<p>Samuel “Pirát” Krištofič has made OKTAGON his home. No wonder, as he has been part of the organization since 2017. Over the years, he has built a reputation as one of the most prominent fighters in the Czech-Slovak scene. During this journey, he has experienced many successes, but also setbacks and falls from which he had to recover. Now, after a year and a half-long break, he returns to remind everyone of what he's capable of.</p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/8b8ee479-a8c1-49d9-bfc1-4baecf98797c/cs.1745347243448.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/7e8c7f22-b676-441f-a605-08f902c7097c/cs.1745347249815.png"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>BEGINNING WITH SPORTS AND MMA</h2><p>Long before Samuel became a star in Czech-Slovak MMA, he was involved in football and is still a big fan today. His MMA story began in 2015 when he transitioned from Muay Thai to a new discipline under the guidance of Kamil Cibinski at Chaos Gym in Bratislava. However, he truly earned attention in 2017 when he joined OKTAGON MMA, specifically the reality show <strong>OKTAGON Výzva II.</strong> Even during the reality show, it was clear that Pirát could be a troublesome opponent, both in and out of the cage. In the final of the show, he defeated Radovan Úškrta, becoming the champion of the second season, which brought him into the spotlight. It was his ticket to joining the best fighters in OKTAGON. His humor, charisma, and ability to entertain people, as well as annoy his opponents, were just the cherry on top.</p><h2>UPS AND DOWNS: KEY MOMENTS IN HIS CAREER</h2><p>His first title opportunity didn’t take long to arrive – at OKTAGON 11, Pirát faced David Kozma in the main event for the welterweight title. After a five-round battle, Kozma took the victory, and Pirát returned home empty-handed. Over the following years, he always stayed within reach of a title shot, though it continued to elude him. One of the biggest moments in his career came in his fight with Karlos Vémola at OKTAGON 51. Pirát shocked the entire MMA world when he sent "The Terminator" to the canvas with a brutal KO in the first round. This victory not only earned him the Performance of the Night bonus but also gained him respect from fans and the entire MMA community. After this victory, Pirát became an even bigger star, quickly gaining recognition not only from the Czech-Slovak audience but also internationally. Moreover, with the win over Karlos, he broke a two-fight losing streak against Robert Bryczek and Alex Lohoré. Can Pirát build on his last big victory?</p><h2>SURVIVOR AND RETURN TO THE CAGE</h2><p>In 2024, Pirát temporarily stepped away from the MMA world to participate in the second season of the reality show <strong>Survivor</strong>. On the island, he faced not only physical challenges from hunger, extreme weather, and tough physical duels, but also psychological trials that are part of the game. He demonstrated his endurance and resilience, which had always accompanied him in the cage and outside it. Although he didn’t win, he made it to the final five, which was a remarkable achievement! He also gained new fans outside the world of combat sports who discovered him throughout the show.</p><h2>OKTAGON 70 AND A SECOND CHANCE IN THE TIPSPORT GAMECHANGER</h2><p>Returning from Survivor wasn’t easy – an injury followed, and training had to stop once again. After a long year and a half, Pirát is finally making his comeback to the cage at <strong>OKTAGON</strong> <strong>70</strong>, which will take place on April 26, 2025, in Karlovy Vary. In the main event of the evening, he will face hungry debutant Dominik Humburger. Pirát won’t have an easy task ahead of him. Dominik is a younger, dynamic, and versatile fighter who has come to play at the highest level. The fight is also crucial for advancing to the next phase of the pyramid, which only one fighter can win. For Krištofič, this is his second attempt in the European Champions League of Tipsport Gamechanger. Last time, his first fight didn’t go well, and he was eliminated in the opening round of the pyramid. Now, he wants to silence his critics in Karlovy Vary and give the newcomer "Hambáč" a tough welcome. Whether it's his wrestling skills or sharp trash talk, Pirát is a fighter who never stays in the shadows.</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1108"></oktfightcomponent><h2>OUTSIDE THE CAGE</h2><p>Samuel is known not only as a great fighter but also as someone with a strong personal story. He’s a huge dog lover and spends his free time caring for them. In 2021, he became a father to his daughter Dominika, and in 2022, he married his longtime girlfriend Janka. Less known is the fact that Pirát considers Jiří Procházka, the first Czech UFC champion, as one of his role models and sources of inspiration. After all, both of them share a difficult childhood and adolescence, as well as a path to a better life through combat sports.</p><p><strong>April 26, 2025, will be another major moment in Pirát's career. This is one fight you definitely don’t want to miss! You have your last chance to buy tickets or grab our PPV and watch the event from the comfort of your home. OKTAGON 70 starts this Saturday!</strong></p><okteventcomponent eventid="107"></okteventcomponent>

Samuel “Pirát” Krištofič has made OKTAGON his home. No wonder, as he has been part of the organization since 2017. 

TIME WITH PIRÁT: REMINDING YOU OF THE JOURNEY OF ONE OF OKTAGON'S MOST DISTINGUISHED FACES

<p>„If you bite me, I'll knock your teeth out!“ That was Max Holzer's message to the man he picked out himself. For this fight, the unbeaten star of German MMA is leaving featherweight behind, putting his zero on the line and going after his first belt. At home, in Hannover. Across the cage stands Igor „The Hannibal“ Severino, the youngest male champion in OKTAGON history, who has looked a level above everyone around him in his last two fights. On top of that, both men have a brother on the card. The bantamweight title fight goes down on November 7 at the ZAG Arena, and only one of them will take the belt home.</p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/3d3accb8-eb79-4166-b964-2974da2dd581/cs.1793705112977.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/a8cfa5e2-e8ee-4cbd-9871-4222be2812e8/cs.1793705124391.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>MAX „MADE IN GERMANY“ HOLZER: THE HANNOVER KID WHO ASKED FOR THE BELT</h2><p>Max Holzer (12-0) was born in Warburg, but he moved to Hannover at the age of ten and it has been his city ever since. His childhood wasn't easy. The way off the streets came through the <strong>Fightschool Hannover gym and coach David Palokaj</strong>, who also gave him the nickname „Stifler“. It was for his wild nature and his resemblance to the character from American Pie. He made his pro debut on a leap day, February 29, 2020, in Hannover of all places, and choked his opponent out in the first round.</p><p>His OKTAGON debut came in January 2024 at OKTAGON 52, where <strong>he choked out Corey Fry in the second round</strong>. In Frankfurt he submitted <strong>Eemil Kurhela</strong> with the same technique and <strong>Mohammed Trabelsi</strong> by TKO in the third round. Fans also fell for his walkouts: he has entered dressed as Batman and as Buzz Lightyear, and he even rode to the cage on a scooter. In April 2025 he headlined an event for the first time and <strong>choked out Deniz Ilbay in the fourth round</strong> in Dortmund. Emotions kept boiling long after the fight. Then health problems stopped him, and he had to pull out of the autumn fight with Khalid Taha. His answer came this May in Hannover. He took the UFC veteran apart on the feet, broke him with a knee to the body in the first round and earned a Performance of the Night bonus.</p><p>He is 6-0 in OKTAGON and <strong>has now gone 2,443 days without a loss</strong>, the second-longest active streak in the promotion. Right after beating Taha, he called for Severino. He says the zero on his record doesn't matter to him, he wants the belt. He is leaving featherweight to his gym partner Gjoni Palokaj and <strong>cutting down to bantamweight for the first time in OKTAGON</strong>. His younger brother Jan also makes his pro debut on the same card, so the whole Holzer family will be on the line at the ZAG Arena.</p><h2>IGOR „THE HANNIBAL“ SEVERINO: THE YOUNGEST KING FROM THE AMAZON</h2><p>Facing him is a champion who <strong>has been fighting professionally since the age of fifteen</strong>. Igor Severino (10-1, 1 NC) comes from Juruti in the Amazonian state of Pará and trains in Bauru with Chute Boxe João Emilio, a school known for relentless pressure on the feet. He had his first pro fight in December 2018 and choked out his opponent in under two minutes. In the Brazilian promotion Jungle Fight he won four fights without letting a single one go to the judges, and <strong>walked away with the flyweight belt</strong>. A stoppage win on <strong>Dana White’s Contender Series opened the door to the UFC</strong>, but his run there ended after his very first fight, with a disqualification. To this day it is the only loss of his career. Instead of breaking, he turned it into his brand. He took on the nickname „The Hannibal“ and walks out to the cage in a mask.</p><p>He stepped into the yellow-and-black cage in December 2024 at OKTAGON 65 at Prague's O2 Arena and right off the bat <strong>defeated former champion Jonas Mågård</strong>. It was the first decision win of his career. Then came a long wait. The title fight was cancelled and rescheduled several times, and he didn't return to the cage for fourteen months. This March in Hamburg, though, he left nothing to chance. <strong>He stopped the experienced Khurshed Kakhorov by TKO in the second round</strong>. At twenty-two years old, he became <strong>the youngest male champion in OKTAGON history</strong>. The whole family had reason to celebrate, because his brother Matheus Severino also won on the same card.</p><p>In June in Bratislava came a champion vs. champion clash. Against flyweight king Zhalgas Zhumagulov he controlled the entire first round, but in the second his body shot landed low and his opponent couldn't continue. The fight ended in a no contest and the belt stayed with the Brazilian. <strong>He has finished nine of his ten wins before the limit</strong> and sits fourth in the pound-for-pound rankings. Now, though, he faces something he has never experienced in OKTAGON: <strong>an arena that will stand against him</strong>. He comes to Hannover with his brother at his side again, as Matheus takes on Abdul Badakhshi on the card.</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1476"></oktfightcomponent><h2>TWO FAMILIES, ONE CAGE, ONE BELT</h2><p>Both stand 170 centimetres tall, both are finishers, and both have already turned up the heat on social media. Holzer has made seven opponents tap and has spent almost forty-four minutes in ground control in OKTAGON. Severino has five wins by strikes before the final bell. The German has already gone into the fourth round once, while the Brazilian has never fought beyond three. <strong>Their brothers Jan and Matheus will be pacing nervously in the locker rooms too</strong>, each heading into a fight of his own. Max <strong>Holzer wants to take the belt</strong> in front of his own city, and <strong>Igor Severino is coming to defend it</strong>. Will Hannover crown its own kid, or will Hannibal carry the crown out of the lion's den?</p><p><strong>Hannover is in for a night it will remember for a long time. OKTAGON 97 lights up the ZAG Arena on November 7 with a title fight that has absolutely everything, and you can be sitting just a few metres from the cage. Don't wait while seats are still available. Get your tickets at the link below.</strong></p><okteventcomponent eventid="146"></okteventcomponent>

„If you bite me, I'll knock your teeth out!“ That was Max Holzer's message to the man he picked out himself. For this fight, the unbeaten star of German MMA is leaving featherweight behind, putting his zero on the line and going after his first belt.

ALL OR NOTHING: HOLZER TAKES ON HANNIBAL SEVERINO AT HOME IN HANNOVER

<p><span>Seven decisions, four first-round finishes and one split decision. The judges in Munich were kept busy right up to the final fight of the night. On top of that, the new welterweight champion proved that losing the opening round, knockdown included, doesn’t have to mean a thing. How did the judges see the Halloween edition of OKTAGON 96 at Munich’s SAP Garden on October 31?</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/744d199c-1a24-4661-8dbc-73bea3d79c4c/cs.1793627144339.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/9c26ce54-1cd2-48f4-9acc-88980539c00b/cs.1793627149702.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>AMIRAN GOGOLADZE VS. JESSIN AYARI</h2><p><span>The welterweight title fight could hardly have started any worse for the Georgian. Around the minute-and-a-half mark, Jessin Ayari dropped him with a heavy shot. He was only a few punches away from a finish and took the opening round on all three scorecards, although none of the judges went as far as 10-8. Those were the last points he would collect. From the second frame on, Amiran Gogoladze was the sharper and busier fighter. He took the round unanimously, and the third stanza began with the fight level. Then “Sniper” started targeting his opponent’s lead leg, and from that moment on the scorecards tilted only one way. Rounds three, four and five, the last of which saw Ayari land one final hard shot, all went to Gogoladze on all three cards. Identical 49-46 scores across the board mean a unanimous decision and a new king of the welterweight division.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1563" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>RONALD PARADEISER VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2><p><span>Rony Paradeiser stepped into his record 25th OKTAGON fight with a clear game plan, and the scorecards leave no room for doubt. Three takedowns in the opening frame earned him the first round on all three cards. In the second, Tyrone Pfeifer was dangerous on the feet, but the Slovak veteran tied him up again, controlled him with all his experience and banked another unanimous round. In the final five minutes, he practically glued himself to his opponent and gave him no room to get anything going. All three judges gave him all three rounds, and the unanimous 30-27 snapped his two-fight losing streak.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1505" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>LAZAR TODEV VS. SIMON BIYONG</h2><p><span>The only split decision of the night in Munich, and a true heavyweight chess match. Two of the three judges gave the more cautious opening round to Simon Biyong, who showed slightly more initiative, while the third saw it for Lazar Todev. The Bulgarian came out more active in the second, but the tally on the cards stayed 2-1 in favor of the Italian. Only this time, the judges split differently. Heading into the final round, two of the three judges had the fight level at 19-19, while the third had Biyong ahead 20-18. Everything came down to the last five minutes. Todev upped his punch output and won over all three judges. That was enough for a narrow 29-28 win on two cards, while the third judge scored it by the same margin for Biyong. “Punisher” celebrates his fourth straight win.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1501" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>GÖKHAN AKSU VS. RENE RUNGE</h2><p><span>The judges had nothing to write down here. Gökhan Aksu swarmed Rene Runge with punches from the opening bell, put him on the canvas and finished the fight with heavy ground and pound. Referee Piotr Jarosz waved it off at 1:58 of the first round, and “Abinator” now has fifteen wins inside the distance.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1564" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MICHAEL DEIGA-SCHECK VS. LUKÁŠ CHOTĚNOVSKÝ</h2><p><span>The Munich matador built a lead from the start that proved decisive. Calf kicks, higher output and a late takedown earned him the opening round on all three cards. He took the second just as unanimously, answering a hard rear hand from Chotěnovský with a knockdown and working his way to his opponent’s back. That meant he entered the final round two points up on every card. Lukáš Chotěnovský pressed forward in search of the finish and won the third round on all three cards, but it wasn’t enough for a comeback. Identical 29-28 scores mean a unanimous decision for Michael Deiga-Scheck, who snapped a three-fight losing streak.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1523" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MAREK BARTL VS. BRIAN MANNING</h2><p><span>The scorecards stayed blank. After an early takedown attempt came up short, Marek Bartl eventually got on top of Brian Manning, landed a hard elbow and finished the job with a flurry of strikes. Referee Kamil Zuziak stopped the fight at 3:03 of the first round, handing the Irish showman the first stoppage loss of his career.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1498" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ENDRIT BRAJSHORI VS. CHRISTIAN MACH</h2><p><span>A wild opening round full of momentum swings never made it to the scorecards. Debutant Christian Mach pushed Endrit Brajshori against the fence and rocked him in one of the exchanges, but then the tables turned. Brajshori landed a hard uppercut, followed it with a right hand and dropped his opponent. He pounced immediately, and referee Pavel Touš stopped the fight at 4:38 of the first round.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1530" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>HENRIQUE MADUREIRA VS. DANIEL SCHORDJE</h2><p><span>“Mad Max” was well on his way after two rounds. More accurate kicks and punches earned him the opening frame on all three cards. He took the second just as unanimously, repeatedly dragging Daniel Schordje to the mat. That meant the Brazilian entered the third round with a 20-18 lead on every card. There, the Austrian finally made it on top, and two of the three judges gave him the round. The third still saw it for Madureira, who stayed in control even from his back. Final scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 mean a unanimous decision for Henrique Madureira.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1502" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>IVAN KLEVETS VS. RONALDO FERREIRA</h2><p><span>Ronaldo Ferreira stepped in on the day of the event and managed to make life uncomfortable for Ivan Klevets early on. The Brazilian took the fight to the mat and controlled from top position for a while. The Ukrainian sambo specialist reversed the position, however, and with two minutes left climbed into a dominant spot himself. That convinced two of the three judges, while the third saw the opening round for Ferreira. From the second frame on, there was nothing to argue about. Klevets repeatedly took his opponent down, controlled him and won both remaining rounds on all three cards. He walks away with a unanimous decision and his sixth straight win.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1567" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>KEVIN HANGS VS. BURAK KIZILIRMAK</h2><p><span>Hangs’ return to the promotion after almost four years gave the judges no work at all. Burak Kizilirmak was the more accurate fighter from the start, worked his way into top position, escaped a guillotine and answered with a barrage of strikes. Referee Kamil Zuziak stopped the fight at 1:54 of the first round, and the debutant celebrates a TKO win.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1529" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MARAT NESSAR VS. ABDULMALIK ALIEV</h2><p><span>The start of the fight belonged to Marat Nessar. A minute in, he rocked his opponent with two hard punches and took the opening round on two of the three cards. From the second round on, though, Abdulmalik Aliev held the reins. He took the fight to the mat, threatened a rear naked choke and won the round unanimously. Heading into the final five minutes, two of the three judges had the fight level at 19-19, while the third had the Viennese talent in front. In the third round, Aliev dominated from top position, threatened an arm triangle, and all three judges rewarded him with a 10-8. Scores of 29-27, 29-27 and 30-26 in Aliev’s favor mean a unanimous decision in his yellow-and-black debut.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1508" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><p></p><p><span><strong>You won’t have to wait long for more action. On Saturday, November 7, we return to Hannover’s ZAG Arena, where unbeaten hometown star Max Holzer challenges bantamweight champion Igor Severino. Secure your seat and be there when the belt is on the line! Get your tickets at the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="146"></okteventcomponent>

Seven decisions, four first-round finishes and one split decision. The judges in Munich were kept busy right up to the final fight of the night. On top of that, the new welterweight champion proved that losing the opening round, knockdown included.

MUNICH THROUGH THE JUDGES’ EYES: SNIPER DIDN’T DROP A ROUND AFTER THE KNOCKDOWN

<p><span>Five rounds, one knockdown and a belt for the man who was on the brink of defeat early on. Amiran “Sniper” Gogoladze survived a devastating shot from Jessin Ayari, turned the title fight around and was crowned the new king of the welterweight division. Rony Paradeiser won his record-setting 25th fight in the organization, Gökhan Aksu ran through his opponent in under two minutes and legend Marek Bartl became the first man ever to finish Brian Manning. Halloween night at Munich’s SAP Garden also delivered four finishes and two winning debuts. Check out how every fight at OKTAGON 96 played out.</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/cba49768-7ea6-40e0-bf16-e6f8d8abb669/cs.1793489961786.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/d4f0c779-56a8-4dec-b947-eb417ab968ee/cs.1793489967667.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>AMIRAN GOGOLADZE VS. JESSIN AYARI</h2><p><span>The main event delivered drama right from the start. About a minute and a half in, Jessin Ayari landed a devastating shot that sent Amiran Gogoladze to the canvas. The late replacement from nearby Nuremberg hunted for the finish with strikes and a choke, and he was only a few punches away from ending it. The Georgian showed tremendous heart, survived the critical moment and scrambled back to his feet. The opening round still clearly belonged to Ayari. The second round was a more cautious battle on the feet and in the clinch, but “Sniper” was now the sharper and busier fighter and took the round. In the third, he went after Ayari’s lead leg, and the UFC veteran was soon visibly struggling with it. Gogoladze’s better accuracy earned him that round as well as a close fourth. The two opened the fifth with a firefight. Halfway through the round Ayari landed hard and pressed his opponent against the fence, but the Georgian reversed the situation and took him down. Ayari got back up, yet found no answer to turn things around. After five rounds of war, the welterweight division has a new king. Amiran Gogoladze stays unbeaten in OKTAGON and leaves Munich with the championship belt!</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1563"></oktfightcomponent><h2>RONALD PARADEISER VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2><p><span>Both fighters traded quick, hard shots from the opening seconds. After a brief scramble against the fence, Rony Paradeiser landed a textbook takedown around the midway point of the round. Pfeifer made it back up, but the Slovak veteran dragged him down again thirty seconds before the horn to bank the opening round. The German rocket remained dangerous on the feet in the second, so Paradeiser took the fight back to the mat. There he controlled his opponent with veteran savvy and gave him practically nothing to work with, taking the second round as well. He was just as composed in the third, staying glued to Pfeifer and shutting down every attempt to get anything going. The former lightweight champion snapped a two-fight losing streak in his record-setting 25th OKTAGON fight and ended Pfeifer’s winning run in the process. He picks up an important decision win, his 18th under the yellow-and-black banner.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1505"></oktfightcomponent><h2>LAZAR TODEV VS. SIMON BIYONG</h2><p><span>The heavyweight clash began with a cautious feeling-out process from both men. In a tight opening round, Simon Biyong showed slightly more initiative and accuracy and took it on two of the three scorecards. Lazar Todev came out more aggressive in the second, but the Italian fighter kept him from building any real momentum as both men continued their careful exchanges on the feet. This time the scorecards swung in the Bulgarian’s favor. In the third, both men upped the pressure and found good shots, but Todev gradually took over by increasing his output. This close chess match ended with a split decision, and “Punisher” Lazar Todev had his hand raised. The heavyweight number one has now won four in a row.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1501"></oktfightcomponent><h2>GÖKHAN AKSU VS. RENE RUNGE</h2><p><span>Gökhan Aksu set a blistering pace from the first second and immediately put his opponent under pressure on the feet. Replacement Rene Runge had no answer to the barrage. “Abinator” soon put him down, settled into top position and finished the fight with heavy shots. The lightweight number two claims a TKO win in under two minutes, the 15th inside-the-distance victory of his career. After his loss to Legierski in Berlin, Aksu is once again closing in on a title shot.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1564"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MICHAEL DEIGA-SCHECK VS. LUKÁŠ CHOTĚNOVSKÝ</h2><p><span>Michael Deiga-Scheck opened the fight with a series of nasty calf kicks. Both fighters kept up a high volume of punches and kicks, but the home veteran was noticeably busier and more accurate. A takedown with a minute left in the round sealed the opening frame for him. In the second, Chotěnovský landed a good right hand, but Deiga-Scheck countered instantly and dropped his opponent. He took the Czech fighter’s back, but Chotěnovský scrambled to his feet and caught him with a hard elbow against the fence. After another tussle along the cage, the Munich mainstay took that round too. The tables turned in the final round, as Chotěnovský marched forward looking for the finish. Deiga-Scheck weathered the storm, snapped a three-fight losing streak and celebrated a valuable decision win in front of his home crowd.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1523"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MAREK BARTL VS. BRIAN MANNING</h2><p><span>Marek Bartl shot for a takedown right away, but couldn’t finish it, and the fight turned into a battle against the fence and exchanges on the feet. The experienced veteran eventually got Manning down. He landed a hard elbow, took his opponent’s back and unleashed a final flurry that forced the referee to step in. The OKTAGON legend wins this hotly anticipated fight by first-round TKO and hands the Irish showman the first stoppage loss of his career.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1498"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ENDRIT BRAJSHORI VS. CHRISTIAN MACH</h2><p><span>Both fighters stormed out at a ferocious pace, and heavy shots were flying from the opening seconds. Debutant Christian Mach soon closed the distance and pressed his opponent against the fence. Back in open space, the two traded big shots, and this time it was Brajshori who was rocked. Mach drove him back to the fence, but the next exchange turned the tables. Brajshori landed a hard uppercut, followed it with a right hand and sent Mach to the canvas. Gökhan Aksu’s teammate pounced immediately and finished the fight with strikes before the end of the first round. After an opening round full of twists, Brajshori celebrates a TKO win.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1530"></oktfightcomponent><h2>HENRIQUE MADUREIRA VS. DANIEL SCHORDJE</h2><p><span>The featherweight bout began with a battle on the feet, where Henrique Madureira was clearly the more accurate fighter. The Brazilian landed hard kicks and punches and capped the round with a spinning elbow to take it convincingly. In the second, “Mad Max” took his opponent down, but Schordje quickly got back up. After a brief exchange the fight hit the mat again, and the Austrian found no answer there either, so the second round also went to Madureira. In the third, Schordje finally made it to top position, and when the Brazilian stood up, he put him back down. Madureira, however, stayed in control even from his back, and the final exchange on the feet brought no late twist. The 2025 Submission of the Year winner made a successful return to Munich’s SAP Garden and takes the decision win.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1502"></oktfightcomponent><h2>IVAN KLEVETS VS. RONALDO FERREIRA</h2><p><span>Brazilian Ronaldo Ferreira stepped in on fight day, replacing his teammate Hafeni Nafuka, who missed weight. Ivan Klevets greeted him with several hard shots right from the start. Ferreira immediately took the fight to the ground and controlled the action from the top for a while. The Ukrainian European sambo champion reversed the position and took a dominant spot himself with two minutes left, swinging the opening round his way on two of the three scorecards. From the second round on, Klevets was firmly in control. He repeatedly dragged his opponent to the mat, and when the referee stood them up with a minute left in the round, he immediately took him down again. The final round followed the same pattern. Klevets managed the fight with experience and kept the Brazilian under control throughout. He leaves Munich with a decision win and extends his winning streak to six fights.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1567"></oktfightcomponent><h2>KEVIN HANGS VS. BURAK KIZILIRMAK</h2><p><span>Hangs’ return to the yellow-and-black cage after nearly four years did not go according to plan. Burak Kizilirmak was the more accurate fighter from the opening seconds, while Hangs struggled to tie him up in the clinch. Kizilirmak soon worked his way into top position on the ground. Hangs attempted a guillotine from the bottom, but the Turkish-born fighter escaped the choke and responded with a final flurry that prompted the referee to stop the fight. Kizilirmak claims a valuable first-round TKO win in his OKTAGON debut.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1529"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MARAT NESSAR VS. ABDULMALIK ALIEV</h2><p><span>The Munich card kicked off with a lightweight clash between two young prospects. Marat Nessar made an early statement a minute in, rocking his opponent with two hard shots. Aliev tied him up against the fence, however, and before the end of the round put Nessar in trouble himself, though the home fighter narrowly took the opening frame. From the second round on, the Vienna prospect was firmly in charge. He took the fight to the ground early and threatened with a rear naked choke, which Nessar barely escaped. In the third, Aliev once again dominated from top position and also threatened with an arm triangle. He wins his yellow-and-black debut by decision and picks up the second professional win of his career.</span></p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1508"></oktfightcomponent><p></p><p><span><strong>Munich’s Halloween night is in the books, and the next spectacular show is already knocking on the door. Exactly one week from now, on November 7, we return to Hannover’s ZAG Arena, where Igor Severino takes on hometown star Max Holzer in the main event of OKTAGON 97. This is a fight you can’t afford to miss! Don’t wait and secure your seat in the stands. Tickets are available at the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="146"></okteventcomponent>

Five rounds, one knockdown and a belt for the man who was on the brink of defeat early on. Amiran “Sniper” Gogoladze survived a devastating shot from Jessin Ayari, turned the title fight around and was crowned the new king of the welterweight division.

OKTAGON 96 RESULTS: GOGOLADZE SURVIVES HELL TO BECOME NEW WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION

<p>The yellow-and-black juggernaut is celebrating Halloween in Bavaria. OKTAGON 96 erupts on 31 October at Munich’s SAP Garden and delivers a fight for the vacant welterweight throne, with a UFC veteran from nearby Nuremberg stepping in at the last minute. You can also look forward to legends of the organisation, a heavyweight clash in which neither fighter has ever been knocked out, five hungry debutants and much more. Here is the full rundown of what awaits you in Munich.</p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/7228556e-322f-4a23-a0df-28763e91b3cb/cs.1793369761938.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/ffd3e8b9-3ae5-465d-adab-03521245d878/cs.1793369775805.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>AMIRAN GOGOLADZE VS. JESSIN AYARI</h2><p>The main event of the night and a battle for the welterweight throne vacated by Kaik Brito. Georgian marksman Amiran “The Sniper” Gogoladze (18-3) was first set to challenge Brito in Brno, then to face the unbeaten Felix Klinkhammer, who has since been injured. The division’s number one is undefeated in OKTAGON and has eight finishes inside 100 seconds. In Szczecin, after almost two years out of the cage, he put former champion Ion Surdu down in the very first round. The shot at the belt goes to UFC veteran Jessin “Abacus” Ayari (19-6) from nearby Nuremberg. In an ironic twist, he was supposed to fight Klinkhammer himself in July, only to pull out injured. Ayari is 2-0 in OKTAGON. In 2012 he beat Kerim Engizek, and nine of his wins have come by submission, while Gogoladze has never lost by submission. Will the Sniper live up to his number-one status and take the belt, or will Ayari, seventeen years into his career, win the title just down the road from home?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1563"></oktfightcomponent><h2>RONALD PARADEISER VS. TYRONE PFEIFER</h2><p>Legend versus German rocket. Former lightweight champion Ronald “Rony” Paradeiser (23-11) steps in for a record 25th OKTAGON fight. No one in the organisation’s history has more wins (17) or knockdowns (11). The Slovak, however, arrives on a two-fight skid, after losing to Kaik Brito in a welterweight title fight and to Jack Grant in Bratislava. Tyrone Pfeifer (8-1), on the other hand, rides a three-fight win streak. He finished Marek Bartl on his OKTAGON debut and beat former UFC fighter Niklas Stolze in Berlin in just 22 seconds. Will Rony snap his losing streak, or will Pfeifer claim the biggest scalp of his career?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1505"></oktfightcomponent><h2>LAZAR TODEV VS. SIMON BIYONG</h2><p>The heavyweights offer a true test of durability. Neither Bulgarian “Punisher” Lazar Todev (14-7) nor his opponent has ever lost by KO. The two-time title challenger and division number one has won three in a row since his loss to Will Fleury, most recently beating Martin Buday in Bratislava. He now enters the yellow-and-black cage for the ninth time, more than any other heavyweight in OKTAGON history. Simon “Hemlé” Biyong (12-6), a Cameroon native representing Italy, studied fine art, and his nickname means “Lion Heart” in his native dialect. He has gained experience in RIZIN, Bellator and the PFL, and in Hannover he dropped Olympian Yevhenii Orlov with a left hook in the first round. Will the artist with dynamite in his hands prevail, or will the “Punisher” take another step towards a title shot?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1501"></oktfightcomponent><h2>GÖKHAN AKSU VS. RENE RUNGE</h2><p>A late change and a new opponent for one of the most feared strikers at lightweight. Gökhan “Abinator” Aksu (14-7-1) was set to face Niko Samsonidse, but Samsonidse got injured and experienced German Rene Runge (14-8-1) has stepped in. The bout will take place at a catchweight of 73 kilograms. The lightweight number two has won all fourteen of his fights inside the distance and knocked out Denis Frimpong at the SAP Garden last November. The Turkish fighter trains in nearby Rosenheim and last fought for the belt in Berlin, eventually losing to Mateusz Legierski in the first round. Runge is a former We Love MMA lightweight champion, has been fighting professionally for almost ten years and finished his opponent in the first round at the end of August. Will the debutant seize the chance of a lifetime, or will Aksu add another finish and stake his claim to another title shot?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1564"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MICHAEL DEIGA-SCHECK VS. LUKÁŠ CHOTĚNOVSKÝ</h2><p>Munich’s matador is back. Michael “Vivo” Deiga-Scheck (11-8) has built a strong fan base in the Bavarian capital. He has years of K-1 and Muay Thai fights behind him and now runs his own gym in the city. He lost his last fight to Teo Smith right here in Munich, and that is not how he wanted to say goodbye to his career. The home veteran comes in on a three-fight losing streak, this time at bantamweight. Across the cage stands Lukáš Chotěnovský (8-3), a training partner of Patrik Kincl who works as a graphic designer outside the cage. In Szczecin he weathered a fierce onslaught from the favoured Michał Hawro and choked him out with an RNC in the third round. Will the hometown fighter end his losing streak in front of his own fans, or will Chotěnovský leave Munich with another valuable scalp?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1523"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MAREK BARTL VS. BRIAN MANNING</h2><p>A banger at middleweight. Marek Bartl (17-16) is a living OKTAGON legend. He was the very first man ever to step into the yellow-and-black cage and has both a Knockout and a Submission of the Year to his name. You won’t find a boring fight on his résumé. Last time out in Bratislava, he stopped Jozef Wittner. Brian Manning (6-1) has quickly become one of the division’s most prominent names thanks to his entertaining walkouts, sharp tongue and hard-hitting finishes. All six of his wins came inside the distance, but in Bratislava he lost for the first time as a pro when Robert Pukač beat him by decision and exposed the holes in his game. Will the Irish showman strike back after his Bratislava stumble, or will the experienced Bartl teach him another lesson?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1498"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ENDRIT BRAJSHORI VS. CHRISTIAN MACH</h2><p>The welterweights bring a clash between a lightning-fast finisher and a debutant eager to erase an old loss in Munich. Endrit Brajshori (6-2) trains in Rosenheim alongside Gökhan Aksu, and his last two OKTAGON fights lasted a combined 2:28. He knocked out Jan Malach in 93 seconds and choked out Petr Bartoněk in 55. Now he takes on debutant Christian Mach (10-5) from the Planet Eater team. Mach arrives with BRAVE CF experience and two straight finishes, including a hard KO of Enrique Marín. The catch? Aksu knocked him out in 65 seconds back in 2022. Will Mach shake off the shadow of the past, or will Aksu’s teammate hand him a similar ending?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1530"></oktfightcomponent><h2>HENRIQUE MADUREIRA VS. DANIEL SCHORDJE</h2><p>The featherweights offer a duel between a master of unexpected submissions and a man who has yet to taste defeat in OKTAGON. Brazilian “Mad Max” Henrique Madureira (10-7) wrote himself into the history books at the SAP Garden when, hanging upside down, he locked in the only standing triangle in the organisation’s history and won the 2025 Submission of the Year award. He returns to Munich on a winning streak, most recently beating Jonatan Kujawa in Szczecin. Daniel “Bad Moon” Schordje (10-1-1) from Graz is a champion of a Hungarian promotion and has never lost by TKO or submission. In OKTAGON he has beaten Závičák and drawn with Karol Ryšavý. Will Madureira find another way out of an impossible position, or will the Austrian prove that losing is not in his vocabulary?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1502"></oktfightcomponent><h2>HAFENI NAFUKA VS. IVAN KLEVETS</h2><p>A new addition to the card and a duel between two men linked by a common opponent. Hometown fighter Hafeni “The Namibian Nightmare” Nafuka (12-5) from Munich Allstars is one of the most dangerous grapplers in his division. The German with Namibian roots started combat sports at the age of twelve and has submission wins over Kevin Enz and Matěj Kuzník in OKTAGON. Last time out, at Štvanice in Prague, he lost a three-round decision to Tomáš Mudroch. Ukrainian European sambo champion Ivan Klevets (5-3) racked up 89 wins in the amateur ranks and represents MMA Monster and PriMMAt Gym. At Štvanice he knocked out none other than Enz in the first round, the same Enz whom Nafuka had choked out in the opening round last year. The bout will be contested at a catchweight of 72 kilograms. Will Nafuka make up for his Štvanice loss in front of the home crowd, or will Klevets extend his winning streak?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1565"></oktfightcomponent><h2>KEVIN HANGS VS. BURAK KIZILIRMAK</h2><p>A return after three years and eight months. Kevin “Alpha” Hangs (15-9) made his OKTAGON debut in 2023 right here in Munich, where Marek Bartl stopped him by TKO in the first round. The former footballer, who only took up MMA at 27, has gone 7-2 since then and returns to the yellow-and-black cage determined to make up for that failed debut. He faces debutant Burak Kizilirmak (12-3) from Vienna’s MT Gym 23. Ronald Paradeiser knows that name well. In 2016, Kizilirmak choked him out with a guillotine when the then 18-year-old Slovak was having only his third professional fight. Will Hangs show that he returns to OKTAGON a better fighter, or will Kizilirmak prove he belongs on the big stage?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1529"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MARAT NESSAR VS. ABDULMALIK ALIEV</h2><p>The night kicks off with a clash of two debutants who have just two professional fights between them. Marat Nessar (1-0) is a social media star with more than 550,000 followers on TikTok, and in August in Magdeburg he finished his professional debut with elbows in the first round. Facing him is 21-year-old Abdulmalik Aliev (1-0) from Vienna, the youngest fighter on the card. He choked out his opponent in the first round of his BRAVE CF debut and now returns to the cage after two years. Will Nessar prove that his popularity carries over into the cage, or will Aliev spoil his yellow-and-black premiere?</p><oktfightcomponent fightid="1508"></oktfightcomponent><p></p><p><strong>Halloween in Munich promises a night to remember. OKTAGON 96 erupts on 31 October at the SAP Garden and brings a card packed with finishers, legends and new faces. Don’t miss the crowning of a new welterweight champion and be there live in the arena. Get your tickets via the link below.</strong></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

The yellow-and-black juggernaut is celebrating Halloween in Bavaria. OKTAGON 96 erupts on 31 October at Munich’s SAP Garden and delivers a fight for the vacant welterweight throne, with a UFC veteran from nearby Nuremberg stepping in at the last minute.

MUNICH CARD FIGHT BY FIGHT: A HALLOWEEN BATTLE FOR THE VACANT THRONE

<p><span>A Georgian who lived in Merab Dvalishvili’s house. A replacement who was once supposed to fight the very man he is now stepping in for. A Slovak who says Jon Jones “beat him like a dog”, and a referee from the presidential protection unit. Halloween night in Munich will belong mainly to the welterweights, but there is much more to discover. OKTAGON 96 explodes on October 31 at SAP Garden. These are the biggest fun facts from the card.</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/e985e8b3-939e-4f05-8e3d-14ba97676b49/cs.1793184809497.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6669b42a-250e-4afd-8cf4-7c63182c0247/cs.1793184817450.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>FOUR WELTERWEIGHT WARS AND A NEW KING</h2><p><span>Four of the ten fights take place at the 77-kilogram limit, which means eight welterweights will step into the cage, five of them German. On top of that, the main event will crown the division’s new king. <strong>Amiran “The Sniper” Gogoladze (18-3)</strong> had his first pro fight in his hometown of Akhaltsikhe at just sixteen years old. His ten-second KO is still the fastest in the history of the M-1 organization. Before his comeback from injury, he prepared in Las Vegas, where he lived in Merab Dvalishvili’s house and trained with Khalil Rountree Jr.</span></p><p><span>Stepping in for the injured Felix Klinkhammer is <strong>Jessin Ayari (18-6)</strong>. Fate has a sense of humor: he was supposed to face Klinkhammer in Cologne at OKTAGON 91, but back then it was Ayari who was forced out by injury. He knows the replacement role well. He made his UFC debut in Hamburg as a late stand-in for Emil Meek, and won. He has been competing as a professional since 2009, longer than anyone else on the card. Sport runs in the family, too: his uncle and cousin represented Tunisia in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Olympic Games. If he wins in Munich, he will become the first German to hold the OKTAGON welterweight belt.</span></p><h2>JONES “BEAT HIM LIKE A DOG”, KIZILIRMAK ONCE CHOKED HIM OUT</h2><p><span><strong>Ronald “Rony” Paradeiser (23-11)</strong> will step into his 25th MMA fight in OKTAGON, more than anyone in the organization’s history. He also holds the record for most wins (17). In America, he even shared a sparring session with Jon Jones himself. “I sparred with Jones once, he beat me like a dog,” Paradeiser admitted. The only way he could stop Jones, he joked, would be with a knife or a gun.</span></p><p><span>But there is also a man on the card who has already stopped Paradeiser once. Debutant <strong>Burak Kizilirmak (12-3)</strong> choked out the then 18-year-old Slovak with a guillotine in April 2016, in what was only Paradeiser’s third pro fight. Ten years later, the two will share a card again, though not the cage. Paradeiser faces <strong>Tyrone Pfeifer (8-1)</strong>, who stopped former UFC fighter Niklas Stolze in 22 seconds at OKTAGON 90. It turned out to be the final fight of Stolze’s career. Kizilirmak takes on <strong>Kevin Hangs (15-9)</strong>.</span></p><h2>A PAINTER, A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND A SOCIAL WORKER</h2><p><span><strong>Simon “Hemlé” Biyong (11-6)</strong> graduated from the academy of fine arts in Genoa. His parents forbade him from painting, so at school he drew manga comics for his classmates to earn money for pencils and paints. In his native Cameroonian dialect, his nickname means “lionheart”, and his son carries it too. He only took up combat sports at the age of 25.</span></p><p><span>Graphic designer <strong>Lukáš Chotěnovský (8-3)</strong> grew up on Van Damme VHS tapes, but what really led him to MMA was getting knocked out at a disco and waking up in hospital. “My first KO came on the pavement outside a pub,” he jokes. Before every fight, he shaves his legs. “We may end up on the ground, we’re sweaty, and it makes things harder for my opponent if he slips on my skin. It takes me fifteen minutes, and even if it raises my chances of winning by just one percent, it’s worth it,” he explains.</span></p><p><span><strong>Niko Samsonidse (13-4)</strong> has worked with children and young people as a social worker and coach for more than ten years. He is mostly vegetarian and chose the nickname “One Love” because he wants to treat everyone with respect.</span></p><h2>THE PRESIDENT’S BODYGUARD REFEREES A MILESTONE FIGHT</h2><p><span>The second fight referee Václav Přibyl takes charge of in Munich will be his 200th in OKTAGON. The police officer, who now serves in the Czech presidential protection unit, also has a fighting career behind him. Fittingly, he will celebrate the milestone in Germany, as he considered his title with the German organization Free Fight Championship the biggest success of his career in the cage. Once, after a fight, he responded to a burglary while on duty with his face still battered. When the homeowner saw him, she burst into tears and asked whether they were real police officers or had come back for the rest of her things.</span></p><h2>YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW THIS</h2><ul><li><p><span><strong>Michael Deiga-Scheck (11-8)</strong> came to OKTAGON 31 as a coach. When his fighter missed weight, he volunteered himself and beat Radek Roušal in a replacement bout under Underground rules. In MMA, however, he is 0-2 against Czech fighters, and now he faces Chotěnovský.</span></p></li><li><p><span><strong>Gökhan Aksu (14-7-1)</strong> will compete at his fourth of OKTAGON’s five events in Munich. No one on the card has more Munich appearances.</span></p></li><li><p><span><strong>Brian Manning (6-1)</strong>, who faces <strong>Marek Bartl (17-16)</strong>, is a huge horror movie fan. He couldn’t have asked for a better date than Halloween.</span></p></li><li><p><span>Endrit Brajshori’s <strong>(6-2)</strong> last two OKTAGON fights lasted just 2 minutes and 28 seconds combined.</span></p></li><li><p><span>Debutant <strong>Abdulmalik Aliev (1-0)</strong> was born in 2005 and made his pro debut at the age of 19.</span></p></li></ul><p><span><strong>A spooky night, four welterweight battles and the crowning of a new champion. OKTAGON 96 kicks off on Saturday, October 31, at Munich’s SAP Garden. Secure your seat in the stands and be there! Get your tickets at the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

A Georgian who lived in Merab Dvalishvili’s house. A replacement who was once supposed to fight the very man he is now stepping in for. A Slovak who says Jon Jones “beat him like a dog”, and a referee from the presidential protection unit.

MUNICH FUN FACTS: A WELTERWEIGHT HALLOWEEN, SPARRING WITH JONES AND A PAINTER IN THE CAGE

<p><span>While everyone else drove home after training, he climbed into a camper van in the parking lot outside the gym. That was Felix Klinkhammer’s life in London for years. On Halloween, he can become the first German to hold the OKTAGON welterweight belt. Standing in his way, however, is the division’s number one, Amiran “The Sniper” Gogoladze. In April, the Georgian knockout artist returned after almost two years out and knocked out a former champion. He has already seen a title fight slip away twice without ever stepping into the cage. The two will fight for the vacant welterweight throne on October 31 at Munich’s SAP Garden. Both are unbeaten in OKTAGON, but only one will leave with his record intact.</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/bf46f010-3a13-4893-9516-5b8cd2d30761/cs.1793016857464.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/9fc3545c-92c1-4d44-9a13-ba2b45ddd46f/cs.1793016862706.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>AMIRAN “THE SNIPER” GOGOLADZE: THE PATIENT MARKSMAN FROM THE GEORGIAN MOUNTAINS</h2><p><span><strong>Amiran Gogoladze (18-3)</strong> grew up in Akhaltsikhe in southern Georgia and only moved to Tbilisi at 23. He started MMA in 2014 and had his first professional fight that same autumn, less than two months before his 17th birthday. He made his name in M-1, where he won all four of his fights and dropped Finland’s <strong>Juho Valamaa in ten seconds</strong>. It remains the fastest KO in the organization’s history. In 2022 he was invited to Dana White’s Contender Series, but a shoulder injury in the first round closed his path to the UFC.</span></p><p><span>He entered the yellow-and-black cage in May 2023 at OKTAGON 43 in Prague’s O2 arena, where <strong>he beat Liam Etebar on points</strong>. Five months later in Bratislava, he proved that it takes a lot to stop him. Łukasz Siwiec smashed his cup with a hard kick to the groin, yet Gogoladze fought all three rounds and left with a unanimous decision. In June 2024, at the stadium in Prague’s Eden, he added a split decision win over UFC veteran<strong> Leandro “Apollo” Silva</strong>.</span></p><p><span>Then everything stopped. An injury forced him out of a December title fight with Kaik Brito, and <strong>he did not set foot in the cage for 672 days</strong>. He flew to the United States, lived in UFC star Merab Dvalishvili’s house and trained with, among others, Khalil Rountree Jr. The payoff came this April in Szczecin, where he <strong>knocked out former champion Ion “Dracula” Surdu</strong> and earned a Performance of the Night bonus. He is 4-0 in OKTAGON, ranked number one, and has never lost by submission in his career. After beating Surdu, he finally got another title shot. He was set to challenge Kaik Brito, by then the reigning champion, in Brno in September, but the Brazilian vacated the belt and headed back to the Contender Series. For the second time, Gogoladze lost a title fight without ever stepping into the cage. <strong>“I will earn what should have been mine long ago,”</strong> he said.</span></p><h2>FELIX KLINKHAMMER: THE UNBEATEN GERMAN FROM A LONDON PARKING LOT</h2><p><span>On the other side stands a man who doesn’t fit into any box. <strong>Felix Klinkhammer (11-0)</strong> played football until he was 21 and originally moved to England to study psychology. He traded academia for the mats of the legendary <strong>London Shootfighters</strong>, where he has trained alongside Michael “Venom” Page for ten years. Money was tight for a long time. For a while he <strong>lived in the gym itself</strong>. Then his parents lent him their camper van, which stood in the parking lot outside the gym for years. <strong>The nights there were anything but quiet. Drunks hung around the van and smashed its windows, and when thieves finally tried to steal it, he moved out of the parking lot.</strong></span></p><p><span>In the cage, meanwhile, <strong>he has not lost since his first amateur fight in December 2015</strong>. No active OKTAGON fighter has gone longer without a defeat. He has finished nine of his eleven professional fights, <strong>all nine in the first round</strong>. He has made opponents tap to a rear-naked choke, an arm triangle, a heel hook and a kneebar. He got his first taste of OKTAGON in July 2021 at Prague’s Štvanice, where he outpointed Anatoly Tarasenko at OKTAGON 26. He then moved on to the French promotion ARES, where he won all four of his fights. In September 2024, after a five-round battle, he handed Brazil’s Jefferson Gonçalves, unbeaten in seventeen fights, his first loss. His reward was the welterweight belt.</span></p><p><span>He returned to the yellow-and-black cage after 1,582 days last November at OKTAGON 80 at SAP Garden. It was his first-ever professional fight in Germany, and he made Hungarian veteran <strong>Máté Kertész tap to a kneebar</strong> shortly before the end of the first round. He has won both of his OKTAGON fights, completed all six of his takedowns and spent a combined total of just nineteen seconds on his back. In Munich he can become <strong>the first German to hold the OKTAGON welterweight belt</strong>, in front of his home fans and in the very arena where he has already won once.</span></p><oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtJUYwMWtN/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>WHO PULLS THE TRIGGER FIRST?</h2><p><span>The numbers make this a <strong>pure clash of styles</strong>. Gogoladze has finished nine opponents with strikes and stopped 18 of 21 takedown attempts in OKTAGON. Klinkhammer has made eight opponents tap, and so far in OKTAGON he has taken down everyone he wanted on the mat. One wants to keep the fight standing, where a single clean shot is enough. The other needs to drag it to the ground, where every mistake becomes the end. Both were also on the road to the UFC through the Contender Series in 2022. Gogoladze was stopped by his shoulder, while Klinkhammer withdrew from his scheduled bout. <strong>Four years later their paths cross</strong> in Munich, with a belt on the line. The Georgian wants to finally get the title fight he has lost twice without stepping into the cage. The German can become the first of his countrymen on the OKTAGON welterweight throne. <strong>Only one of them will stay unbeaten in the yellow-and-black cage</strong>. Will the Sniper hit his target before Klinkhammer drags him to the mat?</span></p><p><span><strong>Halloween night in Munich will belong to a new welterweight king. OKTAGON 96 lights up SAP Garden on October 31, and you can be there when history is made. Secure your seats today. You’ll find tickets at the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

While everyone else drove home after training, he climbed into a camper van in the parking lot outside the gym. That was Felix Klinkhammer’s life in London for years. On Halloween, he can become the first German to hold the OKTAGON welterweight belt.

FROM A PARKING-LOT VAN TO THE TITLE? KLINKHAMMER FACES SNIPER GOGOLADZE IN MUNICH

<p><span>Denis Frimpong hit the canvas twice in seven months. Each time, a different man put him there. Gökhan “Abinator” Aksu handed him the first knockout loss of his career in Munich last November, and Niko “One Love” Samsonidse switched his lights off in just 54 seconds in Berlin this June. But that same night in Berlin dealt them opposite fates. While Samsonidse celebrated, Aksu watched his title dream slip away. Now the number three and number four ranked lightweights are set to collide. They meet on Halloween night, October 31, at OKTAGON 96 in Munich’s SAP Garden. Will Aksu fight his way back into title contention, or will Samsonidse prove that the lightweight division has a serious new contender?</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/9b8d6545-2e5e-42ff-b40a-de807e6b964a/cs.1792755086636.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/2aa814c8-c999-4b6f-a29a-3f7da725f7e3/cs.1792755091175.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>GÖKHAN AKSU: FROM THE TRUCK CAB TO A TITLE SHOT</h2><p><span><strong>Gökhan Aksu (14-7-1)</strong> will feel almost at home in Munich. He trains in nearby Rosenheim, Bavaria, just a forty-minute drive from SAP Garden, so he will have a roaring crowd behind him. Born in Kufstein, Austria, to Turkish parents, he found his way into combat sports through Muay Thai. His first professional MMA fight took place right here in Munich in 2013 and ended in a submission loss. <strong>Then came years of grind.</strong> He worked in the restaurant business, later as a truck driver, squeezing in two training sessions a day between shifts. At home, a family with two children was waiting for him. On the Austrian scene, he <strong>collected three belts with AFC and Innferno.</strong></span></p><p><span>He stepped into the yellow-and-black cage in December 2024 at OKTAGON 64 in Munich, where <strong>choking out Jan Malach in the first round</strong>. In May 2025, in the same city, he took Ognjen Dimić apart, once again in the first round. <strong>Then came last November and Frimpong</strong>. Both men entered the fight on five-fight win streaks, with Aksu as the underdog. He dropped the Irishman with a right hand, finished him with ground strikes and walked away with a TKO and a Performance of the Night bonus.</span></p><p><span>His six-fight win streak carried him all the way to a <strong>title shot</strong>. Against champion <strong>Mateusz Legierski</strong> in Berlin, he started brilliantly and dropped the Pole early. But Legierski got back up, took him down and finished the fight from mount, still in the first round. For the Samsonidse fight, Aksu prepared for the first time at UFD Gym in Düsseldorf instead of his usual camps in Thailand, so he could be closer to his family on weekends. <strong>"I only want to fight the best, and then head straight back towards the title,"</strong> he says. The road back starts where he shone against Frimpong last year.</span></p><h2>NIKO SAMSONIDSE: KNOCKED DOWN BY FATE, BACK ON HIS FEET EVERY TIME</h2><p><span>On the other side stands a man who breaks every cliché about fighters. <strong>Niko Samsonidse (13-4)</strong> was born in Freiburg, the son of a Georgian painter and a German mother. A friend introduced him to MMA by chance, he studied social work in Berlin, and he still trains young people to this day. He chose the nickname "One Love" himself, because the warlike names others gave him never felt right.</span></p><p><span><strong>The BJJ black belt</strong> and NAGA champion has been through hell along the way. In 2021, he broke his leg throwing a kick in a fight for the NFC interim title. <strong>Doctors doubted he would ever return, and he only made it back to the cage</strong> after 706 days, straight into OKTAGON. In April 2023 at OKTAGON 42, he outpointed Roman Paulus, then locked up a first-round triangle on Nicolae Hantea in Frankfurt to <strong>earn a title shot</strong>. In Ostrava, however, Losene Keita stopped him early in the second round. Samsonidse picked himself up once more, choked out Daniel Torres in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Frankfurt’s stadium and finished Edgar Delgado in Třinec. <strong>His second shot at featherweight gold</strong>, though, was cut short in the first round by Austrian Mochamed Machaev in Stuttgart this January.</span></p><p><span>So, for the first time in years, Samsonidse <strong>moved up to lightweight</strong>, and in June he finally got the chance to fight in OKTAGON in front of his home crowd in Berlin. <strong>He caught Frimpong with a straight, and 54 seconds later it was all over</strong>. A Performance of the Night bonus came with it. Now he wants to prove that his Berlin explosion was no fluke.</span></p><oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc87CmOMW8H/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>SAME OPPONENT, TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS</h2><p><span>On paper, it is a <strong>classic striker versus grappler matchup</strong>. Aksu has eleven wins by KO or TKO, Samsonidse seven by submission. But both have shown another side, too. Aksu knows how to finish opponents with a choke, while Samsonidse ended his last two wins on the feet. Between them they have 27 professional wins, <strong>and only one went to the scorecards</strong>. Aksu has never needed the judges. He wants back into the title picture and to wash away the bitter taste of Berlin. Samsonidse needs to prove that moving up to lightweight was the right call. One returns to the arena where he stopped Frimpong last year, the other arrives on his turf fresh off the biggest win of his career. Munich will reveal <strong>which of them moves closer to a title shot.</strong></span></p><p><span><strong>This Halloween belongs to the yellow-and-black cage! OKTAGON 96 lights up Munich’s SAP Garden on October 31 with the most stacked card the city has ever seen. Feel the atmosphere live from the stands. Get your tickets via the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

Denis Frimpong hit the canvas twice in seven months. Each time, a different man put him there. Gökhan “Abinator” Aksu handed him the first knockout loss of his career in Munich last November, and Niko “One Love” Samsonidse switched his lights off in just 54 seconds.

BOTH STOPPED FRIMPONG, NOW THEY MEET: AKSU TAKES ON SAMSONIDSE IN MUNICH

<p>The yellow-and-black cage is staying on German screens for years to come. OKTAGON and leading German media group RTL Deutschland have confirmed their continued cooperation and extended their existing contract by another four years, through the end of 2031. A journey that began less than two years ago now has a solid foundation for the long haul.</p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/213bc532-db59-442a-972c-cd85895d1f3a/cs.1792750550617.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/5debb00b-7b91-4d73-a7ab-01a587ec7354/cs.1792750557666.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><p></p><p>Every OKTAGON event will continue to <strong>stream on RTL+</strong> in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. On top of that, selected events and fights will air nationwide on free-to-air channel RTL. Both sides are also developing <strong>new TV and digital formats</strong> that will bring viewers even closer to the fighters and their personal stories.</p><h2>FROM THE FRINGES TO THE MAINSTREAM: MMA IN GERMANY IS GAINING MOMENTUM</h2><p>Since the partnership began, MMA in Germany has grown <strong>from a niche sport into a mass-audience spectacle</strong>. The high point so far came in September, when OKTAGON 94 filled Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park football stadium: 57,000 fans in the stands and historic TV ratings at home.</p><p>“We’re thrilled that after less than two years on this journey together, our partnership with RTL has proven so successful that the group decided to significantly extend the contract. It gives our great partners, led by RTL, as well as our fighters and fans the certainty that OKTAGON will remain Europe’s clear number one in MMA, in every respect,” says OKTAGON co-founder <strong>Ondřej Novotný</strong>.</p><p>“RTL shares our ambition to make MMA and OKTAGON one of the most popular sports in Germany and across the entire DACH region. With this extended partnership, we will get there!” adds fellow co-founder <strong>Pavol Neruda</strong>.</p><oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DeymouBjFCu/?hl=cs&amp;img_index=1"></oktinstagramcomponent><p>“<strong>MMA has everything top-level sport needs</strong>: exceptional athletes, authentic rivalries and constant suspense. With OKTAGON, we are seeing live how fast MMA is moving forward in Germany. Almost 60,000 fans in Frankfurt, record ratings on free-to-air TV and more than a million views on RTL+ are clear proof of that. The quality of the fight cards keeps rising, new stars are emerging and the fan base keeps growing. That is exactly why we are extending our partnership with Ondřej Novotný and Pavol Neruda until 2031. Together, we will reach the next generation of fans and firmly establish MMA in the sporting mainstream. The next chapter of our journey with OKTAGON has just begun,” said <strong>Inga Leschek</strong>, Chief Content Officer of RTL Deutschland.</p><p><strong>The next chapter in Germany kicks off on October 31 at Munich’s SAP Garden, where OKTAGON 96 goes down. Come and watch MMA conquer Germany live from the stands. Get your tickets via the link below.</strong></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

The yellow-and-black cage is staying on German screens for years to come. OKTAGON and leading German media group RTL Deutschland have confirmed their continued cooperation and extended their existing contract by another four years, through the end of 2031.

UNTIL 2031! OKTAGON AND RTL EXTEND PARTNERSHIP AND PLAN NEW FORMATS

<p><span>As a kid, he dreamed of a career as a professional footballer, but the chance never came. He walked away from his apprenticeship to focus on training and, along the way, built a community of more than half a million people on social media. Today, Marat Nessar has a goal that goes beyond sport: he wants to make it far enough that his mother never has to work again. He takes the next step towards it on October 31 at OKTAGON 96, where he makes his debut at Munich’s SAP Garden against Austrian talent Abdulmalik Aliev. Who is the Bavarian finisher whose wins have never needed the judges?</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6981f323-80c1-49a4-ab8f-26d63e9dcd98/cs.1792593930360.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/1a1e3dbf-9128-4d8a-af31-ad2117259985/cs.1792593947516.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>A FOOTBALL DREAM THAT NEVER CAME TRUE</h2><p><span>The story of <strong>Marat Nessar</strong> (1-0) did not begin in Bavaria. He came to Germany with his family when he was three years old. “This is where I grew up and where my journey began,” he says today. Regensburg, the old city on the Danube, became his home, and he still represents it with pride. His first love, however, was not combat sports but football. “Growing up, <strong>I had one big dream: to become a professional football player</strong>. But I never got the opportunities I needed to make it happen,” he recalls.</span></p><p><span>The dream faded and Marat had to find another way. He started an apprenticeship, but soon realised it was not where his life was heading. “I soon realized it wasn’t my path, so I left to put more time and energy into training,” he explains. The young Bavarian <strong>bet everything on one card. The cage.</strong></span></p><h2>HALF A MILLION PEOPLE AND ONE CAGE</h2><p><span><strong>2020 changed his life twice over.</strong> He started making videos for social media and, in the same year, discovered MMA. Both gradually became a passion. <strong>Today, more than 550,000 people follow him on TikTok</strong>, making him one of the MMA fighters with the biggest reach in all of Germany. But anyone who sees him as just a face on a phone screen would be badly mistaken. “In 2022, I decided to go all in. Since then, I’ve worked on myself every single day, physically and mentally, to be better than yesterday,” he says.</span></p><p><span>He found his base at <strong>MFC Moszat Fight Club</strong> in Regensburg, which also operates as an academy bearing the name of Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Roger Gracie. But Nessar travels far beyond Bavaria in search of experience. <strong>He has trained in Poland, Thailand, Slovakia and the Czech Republic</strong> to step out of his comfort zone and sharpen his arsenal to the max. Along the way, he has trained with names such as Ion Surdu, Sharabutdin “Shara Bullet” Magomedov or Hafeni Nafuka.</span></p><oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DeEzII8Aevv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=AO8SKSww9tWBAZ8m-F3B2AR"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>FIVE WINS, FIVE FINISHES</h2><p><span><strong>He stepped into the cage for the first time in March 2024</strong>, fittingly in Munich. At an amateur event in the Kleine Olympiahalle, he answered his opponent’s head kick with a flurry of punches, escaped a <em>guillotine</em>, and <strong>it was all over after 45 seconds</strong>. A year later, in the same hall, came his first hard lesson. The more experienced Swiss fighter Elia Jacob repeatedly took him down and won on points.</span></p><p><span>Nessar learned from the defeat and in autumn 2025 <strong>went on a run that said a lot about him</strong>. In Ludwigsburg, he caught Lio Bratković in an <em>anaconda choke</em> and forced him to tap after just 29 seconds. Seven weeks later in Berlin, he added another submission, finishing Niko Sherbakovi with a <em>triangle</em> in the third round. Then in December, at Stuttgart’s Porsche-Arena, he stopped Mark Larsow with heavy ground and pound. <strong>Three wins in seventy days, all inside the distance.</strong> He did drop a decision to the experienced Tareq Hamdi in Nuremberg in February, but by then he was ready for the pros.</span></p><p><span>His professional debut came on August 22 at The Cage MMA 9. The promoters billed him as an “extremely dangerous debutant”, and Nessar lived up to it. He took Sören Dubielzig down, finished him with elbows, and the fight was over at 1:45 of the first round. Of his five wins across his amateur and professional career, he <strong>finished all five and has never been finished himself.</strong> It wasn’t long before OKTAGON came calling.</span></p><h2>A HOME FIGHT FOR HIS MOTHER</h2><p><span>Signing the contract opened the door to Europe’s biggest MMA stage, right on home soil, where the strength of his own Bavaria will carry him into the cage. Nessar knows it well. He is rallying the fans himself and promises to turn the arena into a cauldron. “<strong>I’m going through the toughest and best preparation of my entire career.</strong> From striking to ground work, I go all out in every single session. No excuses, no letting up,” he says. <strong>“Here in Bavaria, we’re at home. Let’s show everyone what a real home fight means.”</strong></span></p><p><span>The circle is closing. He began his amateur career in Munich’s Olympic Park, and two and a half years later he returns just a few steps away, this time on Europe’s biggest MMA stage. What matters most to him, though, lies outside the cage. “My biggest goal goes beyond sport. <strong>I want to be successful enough that my mother never has to work again.</strong> Everything I do is about building a better future for both of us,” says Nessar. “And this is only the beginning.”</span></p><h2>AN AUSTRIAN CHOKE ARTIST IN HIS WAY</h2><p><span>It won’t be a comfortable debut, though. Standing across from Nessar will be <strong>Abdulmalik Aliev</strong> (1-0), a 21-year-old Austrian from Vienna’s MT Gym 23 and <strong>one of the most exciting young talents in Austrian MMA.</strong> He is a wrestler who drags opponents to the mat and hunts for their back. He went unbeaten as an amateur and kicked off his pro career in November 2024 in Vienna at BRAVE CF 90, where he choked out Anatoliy Adzhamyan in the first round. Now he returns to the cage after almost two years, bringing a <strong>neighbourly derby between Bavaria and Austria</strong> to Munich. Both have perfect pro debuts behind them and both are looking for the finish. Can the Bavarian finisher stop the takedowns and defend home soil, or will the Austrian choke artist hand him his first big disappointment?</span></p><p><span><strong>OKTAGON 96 turns Munich’s SAP Garden into a Halloween battleground on October 31, with Amiran Gogoladze and Felix Klinkhammer fighting for the vacant welterweight title in the main event. Come and support Marat Nessar in his big debut and help make his home fight a night to remember. Get your tickets via the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

As a kid, he dreamed of a career as a professional footballer, but the chance never came. He walked away from his apprenticeship to focus on training and, along the way, built a community of more than half a million people on social media.

FIGHTING SO HIS MOTHER NEVER HAS TO WORK AGAIN: NESSAR DEBUTS IN OKTAGON AT HOME

<p><span>The Mattoni Arena in Karlovy Vary hosted a night on October 17 that kept the judges seriously busy. OKTAGON 95 delivered a 13-second TKO and a submission in the main event, but six of the ten fights still went the distance, and two of them ended in a split decision. Take a look at how the night in Karlovy Vary unfolded through the eyes of the judges.</span></p><oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/4f3323f1-48b1-48bc-8ffb-6eb7bf582942/cs.1792424728761.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/9e448f15-1038-4481-89ff-93391c4be115/cs.1792424733508.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>DANIEL ŠKVOR VS. TOMASZ NARKUN</h2><p><span>The main event gave the judges nothing to do. Daniel Škvor stormed into the fight at a furious pace, but the Polish legend calmly took the action to the ground, worked his way to his opponent’s back and locked in a rear naked choke. Škvor was forced to tap at 2:29 of the first round, and the scorecards stayed blank.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1491" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MATÚŠ JURÁČEK VS. JOZEF WITTNER</h2><p><span>Jozef Wittner took the opening round on all three scorecards thanks to a takedown and control from top position. In the second round, however, the tables turned. Matúš Juráček dropped his opponent with a hard knee and unleashed ground and pound. All three judges gave him the round, one of them even 10-8. That meant two judges had it level at 19-19 heading into the third round, while the third had Juráček a point ahead. The cards were never completed, though. „Slávista” put Wittner on his back, unloaded a series of heavy shots and celebrated a winning return by TKO at 3:17 of the third round.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1503" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>DAVID DVOŘÁK VS. AARON ABY</h2><p><span>The tightest battle of the night in Karlovy Vary and one of two split decisions. The opening round belonged to David Dvořák, who was the sharper striker and added a takedown late on. All three judges saw it his way. The extremely close second round, however, split the panel. Two of the three gave it to Aaron Aby, while the third saw it for Dvořák. Two judges therefore had it at 19-19 going into the final round, while the third had Dvořák ahead 20-18. The last round, full of clinch work against the fence, went unanimously to the Welshman, and that proved decisive. Aby won 29-28 on two cards, while the third judge scored it 29-28 for Dvořák. Welsh veteran Aaron Aby is now celebrating his fourth straight win.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1520" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ZDENĚK POLÍVKA VS. TIMO FEUCHT</h2><p><span>The judges barely had time to blink here. Timo Feucht dropped Zdeněk Polívka with the very first punch he threw and swarmed his hurt opponent until the referee had to wave it off. TKO at 0:13 of the first round, the fastest finish of the night and clean scorecards.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1511" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>VÁCLAV ŠTĚPÁN VS. ARIA AZARNOOSH</h2><p><span>The unbeaten talent from All Sports Academy in Hradec Králové had a clear edge on the scorecards. Václav Štěpán stuffed his opponent’s takedown attempts and landed sharp kicks and punches. All three judges gave him every one of the three rounds. A unanimous 30-27 decision, and Štěpán’s record stays spotless. Aria Azarnoosh deserves credit too: he took the fight on short notice and fought hard on an injured leg until the final bell.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1549" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ROBIN FOŠUM VS. TOMÁŠ KLABÍK</h2><p><span>The Stand and Bang bout followed exactly the same path on all three scorecards. The opening round went to Robin Fošum, who pressed forward and landed heavy shots. In the second, bare-knuckle boxing champion Tomáš Klabík found his way into the fight with his movement and accuracy, and after a wild exchange at the end of the round he drew level. That meant the fight went into the final round all square. There, Fošum turned up the pressure and won the third on all three cards. A unanimous 29-28 decision, and his return to the cage continues with another win.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1532" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MARCO NOVÁK VS. ANATOLIJ BAAL</h2><p><span>The opening round often spilled into clinch work along the fence, but Marco Novák took it on all three scorecards thanks to his far higher output and accuracy. Early in the second, the experienced Muay Thai fighter buried the debutant under knees, a clean high kick and an elbow, and sent him down. KO at 0:57 of the second round, and the scorecards were left unfinished.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1515" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>VIKTOR ČERVINSKÝ VS. DANIEL HROMEK</h2><p><span>The yellow-and-black debut of the „golden boy of Czech MMA” was no walk in the park. Viktor Červinský took the first round on all three cards from a dominant position against the fence, where he battered his opponent with knees, punches and elbows. In the second, however, Daniel Hromek boxed superbly and two of the three judges gave him the round, while the third saw it for Červinský. Two judges therefore had it level heading into the final five minutes. Takedowns made the difference. Červinský put the Slovak on his back two minutes into the third round and again seconds before the bell, which won him the final round on all three cards. Scores of 29-28 twice and 30-27 meant a unanimous decision and a successful debut.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1514" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>HUSEIN KADIMAGOMAEV VS. MARCO ELPIDIO</h2><p><span>The new Swiss signing had the scorecards under control from the opening bell. Husein Kadimagomaev was clearly the more accurate striker, added a string of hard calf kicks and took the first round on all three cards. In the second, he repeatedly pressed Marco Elpidio against the fence. One judge saw the round for the Mexican veteran, but the other two stayed with the debutant. In the final five minutes, Kadimagomaev took his opponent down and neutralised his submission attempt, winning the round on all three cards. A unanimous decision: 30-27 twice and 29-28.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1534" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>PATRIK PIKEŠ VS. RAKHIM ILISKHANOV</h2><p><span>The night in Karlovy Vary opened with an amateur bout that ended in a split decision. The close opening round, fought on the feet, divided the judges. Two of the three gave it to Rakhim Iliskhanov for his busy finish, while the third saw it for Patrik Pikeš. In the second round the Austrian talent pinned his opponent against the fence and took him down, and Iliskhanov won it on all three cards. The Czech amateur champion then went all in on the ground game and won the final round unanimously from a dominant position, but it wasn’t enough to turn the fight around. Iliskhanov won 29-28 on two cards, while the third judge scored it 29-28 for Pikeš.</span></p><oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1544" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><p></p><p><span><strong>The night in Karlovy Vary is over, but the yellow-and-black juggernaut keeps rolling! On October 31, OKTAGON returns to Munich’s SAP Garden, where Gogoladze and Klinkhammer clash in the main event of OKTAGON 96. Don’t miss another big night and secure your seat in the stands. Get your tickets via the link below.</strong></span></p><okteventcomponent eventid="138"></okteventcomponent>

The Mattoni Arena in Karlovy Vary hosted a night on October 17 that kept the judges seriously busy. OKTAGON 95 delivered a 13-second TKO and a submission in the main event, but six of the ten fights still went the distance, and two of them ended in a split decision.

TIME WITH PIRÁT: REMINDING YOU OF THE JOURNEY OF ONE OF OKTAGON'S MOST DISTINGUISHED FACES

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