jsem prostě po*ral. Ale jinak je to něco za něco – všechny úspěchy a dobré zápasy byly se zraněním a stálo mě to další zranění, ale nemůžu chtít kvalitní a tvrdé zápasy a být úplně v pohodě. Bicepsy, natržené svaly, to jsou zranění, která se dějou, ale to koleno je něco jiného. Nejde jen o samotné úrazy, další věc je, že jsem se stal rezistentním na antibiotika. Když už nemám zranění, tak mě zabrzdí antibiotika… je to pořád dokola a už mě to vysiluje. Bylo toho dost.&nbsp;<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/7f8358f9-fc3c-46cc-b6cd-a52e13f436d7/cs.1714078689985.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6137bc18-37b7-4296-a6d0-1b010eb271f8/cs.1714078697522.png"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent>Je v něčem teď tvoje příprava jiná nebo vše probíhá klasicky?Právěže příprava je pořád klasická. Samozřejmě nemůžu dělat úplně všechno, co bych chtěl, ale po Crosbym jsem se nezastavil a jel jsem dál. Kdybych se zastavil, tak už se dohromady nedám. Některé věci jsem samozřejmě musel přizpůsobit, jak věku, tak zraněním, ale z 85% je to podobné a 15% dělám jinak, chytřeji.&nbsp;S MMA končíš. Jaké to pro tebe je, skončit po letech s něčím, co člověk tak miluje, čím žije?Když to shrnu jednou větou, žil jsem svůj sen. Od deseti do dvaceti let jsem hrál vrcholově hokej, pak jsem na šestnáct let přesedlal na bojové sporty. Takže celkem dělám vrcholový sport dvacet šest let. Sport miluješ, ale když to řeknu blbě, jsi fanatik, nic jiného pro tebe neexistuje. Ve dvaceti chceš jen vyhrát zápas, být slavný, úspěšný, vydělat prachy… Každý rok sbíráš úspěchy, neúspěchy a cíle se lehoučce a pomalu mění. A když do toho 16 let a každou přípravu dáváš naprosto všechno, tak tělo je unavené a už se ti nechce. Takže já už ten sport ani nemám tak rád. Užil jsem si krásnou kariéru, už si nemusím nic dokazovat. Teď si chci vychutnat poslední zápas, na který se fakt těším. Po tomhle zápase chci dlouhou pauzu, ve které nechci o MMA ani slyšet – možná si přijdu zatrénovat, pojedu se podívat na zápas, ale jen protože chci, ne protože musím.A co hokej – končíš postupně i jako trenér tam nebo hokej zůstává? Nebo se mu naopak budeš věnovat o to více?Samozřejmě hokej zůstává, naopak. Já končím kvůli 3 věcem: kvůli zdraví, hokeji a rodině. Tak, jak jsem kdysi přešel z hokeje na MMA, teď se zase chci vrátit zpátky k hokeji. Děti na trénincích mě teď potřebují víc, než já potřebuju MMA. Věří ve mě a moji práci, ale já vždy na 14 dní vypadnu z tréninku a oni jsou bez trenéra. Vím, že se tomu můžu konečně věnovat víc a plnohodnotně se tím živit, což doteď nešlo. Pořád jsem jezdil sem tam, teď už nechci sedět na dvou židlích, ani jako trenér, v rámci MMA se budu věnovat jen kamarádům. A myslím, že i v tomhle je pro mě obrovský rozdíl a výhoda – je těžké končit, když nemáš nic jiného, žádný jiný směr na výběr. A proto se vlastně strašně těším, ani se nebojím.Jaký je plán po Eckerlinovi?Teď je můj největší cíl nastoupit do zápasu ve Frankfurtu a být zdravý, odjet ho naplno a pak začít žít normální život. Rok mě určitě nikdo neuvidí – a jestli se rozloučím za rok? Možná ne, možná jo. Takže dlouhá pauza, hokej a v létě mám svatbu, to jsou nejdůležitější věci, které mě čekají. Se snoubenkou jsme domluveni, že tuhle přípravu a to, jak jsem v běžném životě nepoužitelný, ještě jednou vydrží a pak si to užijeme.Máš pocit, že odcházíš s nějakým restem?Naprosto s čistým štítem. Naopak, já chci skončit na vrcholu, málo lidem se to povede, ale pozor, mluvím o svém osobním vrcholu. Určitě může někdo říct, že jsem měl těsné zápasy, které jsem měl prohrát, ale já vím, že jsem v nich vždycky nechal úplně všechno a to lidi nejvíce ocenili. Všichni ví, že jsem srdcař a to samé chci předvést s Eckerlinem. Ale jeden rest tady je, slíbená odveta Robovi Pukačovi. Není to tak, že bych se tomu chtěl vyhýbat, ale teď se musím dát dohromady. Budu čekat, co mi během roku řeknou doktoři. Narovinu ale můžu slíbit, že pokud ještě nějaký zápas mít budu, tak z mé strany ho bude mít Robo, pokud by chtěl on. Ale to je teď úplně dětinská záležitost oproti mému zdravotnímu stavu.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/7940e250-4346-4c10-9f09-c46f661af5d1/cs.1714078837017.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/ad00be50-c146-4303-adf0-dfd28fceeddc/cs.1714078845553.png"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent>A když se zcela zasníš, že bys mohl v MMA kariéře ještě cokoliv udělat?Když se úplně zasním… No, mně nejde o UFC. Ještě tenkrát, když OKTAGON začínal, tak můj největší sen byl KSW a tam jsem se dostal. A teď je největší evropská organizace OKTAGON. Takže když to shrnu, zápasil jsem v KSW, v GCF, v OKTAGONu, ve Fight Night West, měl jsem i nabídku z Bellatoru… Ale dobře, zasním se – tak třeba odveta s Jungwirthem ve Frankfurtu na fotbalovém stadionu. Ale k tomu už asi nikdy nedojde. :-)&nbsp;Máš za sebou neskutečnou kariéru. V organizaci je teď plno nováčků, kteří teprve přišli z amatérů. Co bys jim vzkázal? Je nějaké poselství, které bys ze své pozice předal těm, kteří začínají?Ty brďo! Tak za prvé: tvrdá dřina. Já sám nejsem nějaký technik a black belt, ale na zemi mě nikdy nikdo neutáhl. To chce hodně fyzičky, utíkání, pořád dokola – tvrdá práce. A pokora. Já nejsem trash talkový typ. Chápu, že v dnešní době je to show, chce to organizace, chtějí to všichni, ale na to musí být člověk přizpůsobený. Já jsem rád, že jsem se tomu vyhnul. A taky, ať si užívají života, protože pak se najednou probereš jako já, je ti 36 let a zjistíš, že sis moc života neužil. Na tohle má každý trochu jiný názor, někdo ti naopak řekne, že do toho musíš dávat úplně všechno, ale já už to teď vidím takhle. Já mám ale díky Bohu skvělou přítelkyni, rodinu a lidi kolem sebe, takže jsem strašně spokojený. A děkuju Bohu za všechno, co jsem mohl a co mi dal, protože jsem dlouho žil svůj sen.Zažij Brože v jednom z posledních zápasů! OKTAGON 57 už 4. 5. v rozbouřené frankfurtské Festhalle. PPV zážitek z první řady zakoupíš na <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGONMMA.COM">OKTAGONMMA.COM</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="89"></okteventcomponent>

„Kdybych se zastavil, už se nedám dohromady.” Miroslav Brož v otevřeném rozhovoru o konci kariéry, 26 letech ve vrcholovém sportu a nevratných chybách. 

ROZHOVOR S BROŽEM: BYLO TOHO DOST! JEDINÝ MŮJ REST JE PUKAČ

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>

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.

FUN FACTS FROM THE BERLIN CARD: THE SMALLEST HEAVYWEIGHT AND A FINISH IN 7 SECONDS

Two championship belts on the line and one night to decide who they belong to. The yellow-and-black juggernaut conquers Berlin for the first time ever, delivering a pair of massive title clashes. Double champion Will Fleury defends his heavyweight gold against local heavy hitter Kasim Aras. A few divisions lower, Polish champion Mateusz Legierski defends his lightweight title against the dangerous finisher Gökhan Aksu. On June 20, the Uber Arena turns into a battlefield where two rulers put their belts on the line on foreign ground. One faces a hungry local puncher, the other a lethal Turkish challenger. Who will keep the throne and who will fall?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/1a6c2acc-81a7-4cbe-b47b-b6e2d62c6b6b/cs.1781535865859.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/751f4cd9-ac00-47ed-9188-fab9cfb0ddcb/cs.1781535871648.png" link="" croppedcorners="false" cropcornertr="true" cropcornerbl="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>WILL FLEURY: THE DOUBLE KING ON ENEMY SOIL&nbsp;</h2>On one side of the cage stands a man who has yet to taste defeat under the yellow-and-black flag. Will Fleury (16-3) is a double OKTAGON champion, holding both the heavyweight and light heavyweight belts. He is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the entire organization and currently ranks 51st in the global heavyweight rankings. This confident Irishman from the legendary SBG Ireland team has systematically conquered everyone who stood in his way. He snatched the light heavyweight gold from Karlos Vémola, and just two months later, claimed the vacant heavyweight throne in a five-round war with Lazar Todev. He became only the third double champion in the organization's history, joining the absolute elite alongside Ivan Buchinger and Losene Keita, with Lucia Szabová recently completing this exclusive group.Most recently, at the December OKTAGON 81 tournament in Prague, he dismantled UFC veteran Martin Buday in less than two minutes, successfully defending his belt for the first time. Now he heads to Berlin on enemy soil with a clear goal: to reaffirm his sheer dominance over the heavyweight division and give his opponent no room to breathe in front of the Berlin crowd.<oktyoutubecomponent url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PirKwCt003M"></oktyoutubecomponent><h2>KASIM ARAS: A LOCAL GLADIATOR FACING THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME</h2>Standing in his way is the dangerous heavy hitter Kasim Aras (11-5). Although he is the clear underdog on paper, a single clean shot is all he needs to turn the whole script upside down. This warrior with Turkish roots calls Aachen, Germany, his home, training at KKS Sparta Aachen. He is no newcomer. Before stepping into OKTAGON, he collected belts in the Elite MMA Championship and Fair Fighting Championship.In OKTAGON, he remains undefeated. In his Hamburg debut, he fully showcased his devastating power by turning the lights out on Adam Pałasz with a single punch in the very first round. In Cologne, he secured a decision victory over Simon Biyong. It was after this win that he loudly called out Fleury, earning the biggest fight of his career. Now, even the slightest mistake could be fatal for the Irish champion. Aras only needs one clean shot to end his reign over the division in a split second. Aras has the roaring Berlin crowd behind him and the opportunity of a lifetime ahead. Fleury, on the other hand, carries the weight of two belts and the reputation of the most feared fighter in the entire organization. Can the Irish phenomenon keep his throne in front of the German audience, or will Berlin witness a massive upset?<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYfXjhiM0j2/?hl=cs"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>MATEUSZ LEGIERSKI: THE POLISH DYNAMITE IS BACK IN ACTION</h2>He was the very first fighter in the organization's history to sit on the OKTAGON lightweight throne. Mateusz "Dynamite" Legierski (13-2) is one of the most technically advanced athletes on the entire Polish scene. His weapons are pace control and cold precision, which have earned him the scalps of names like Paradeiser, Ryšavý, Kohout, and Wanliss. However, his path to the top led through absolute hell. A severe back injury sidelined him for fourteen months, and doctors told him he would never return to the cage.But the Polish warrior showed his heart. Last November, at the OKTAGON 80 tournament in Munich, he made a spectacular comeback. He defeated Attila Korkmaz in a five-round battle and reclaimed the vacant lightweight throne for the second time in his career via unanimous decision. He was supposed to defend his belt against Aksu at the premiere Polish event in Szczecin, but the injury complicated his plans again, and a broken toe forced the duel to be rescheduled. Now, he must defend his belt far from Polish support, right in the heart of Berlin.<h2>GÖKHAN AKSU: A FINISHER WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE SECOND ROUND</h2>Standing opposite him is a man with a terrifying track record. Gökhan "Abinator" Aksu (14-6-1) has Turkish roots but fights out of the Hard Knocks team in Tyrol, Austria, and as a champion from the Austrian scene, he will likely have more support in Berlin than Legierski. Before heading to OKTAGON, he conquered the Austrian Fight Challenge and Innferno FC belts, but now he is attacking the most valuable one by far. He rides a six-fight win streak, having secured every career victory before the limit.His run in OKTAGON so far has been a display of destructive power, winning all his fights here in the first round. In his debut, he submitted Jan Malach, then shot down Ognjen Dimić, and last year in Munich, he knocked out Denis Frimpong, for which he earned the performance of the night bonus. Aksu is relying on silencing the champion as quickly as everyone before him. Legierski, on the other hand, thrives in the deep waters of long battles, where calm, cardio, and precision decide the outcome. Will the Polish technician weather the opening storm and drag his opponent into the waters he rules, or will the "Abinator" strike down the king in the very first minutes?<h2>TWO THRONES, ONE EARTHQUAKE</h2>The Uber Arena must prepare for an exceptional night. Two belts on the line, two champions defending their crowns far from home, and two challengers chasing the chance of a lifetime. Whether a single strike, a submission, or a battle to the final bell decides it, one thing is certain: after this night, the map of two divisions might be redrawn. Who of these four will leave Berlin as a winner and who will leave empty-handed?OKTAGON is conquering Berlin for the first time in history, bringing a night where two thrones will be decided at once! The OKTAGON 90 tournament strikes the Berlin Uber Arena on June 20, promising a thrilling spectacle. Tickets are disappearing fast, so don't hesitate, secure your seat and be there. Buy your tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="124"></okteventcomponent>

Two championship belts on the line and one night to decide who they belong to. The yellow-and-black juggernaut conquers Berlin for the first time ever, delivering a pair of massive title clashes.

TITLE STORM IN BERLIN: FLEURY AND LEGIERSKI DEFEND THEIR THRONES

On June 20, Berlin will witness a comeback the entire MMA scene has been waiting for. After a year and a half away from the cage, one of the most dangerous middleweights in OKTAGON history storms into the Uber Arena. Matěj "Money" Peňáz returns to the spotlight where he feels at home, stepping back into the cage where his hand has been raised ten consecutive times. Standing in his way is the experienced Brazilian veteran Alan Silva, who has a single mission: to stop the unstoppable.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/c8ae8628-6d33-4e55-932c-30b9e5493808/cs.1781266959066.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/4f4acd90-6918-419d-953c-ef801525f811/cs.1781266963388.png" link="" croppedcorners="false" cropcornertr="true" cropcornerbl="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>A STANDUP FIGHTER WHO FOUND A HOME IN THE CAGE</h2>Before becoming the terror of the middleweight division, Peňáz was one of the premier standup fighters of his generation. Introduced to combat sports by his father as a young boy, Matěj quickly climbed to the absolute top. The Czech native collected national, European, and world titles in kickboxing and Muay Thai, and became only the second Czech in history to sign with the prestigious Glory organization, securing three victories. The devastating strikes he now uses to drop opponents to the ground were sharpened over years at the elite level, and he has long been a key sparring partner for the stellar Jiří Procházka.The pandemic eventually blew him into the cage. When standup galas halted in 2020, he accepted an offer from the OKTAGON: Underground project and smoothly dominated the entire Czech pyramid. The standup world soon wasn't enough, and he transitioned into full-fledged MMA. Since that moment, he has remained undefeated under the OKTAGON banner.<h2>TEN FACE OFFS, TEN VICTORIES</h2>Peňáz's record speaks for itself. Ten fights in OKTAGON, ten wins, and zero defeats. Furthermore, he finished nine of them before the final bell, and seven opponents didn't even survive the first round. When Matěj enters the battle, the duel almost never reaches the judges' scorecards.It all started in late 2020 when he destroyed Patrik Jevický in the very first round of his OKTAGON 18 debut. And it didn't stop there. He ended his first four appearances in the organization in the opening frame every single time. Throughout 2021, he steamrolled Romain Debienne, Carlos Graca, and Mateusz Strzelczyk, crowning his streak at the end of the year in the main event of OKTAGON 30 by knocking out Cheick Kone.The only opponent to drag Peňáz to a decision was the Italian Giovanni Melillo in the spring of 2022. However, Matěj finished the very next clash on his own terms, dropping Joel dos Santos at the end of 2022. Then came his most famous moment: at OKTAGON 50 in December 2023, he needed just 29 seconds against Norway's Ole Magnor, which remains his fastest finish to date. He proved he can wage war on enemy territory in January 2024, dismantling former Cage Warriors champion Matthew Bonner in Newcastle, UK. Finally, in February of last year, he swept aside the experienced German David Zawada in the first round.<h2>THE RETURN EVERYONE WAITED FOR</h2>Why did such a prominent fighter disappear from sight for a year and a half? His journey was complicated by injuries and a recurring infection that derailed his preparations and scheduled bouts, while his future was also being negotiated behind the scenes. The hiatus cost him more than just time. Matěj was involved in the prestigious Tipsport Gamechanger tournament pyramid, where he could have fought for a massive scalp, but health troubles forced him out, and his name slowly vanished from the posters.But now, all of that is behind him, and Peňáz reports back hungrier than ever. "It came together quickly, but that doesn't matter at all. I haven't fought for a year and a half, so I'm incredibly excited," he sent a message ahead of his comeback.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZacuODsmzy/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>A BRAZILIAN VETERAN STANDS IN THE WAY</h2>Across from him in Berlin will stand Alan "Abacaxi" Silva (20-13-1). The Brazilian brawler with a record packed with finishes—fourteen KO victories and another three by submission—is stepping into OKTAGON for the first time, but he isn't coming to the European scene to back down. Just like Matěj, he relies on a heavy punch and isn't afraid of an open exchange, meaning two men hunting for a quick finish will meet in the cage.If Silva isn't careful, however, he might suffer the same fate as Peňáz's ten previous opponents. Will Matěj manage to pick up exactly where he left off after his long break, or will the Brazilian veteran put his winning streak on ice?For the first time in history, OKTAGON heads to Berlin, bringing an evening that will be etched into the memories of the fans. The OKTAGON 90 tournament erupts on June 20 at the Uber Arena, and Matěj Peňáz will be just one of the many stars you will see there. Tickets are disappearing fast, so don't hesitate, secure your spot, and be there. Click the link below to buy your tickets.<okteventcomponent eventid="124"></okteventcomponent>

On June 20, Berlin will witness a comeback the entire MMA scene has been waiting for. After a year and a half away from the cage, one of the most dangerous middleweights in OKTAGON history storms into the Uber Arena.

KNOCKOUT MACHINE RETURNS! PEŇÁZ FACES A BRAZILIAN VETERAN IN BERLIN

The undefeated double champion Lucia Szabova is preparing to defend her throne for the first time against the most famous Czech fighter, UFC veteran Lucie Pudilova. This fight was booked twice, and twice it fell apart. Now, the cage will finally lock behind them, and you cannot miss the moment the question hanging in the air for years is finally answered. On August 1, 2026, the legendary Stvanice will become the battleground for a duel that Czechoslovak MMA has been waiting for for years.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/f0e93e84-ef8e-4919-a7a9-7743a756acd3/cs.1781091816172.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/aa97c796-6703-4e1b-aa12-49da61b02753/cs.1781091828095.png" link="" croppedcorners="false" cropcornertr="true" cropcornerbl="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>SIX YEARS OF CROSSED PATHS</h2>Their paths first crossed back in 2020. They both stood in the same women's OKTAGON Underground tournament. Pudilova entered as the biggest favorite, but unexpectedly fell in the opening round. Szabova, on the other hand, fought her way to the grand finale. In the end, both were brought to the ground by the exact same opponent—the then only eighteen-year-old Tereza Bleda. A direct clash between the two Lucies never happened. Fate placed them on the same trajectory, only to immediately pull them apart. It took six long years for their paths to cross again. And this time, there is nowhere to hide.It all sparked in September 2024 in Brno. After her second UFC stint, Pudilova returned home and convincingly handled a tough test against Cecilie Bolander at OKTAGON 61. Right after the fight, the first staredown with Szabova took place, and the title fight was scheduled for December. Back then, there were no real sparks between them. "I would go for the title, that’s what interests me. Lucka doesn’t really interest me. I’m cool with her, we have a good relationship," Pudilova stated at the time. Nobody had a clue that this cold calm would turn into an all-out war in just a few months.<h2>CANCELLED FIGHT IN THE O2 ARENA AND THE BIRTH OF BAD BLOOD</h2>The title fight was announced as the very first title matchup for the spectacular OKTAGON 65 card in Prague’s O2 arena, and from the first moment, it was labeled the female fight of the century—the biggest clash the domestic women's MMA scene had ever seen. The tension grew every single day. But just days before Christmas came a blow that no one expected.Szabova was taken down by the flu. "I am very sorry that I had to cancel the fight. Unfortunately, I caught the flu this week, with high fevers and chills. My body is exhausted, my head is splitting. I tried everything possible, antibiotics, IV vitamin C," the champion wrote on social media, attaching a photo of a thermometer showing 39.5 degrees Celsius.For Pudilova, it was even more cruel, as this entire period was one of the hardest of her life. Shortly before, she tragically lost her younger brother in a car accident. Despite everything, she still stepped into the cage, just against a different opponent. Instead of the dream matchup with Szabova, she faced replacement Cecilie Bolander, and in an evenly matched five-round war, Pudilova lost on points. And right there, the first seed of bad blood was planted, destined to fully sprout a few months later.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZHi886sxwq/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>WORDS THAT COULD NOT BE TAKEN BACK</h2>But fate was far from done with the two Lucies. In the spring of 2025 in Dortmund, Pudilova secured a victory over Brittney Cloudy and immediately called out Szabova at the press conference. The matchup was scheduled again, this time for the summer of 2025 and on an even bigger stage. It was supposed to be the female highlight of OKTAGON 72 in Prague’s Eden, the event where Karlos Vemola and Attila Vegh bid their farewells.And it was during the wait for this fight that a fire ignited which could no longer be put out. When Szabova posted a photo from her training camp alongside the star Manon Fiorot, Pudilova attacked: "I went into battle to fight Lucia Szabova after losing one of the few people in this world I truly loved, but she came down with a cold and is now making excuses by putting a picture of herself with a tiny cut on the internet. She doesn't look like she wants to fight."Szabova’s response didn't take long: "I think you are rightfully pissed off, offended that the fight was cancelled in December. But I have a rule: if I don't feel one hundred percent ready to perform and my health isn't okay enough to deliver the fight pace I am used to delivering, I do not fight. Now I am ready, and I will be very happy to fight you. Finally, it will be shown who the queen of OKTAGON is. I believe we will make it happen in Eden. Bye, have a nice day," the Slovak champion expressed.<h2>NOT EVEN EDEN GOT TO SEE THE BATTLE</h2>But the cage door didn’t close behind the Lucies in Eden either. The curse struck a second time, this time on the other side. Pudilova tore ligaments in her knee during preparation. "I have a torn ligament and a torn meniscus. The doctors say I am facing at least a four-month break. I won't be able to walk for three weeks. Fighting in this state would be madness," she admitted, devastated. A second downfall, a second disappointment. What followed was more than a year of rehabilitation, silence, and waiting—during which the two fighters turned into bitter, unforgiving rivals.<h2>THE HUNT FOR THE SECOND THRONE</h2>While Pudilova battled her health for a return to the cage, Szabova relentlessly built her legacy. In August 2025, she defeated Bolander at Stvanice and snatched the bantamweight title for herself. And shortly after, she announced a move that infuriated Pudilova. Instead of defending it, she decided to attack the flyweight belt.Pudilova reacted: "You rejected me in December, saying you wanted time off, and I respected that. And now you want to disappear into another weight class when our next fight is supposed to be together? After I beat up Lehner, I'm coming for you! And the only reason I have to fight Lehner is because you refused the fight with me." She didn't spare the organization's management either. "Why do you let her run to another weight class where there is no one, when she didn't defend her title in December even though she had a challenger? This is not right," she sent a message to the owners of the organization.She handled her return exactly according to plan. In January 2026, at the OKTAGON 83 tournament in Stuttgart, she defeated Katharina Lehner and immediately threw down the gauntlet again: "We can fight in bantamweight in Liberec," she sent a message to Szabova.<h2>A CHALLENGE THAT COULD NOT BE REFUSED</h2>Then came April 2026 and Liberec. Szabova defeated her Brazilian opponent Lediane Fernandes there, becoming the very first woman in the history of OKTAGON and only the second woman in the world to hold two titles in two divisions simultaneously. With the belt still over her shoulder, she called out one single name straight from the cage: "I think it is time for the person you all definitely want to see against me. It is Lucie Pudilova. I think this fight deserves the spotlight, and I will be happy if we can make it happen as soon as possible."Pudilova didn't hesitate for a second. She reacted with acknowledgment and provocation all at once: "Congratulations to Lucia Szabova on a very impressive victory. Can you defend your belt at Stvanice?" According to her own words, she even rooted for the Slovak champion and believed it was finally her turn. "I believe I will be her next opponent because she said it right there in the cage," she declared. And she was right. After years of delays, the fight is finally on.<h2>A STAREDOWN THAT SPOKE LOUDER THAN WORDS</h2>In Bratislava at the OKTAGON 89 tournament, they stood face to face. Pudilova didn't wait for anything. She leaned into the champion and shoved her away. Szabova didn't budge a single millimeter. "When you want to hide your nervousness, you do something like that. She seemed a bit nervous to me," the Slovak champion later said, adding a chilling promise: "I plan to finish her by KO, TKO, or submission. I will do everything to make this fight end early." Pudilova answered in her own way: "Everyone is writing me off for this fight, saying I have no business being in it at all. I want to prove to everyone how wrong they are."<h2>THE FINAL RECKONING AT STVANICE</h2>On paper, Szabova is the favorite, and the odds speak clearly. However, the champion herself does not underestimate her opponent and doesn't hide her respect. She points out that no one has ever finished Pudilova by KO or TKO, and warns of her boxing as well as her ability to slip into a sort of "zombie mode," where she just keeps moving forward, straight through the punches, making her extremely difficult to stop. Pudilova categorically rejects the role of the underdog: "I definitely don't see myself as an underdog. If anyone thinks I'm a massive underdog, let them wait and see what I show in the cage."It is a clash between a relentless finisher and a veteran whom no one has ever sent to the ground with strikes in her entire career. The young queen against the seasoned pioneer. Invincibility versus a level of experience matched by absolutely no one else in OKTAGON. Will the seasoned fighter become the first woman to find the recipe to defeat the undefeated double champion? Above it all hangs the question fans have been asking for years: is it really going to happen this time? Yes, it is!OKTAGON celebrates its tenth anniversary, and on August 1st at the legendary Stvanice, the cage will finally lock around the two Lucies. The female fight of the century, which we have been waiting for for an eternity, will write its final chapter. The magical open-air arena may be sold out, but you definitely won't miss this historic battle! Don't miss this phenomenon and watch the entire gala evening live from wherever you are. Buy the PPV via the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="131"></okteventcomponent>