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.<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>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 OKTAGON Výzva II. 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.<h2>UPS AND DOWNS: KEY MOMENTS IN HIS CAREER</h2>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?<h2>SURVIVOR AND RETURN TO THE CAGE</h2>In 2024, Pirát temporarily stepped away from the MMA world to participate in the second season of the reality show Survivor. 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.<h2>OKTAGON 70 AND A SECOND CHANCE IN THE TIPSPORT GAMECHANGER</h2>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 OKTAGON 70, 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.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1108"></oktfightcomponent><h2>OUTSIDE THE CAGE</h2>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.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!<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

As a young boy, he would sit at the winter stadium on Prague's Štvanice at six in the morning, dreaming of a grand hockey career. More than twenty years later, he enters the very same open-air island as one of the most beloved athletes OKTAGON has ever seen. Miroslav "Inquisitor" Brož (17-4-1) returns from his fighting retirement on August 1st at the OKTAGON 92 tournament, ready to leave his soul in the cage once again. What drives a warrior who already said goodbye to his combat journey? Read the story of a man who hit rock bottom and fought his way back to the top.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/904909ad-a31d-44e0-8cf3-ed45af568cee/cs.1784547985149.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/cfbaa45c-abd6-4695-982d-a7f185b8c7de/cs.1784547987564.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>GOALIE WITH A FATEFUL INJURY</h2>Brož's story didn't start in combat, but on the ice. He was drawn to hockey at the age of ten by the Nagano euphoria, and his relentless work ethic propelled him upward. Within a year he was at Slavia; in three years, he made the national team. He went through the youth selections from fifteen to eighteen, shared a national locker room with future NHL stars, and alongside Michal Neuvirth, was nominated for the Under-18 World Championship—the exact event that opens doors to the overseas draft. The interest was real, and the dream was within reach.Then came the breaking point. After a severe bout of pneumonia, he returned to the ice too soon. During his first explosive movement, he tore a muscle and was forced into a six-month hiatus. "The train just left without me. You constantly hear you're on track for the NHL, and suddenly you realize it's not going to happen. It's devastating when a lifelong dream you sacrificed absolutely everything for collapses," Brož recalls. He tried his luck in lower leagues but found no solid ground. At nineteen, he hung up his skates and cut ties with hockey so deeply that he couldn't even watch it on TV for a long time.<h2>THREE YEARS OF DARKNESS</h2>He filled the void left by his hockey dreams with alcohol, nightclubs, and street fights. "It was very wild, very problematic. I was one step away from doing time. It lasted about three years. Three years of drinking while simultaneously battling anxiety," he says, describing a period he refuses to hide. He would wake up depressed, asking friends who he had assaulted the night before. He walked a razor's edge. "There were times when I was a bad person. A very bad person. A thug. We were very close to meeting in prison," he recounts in the book OKTAGON Bez frází.<h2>THE BIRTH OF THE INQUISITOR</h2>The end of his downward spiral came abruptly. "One beautiful day, I realized this couldn't go on. I quit overnight," Brož states. He stopped drinking, severed ties with his toxic environment, and found two unbreakable anchors: faith and combat sports. As an active Protestant, he still attends church, considering the Bible the cornerstone around which he builds his life. Because of his faith, he even has a unique clause in his contract: he will never step into a fight on Saturday before sunset, as the Bible dictates one should not work on that day.From this exact paradox, his legendary nickname was forged. It was coined by his coach at Renegade Prague Gym, who couldn't fathom how a deeply religious man could be so ruthlessly vicious during sparring. Outside the cage, he is a humble, smiling believer; inside the fence, he transforms into the "Inquisitor" who preaches and punishes with his fists. He laughs about it himself: "As a Protestant, it's the worst nickname I could possibly have."<h2>A WARRIOR WHO ASKS FOR THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES</h2>Brož didn't bring the textbook technique of a pure standup fighter into the cage, but he brought something that cannot be taught: a bottomless will and an iron resilience that has become legendary. "I have no talent, I didn't have it in hockey either. With me, everything is grind, will, heart, and diligence,” describes the man who has collected dozens of broken noses, tore biceps tendons on both arms, and yet refused surgery just to rush back to training. He has stepped into battles with a torn thigh muscle and on antibiotics. And through it all, in his entire professional career, no one has managed to finish him via submission.His debut in OKTAGON took place precisely at Štvanice, when he defeated Gabriel Török under the open sky in 2018. A year later, he returned, but this time tasted the bitterness of defeat, losing to Jakub Běle via TKO in the first round. Over time, he earned the reputation of an athlete who actively demands the most dangerous opponents. One of the most famous clashes unfolded at OKTAGON 24 in May 2021, when he requested the indestructible Christian Jungwirth. He knew exactly what he was getting into, yet he engaged in an all-out, fifteen-minute war. OKTAGON still honors this duel as one of the most beautiful in its history, a night where Brož ultimately raised his hand in victory.<h2>A BLOODY FAREWELL AND A FATHER IN THE CROWD</h2>Jungwirth was far from the only big name on Brož's hit list. He forced Frenchman Emmanuel Dawa to tap out in the first round and choked out Igor Daniš in the third. Most of his victories share a distinct signature: three grueling rounds decided by the judges, just like his razor-thin win over Adam Šindelář. He collected eight wins in the organization. Ne always it however happened according to his imagination. All four of his career defeats took place inside the OKTAGON. In Ostrava at OKTAGON 11, Slovak Milan Ďatelinka stopped him; a year later came the loss to Jakub Běle. The narrowest defeat was handed to him by Jan Malach in a split-decision war at OKTAGON 20.He wrote his own final chapter. At OKTAGON 57, inside a sold-out Frankfurt arena, he challenged local king Christian Eckerlin and once again pushed through agonizing pain. "I'll leave my heart in there," he promised before the battle. Though he lost via TKO, he stunned the home crowd's star multiple times, leaving the battlefield covered in blood and deeply moved. A mountain of injuries and a desire to be with his family led to the decision to end. His strongest bond is with his father, who is over eighty and attends his matches in person. "My dad and I don't need to say anything. We just see each other and start laughing," he says. Outside the sport, he trains young hockey goalies, some of whom are reaching the national level. That was supposed to be the end. But after twenty-seven months, the adrenaline called him back.<h2>A COP WHO FORGIVES NO MISTAKES</h2>The Inquisitor returns exactly where his OKTAGON story began, and a brutal test awaits him. Standing in his way is Israeli specialist Rafael "The Cop" Aronov, a member of the elite Israeli police forces. He holds a black belt in Luta Livre, masters Krav Maga, and has secured all eight of his victories before the time limit. The question is absolute: Can the Inquisitor's boundless heart and insane pressure break the cold, calculated precision of the Israeli officer, or will Aronov prove that after a two-year hiatus, a comeback is nothing but a shattered dream?OKTAGON 92 will transform Prague's Štvanice into an open-air colosseum on August 1st, and Miroslav Brož returns to the very spot where his combat legacy began. Don't miss the spectacular return of a true local hero! Watch the tournament live and secure your PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="132"></okteventcomponent>

As a young boy, he would sit at the winter stadium on Prague's Štvanice at six in the morning, dreaming of a grand hockey career. More than twenty years later, he enters the very same open-air island as one of the most beloved athletes OKTAGON has ever seen.

A WARRIOR'S TALE: INQUISITOR BROŽ RETURNS HOME TO ŠTVANICE

Not long ago, they sweated on the same mat, fed lions together in "Vémoland," and parted as friends. Now they will clash in the cage. Karlos "The Terminator" Vémola snatched the fight of the century trilogy last June, claimed the unique "Infinity" belt, and immediately announced his retirement right in the cage. His retirement lasted fifteen months. He was lured back into action by a challenge from Frederic "The Neanderthal" Vosgröne, a German phenomenon and currently one of the most followed faces in local MMA. The celebrations of the yellow-and-black colossus's ten-year anniversary will culminate on September 26 at Deutsche Bank Park arena in Frankfurt. Will the Czech legend defend his legacy, or will a new global star be born before the eyes of sixty thousand spectators?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/037f8edf-d081-4d50-81b5-80240a0bb466/cs.1784546779327.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/8aa41d2e-0f7d-46c5-9d4e-9eba5284ac6d/cs.1784546784341.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" cropcornertl="false" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>KARLOS VEMOLA: THE TERMINATOR RETURNS TO DEFEND HIS LEGACY</h2>Karlos Vémola (38-9) is an icon without whom Central European MMA would not be where it is today. His father introduced him to combat sports when he enrolled him in Greco-Roman wrestling at Sokol Olomouc at the age of six. As a young man, however, he was more drawn to bodybuilding, which eventually brought him to England. He worked as a bouncer in Tottenham, which led him to MMA. He won his first seven professional fights in the first round and in 2010 became the very first Czech to sign a UFC contract.Seventeen fights, thirteen wins, and two belts. That is his record in OKTAGON, which he opened in March 2019 at the OKTAGON 11 tournament, where he choked out Paweł Brandys in the first round. In July, he added a points victory over the Brazilian Henrique da Silva, and in November, the "Fight of the Century" awaited him at the O2 arena. Attila Végh dropped him with a knockout in the first round and Vémola experienced for the first time in his career what it was like to fall to the ground of the cage. He responded in the best possible way. In the autumn of 2020, he returned and managed three fights in seventy-four days. He forced both Thomas Robertsen and Václav Mikulášek to tap out, and when he outpointed Alex Lohoré at the end of December in Brno, he left the cage with the middleweight belt. In 2021, he fought only once. Milan Ďatelinka lasted two minutes and twelve seconds with him.In June 2022, he won in Frankfurt, where he finished Michal Pasternak with an arm triangle in the first round. Seven weeks later, he applied the same technique in the same round to Aleksandar Ilić at Štvanice and left the cage with the light heavyweight belt. The following year was a rollercoaster ride. In April, he choked out Al Matavao in Liberec; in May, he fell short on points against Patrik Kincl in the battle for the middleweight throne; in July, he outpointed Lucas Alsina; and in October in Bratislava, he sent Pavol Langer to the ground in seven seconds. To this day, it is the fastest finish in OKTAGON history. But three days before the end of the year, he was stopped by a knockout from Samuel Krištofič. Then came Eden and with it the rematch of the century. He forced Végh to tap out with an arm triangle in the second round in June 2024. At the end of the same year, he lost his light heavyweight belt, when he fell short against the Irishman Will Fleury, but he had the last word last June. At Fortuna Arena, he snatched a five-round war with Véghen on points, closed the trilogy 2:1, and walked away with the unique "Infinity" belt. He then announced his retirement straight from the cage.It was the perfect ending. But it didn't last. At the OKTAGON 91 tournament in Cologne, he accepted the challenge of the undefeated German. "I am sorry that I will have to beat up the darling of the German audience, but I never back down," he sent a message from the cage. He returns to Frankfurt, where he has already won once, after a fifteen-month break. Out of his thirteen wins in OKTAGON, he finished nine before the time limit and delivered eight by submission.<h2>FREDERIC VOSGRÖNE: THE GERMAN STAR HUNTING THE CZECH LEGEND</h2>On the other side stands a man who skipped the entire line in a year and a half. Frederic Vosgröne (5-0) was born in Düsseldorf and lives in Mettmann, just a few kilometers from the Neanderthal valley. That's where his nickname comes from, and you only need to look at the thirty-year-old athlete to see that it makes perfect sense. He has been training at the elite UFD Gym in Düsseldorf since 2014. However, before he even entered the world of MMA, he made a huge name for himself on the mat. He holds a black belt in BJJ, brought home bronze from the IBJJF No-Gi World Championship, and won medals from the European championships. In 2020, he also dominated the Polaris UK Grand Prix, where he managed to defeat UFC veteran Tom Breese.In the cage, he changed absolutely nothing. Five fights, five wins, five submissions. No opponent has yet survived into the third round with him, and he relentlessly took down three of them right in the first. He jumped into OKTAGON in April 2025 in Dortmund, where he fearlessly went for Jorick Montagnac's legs, ignored hard strikes, and locked him in an arm triangle in the second round. He took home the Performance of the Night bonus and literally blew up the internet. His fan base on social media grew from less than ten thousand to more than 650,000 followers.He last appeared last September right in Frankfurt, where he choked out Fabio Moraes at the end of the first round at the OKTAGON 76 tournament. But then he stalled. He had to withdraw from the card three times in a row due to injury and people began to ask loudly when he would finally step in. The answer comes right now. The popular "Neanderthal" will finally present himself in the cage, and straight against the biggest legend of Czechoslovak MMA. "Karlos won't be ready for the new school. Now is my time," he declared.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DasthV-sXAW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=ArDSX4hSgxoQrewhq5CIzCV"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>TWO GROUND FIGHTERS, ONE CAGE, AND SIXTY THOUSAND PEOPLE</h2>Two men who have spent their lives winning on the ground step into the cage. Both boast a black belt in BJJ. Vémola has twenty submission wins and eighteen years in the business. Vosgröne has five fights and five tapped-out opponents. Vosgröne entered his first professional fight in 2021. At that time, Vémola already had seven battles behind him in OKTAGON alone and had already managed to win and lose one belt. And then there is one more number. Vémola's last fight lasted twenty-five minutes, which is four minutes longer than Vosgröne has spent in the cage his entire career. Will the Neanderthal from Eintracht crush another victim in front of his home crowd, or will Karlos end the German ride and rewrite the entire script?Ten years of the yellow-and-black colossus will culminate where OKTAGON broke the world attendance record. The OKTAGON 94 tournament will light up Frankfurt's Deutsche Bank Park on September 26, and you can be there! Don't miss this spectacular show and secure your spot. You can buy tickets at the link below.<okteventcomponent eventid="125"></okteventcomponent>

Not long ago, they sweated on the same mat, fed lions together in "Vémoland," and parted as friends. Now they will clash in the cage. Karlos "The Terminator" Vémola snatched the fight of the century trilogy last June, claimed the unique "Infinity" belt.

FED LIONS TOGETHER, NOW THEY CLASH IN THE CAGE: VEMOLA FACES THE NEANDERTHAL

OKTAGON has officially concluded its internal disciplinary proceedings regarding the incident that followed the main event of the OKTAGON 91 tournament at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. The organization has imposed sanctions on four individuals. The verdict is based on the findings of an investigation that verified the identities of the participants and the extent of their involvement. Kerim Engizek's protest regarding the sporting outcome of the match is the subject of separate proceedings conducted by the independent governing body GEMMAF, which will communicate its decision independently.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/9c2fc430-e9ee-4d62-bcf5-8bca93727fcb/cs.1784394558509.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/a4357a40-5afe-40d4-87af-83b8d4d98190/cs.1784394571616.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent>Shortly after the official decision announcement, heightened emotions escalated into a physical confrontation between members of both camps. OKTAGON immediately launched a detailed investigation into the entire incident, which has now been definitively concluded. Based on these findings, the organization has decided to issue the appropriate sanctions.<h2>DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS DECISIONS</h2><ul><li>Kerim Engizek has been fined €20,000 and handed a six-month suspension from competing for his participation in the incident. In determining the sanction, OKTAGON took into account that Engizek demonstrated genuine self-reflection and fully cooperated throughout the proceedings. Furthermore, the organization took into consideration the fact that this was his first disciplinary offense within the promotion.</li><li>Pouya Rahmani has been fined €7,500 and given a nine-month ban from participating in OKTAGON tournaments. This is due to his assault on Krzysztof Jotko's coach and his role in further escalating the situation following the conclusion of the main event.</li><li>Metin Engizek has been fined €2,500 and suspended for nine months. The review found him guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct toward an opponent, which included spitting water at Krzysztof Jotko after the main event concluded.</li><li>Additionally, the OKTAGON organization has decided to impose a two-year ban from all promotional events on an individual who grossly violated organization rules after the main event by initiating the physical altercation, directly contributing to the subsequent escalation of the entire incident.</li></ul><h2>ZERO TOLERANCE</h2>Based on the findings of the internal review, OKTAGON concluded that the described conduct constituted a serious violation of the organization's rules, disrupted the orderly flow of the tournament, jeopardized the safety of athletes, referees, corner teams, and other event participants, and damaged the integrity of the competition.OKTAGON enforces a zero-tolerance policy toward such behavior, which has no place in professional sports. The imposed disciplinary sanctions reflect the severity of each individual offense, the specific circumstances of each case, and OKTAGON's responsibility to provide a safe and professional environment for athletes, referees, staff, partners, and fans alike.

OKTAGON has officially concluded its internal disciplinary proceedings regarding the incident that followed the main event of the OKTAGON 91 tournament at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. The organization has imposed sanctions on four individuals.

OKTAGON CONCLUDES INVESTIGATION INTO OKTAGON 91 INCIDENT AND ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS

Three losses in a row. Then a single win to finally breathe again. And now, an island in the middle of the Vltava river, where it will be decided whether this was the start of a comeback or just a last stand. This story doesn't just belong to one fighter, but to both. The fan favorite and the longest-reigning champion in welterweight history, David Kozma, returns to Štvanice after eight years. Standing across from him is UFC, KSW, and PFL veteran David Zawada, who celebrates his 36th birthday on fight day, missing only one thing for a perfect celebration – a triumph over the local legend. The OKTAGON 10-year anniversary celebrations kick off on August 1st, and Štvanice will only let one of the Davids move forward.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/d623a692-51e3-473b-ad4f-2c97cdbc8b12/cs.1784118469028.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/6bd938e0-fdff-4aa9-bdf5-829cc2e8a6d1/cs.1784118475614.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>DAVID KOZMA: HEART OF THE LOCAL SCENE AND FIRST WELTERWEIGHT KING</h2>For OKTAGON fans, this isn't just another name on the card. David Kozma (33-15) is a pure matter of the heart. But his path to the championship throne wasn't easy at all. As a quiet kid from a Karviná housing estate, he feared bullying, so his parents enrolled him in judo at age seven so he could learn to defend himself. He stuck with it for ten years and built a foundation he relies on to this day. Since childhood, he loved wearing pink and described himself as a "pretty boy". He started fighting professionally in 2010. For years, he fought for pocket change, worked as a night watchman, and his mom didn't want to hear a word about his fighting, so he hid his first trophies in the basement.He stepped into the yellow-and-black cage in March 2018 at OKTAGON 5, where he dropped Rafał Lewoń via TKO at home in Ostrava. Four months later, he stood on Štvanice for the very first time. Under the summer sky at OKTAGON 7, he dismantled Poland's Michal Wiencek, on the exact same card where OKTAGON crowned its first-ever champion, Michal Martínek. He only had to wait until November for his own coronation. At OKTAGON 10, he defeated Gábor Boráros via TKO in the second round, becoming the organization's first-ever welterweight champion. He then sat on the throne for an incredible 1,477 days and defended the belt five times. To this day, he remains the longest-reigning champion in OKTAGON history. He systematically fended off Samuel "Pirát" Krištofič, Máté Kertész, Bojan Veličković, and the legendary Petr "Monster" Kníže. But people talk the most about the five-round war with Leandro "Apollo" Silva, which he won with a torn tongue and practically swollen-shut eyes. That's exactly how he built the reputation of a man who cannot be broken.But everything ends eventually. In December 2022, Kaik Brito took his belt with a brutal TKO, and after surviving Siwiec's choke, outpointing Lohoré, and running into Veličković in the Gamechanger semifinals, came the first of three first-round knockouts. The next two were handed to him by Surdu and Pukač, and suddenly, whispers of a glass chin began. Kozma responded radically. After thirteen years, he left PriMMAt Gym and moved under André Reinders at Reinders MMA. He had his head examined, started working with a mental coach, and discovered the issue wasn't physical, but psychological. The answer came this February in Ostrava, where he returned from a one-year layoff against Jozef Wittner, leaned on his judo, delivered a takedown in every round, defended a dangerous kimura, and walked away with a unanimous victory. The freefall was stopped.And he immediately asked for more. Even before Štvanice, he publicly called out Christian Eckerlin, the biggest star in German MMA, who claimed the "King of Germany" title before 60,000 fans at the Frankfurt stadium in 2024 and currently has no opponent for his September return to the same venue. Kozma sent a message that as the longest-reigning and six-time OKTAGON champion, he has the right to this challenge and is coming for a seventh belt, which he plans to take from Eckerlin in his own backyard. "Legend of Germany vs. Legend of Czechia, let's do it," he said on social media. But between him and Frankfurt stands Štvanice. And David Zawada, whom Kozma himself called a tougher test than Eckerlin.<h2>DAVID ZAWADA: BIRTHDAY THREAT WITH GRENADES IN HIS HANDS</h2>Standing on the other side of the cage is a man brought to the sport by family. David Zawada (20-12) was born in Düsseldorf and was introduced to combat sports at 19 by his older brother Martin, a seasoned fighter himself and his lifelong role model. He got his nickname from his very first fight in 2010. His shaved head, Muay Thai shorts, and KO power immediately reminded his friend of the character Sagat from the cult game Street Fighter. Before dedicating himself fully to the cage, he worked as an automotive expert. In Europe, he collected welterweight belts in Respect FC and Shooto, an ISKA title, and a NAGA grappling championship, he made a name for himself in Poland's KSW with five appearances, and a 16-3 record earned him an invitation to the UFC. He spent nearly four years there and claimed the scalp of Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Khabib's cousin. After leaving the UFC, he also passed through the American PFL.He entered OKTAGON in June 2022 at OKTAGON 33, where he destroyed Erhan Kartal in the first round. At the same time, he coached fighters in the reality show OKTAGON Challenge. Coaching opposite him was Christian Eckerlin, his good friend. The exact man Kozma has targeted as his next goal. Zawada then moved up a division from welterweight, where he turned around a losing fight against Hojat Khajevand with a heel hook at the end of the third round at OKTAGON 53. But middleweight took its toll. Marek Mazúch sent him to the ground in a minute and a quarter at the Eden football stadium, Matěj Peňáz stopped him in the first round, and Kamil Oniszczuk outpointed him right here at Štvanice. Three consecutive losses and a 2-3 record in the organization.When many were already writing him off, a battle with Daniel Ligocki came this January in his native Düsseldorf, a fight Zawada entered as the underdog. After fifteen minutes of war, the German secured a tight decision victory and a Performance of the Night bonus and asked for a new contract straight from the cage. He got it. And now he returns with it to the division that once propelled him to the UFC.<oktinstagramcomponent url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaA1wcGMRj3/"></oktinstagramcomponent><h2>WHO WILL IMPOSE THEIR GAME AT STVANICE?</h2>The stakes are sky-high on both sides. They step into the cage after three consecutive losses and a single comeback win; both have been in the business since 2010 and they know that another slip-up would be very hard to forgive. Kozma has explicitly stated his goal. He wants to push Zawada aside and then claim Eckerlin's crown in Frankfurt. But Zawada is the one who can put that entire plan on ice and gift himself a scalp for his 36th birthday that will put him right back in the mix. One returns to the island where he once built his path to the belt, the other to the site of his last defeat.The most beautiful tournament of the year is back! OKTAGON 92 will turn Prague's Štvanice into an open-air arena on August 1st as we celebrate ten years of the yellow-and-black colossus together. Štvanice is hopelessly sold out, but you won't miss a thing. Watch the entire tournament live via PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a> and be there with us!<okteventcomponent eventid="132"></okteventcomponent>

Three losses in a row. Then a single win to finally breathe again. And now, an island in the middle of the Vltava river, where it will be decided whether this was the start of a comeback or just a last stand. This story doesn't just belong to one fighter, but to both.

ROAD TO FRANKFURT GOES THROUGH STVANICE: KOZMA FACES EXPERIENCED ZAWADA

Seven finishes, four decisions, and one five-round title thriller. That sums up what the sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne served up on July 11. OKTAGON 91 offered the packed stands lightning-fast KOs, crushing TKOs, and textbook submissions that got fans out of their seats. How did this unforgettable gala look from the perspective of the judges who also decided the new middleweight king?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/b632ecaf-b1a9-4fa3-82b8-447c9636867f/cs.1783948488663.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/2ce44ebf-aed1-4210-9708-8255280898ef/cs.1783948494317.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>KERIM ENGIZEK VS. KRZYSZTOF JOTKO</h2>The heated title rematch for the middleweight throne gave the judges a hard time. Krzysztof Jotko took the first two rounds with his ground control and gained a lead on the scorecards. But Kerim Engizek pushed hard and claimed the third and fourth acts with his activity. However, holding the cage in the third round cost him a point, turning his otherwise won round into a draw on the cards. The final five minutes were entered with a tight score, but Jotko decided the last round in his favor, and all three judges scored it 46:48. The middleweight division has a new king after a unanimous decision.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1405" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MOCHAMED MACHAEV VS. GJONI PALOKAJ</h2>The first title battle of the Cologne night didn't keep the judges busy at all. Mago Machaev was more accurate from the opening seconds and unleashed a devastating rear hand halfway through the first round, putting Gjoni Palokaj to sleep while still standing. A KO at 2:34 of the first round, the cards stayed clean. However, due to missing the weight limit, Machaev lost the featherweight belt.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1458" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>PATRIK KINCL VS. HOJAT KHAJEVAND</h2>The anticipated duel started tactically. Patrik Kincl clearly took the opening round with precise calf kicks and strikes. In the second act, the Czech experienced fighter delivered a takedown, smoothly established a dominant position, and locked in a textbook arm triangle. Khajevand tapped out at 2:08 of the second round, leaving the cards untouched.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1452" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>CIHAD AKIPA VS. MÁTÉ KERTÉSZ</h2>The dramatic clash had a clear leader on the scorecards. Máté Kertész dominated the first two rounds with his experience and ground work, aided by a point deducted from Cihad Akipa in the second act for an illegal eye poke. But the final round brought a twist. The German powerful striker rocked his opponent with a hard shot, and after a knee on the cage, the Hungarian veteran fell. A KO at 2:06 of the third round closed the fight that Kertész had been leading on the cards. After his jubilee twentieth start in OKTAGON, Máté left his gloves in the center of the cage and announced his retirement.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1438" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>MARC DOUSSIS VS. SASCHA WEINPOLTER</h2>The heavyweight face off turned into a one-sided affair. Marc Doussis took his opponent to the ground right at the start, unleashed devastating ground and pound, and swiftly applied an arm triangle. A submission at 3:22 of the first round, the scorecards remained blank. After three consecutive losses, Doussis celebrates a return to the winning wave.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1475" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>KAMIL ONISZCZUK VS. MICK STANTON</h2>A three-round battle that had to be decided by the judges. Kamil Oniszczuk dominated the opening two rounds with his ground control and built a comfortable lead. In the final act, Mick Stanton pushed forward more and won the round on the judges' cards, but it wasn't enough for a complete turnaround. The unanimous 29:28 decision belongs to Kamil Oniszczuk.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1465" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>ALTIN ZENUNI VS. PATRIK ŠEBEK</h2>The clash of two previously undefeated lightweight talents went all the way to the scorecards. Altin Zenuni took the first two rounds with his takedowns and ground work, dictating the pace. In the final five minutes, Patrik Šebek showed immense determination, fought his way to his opponent's back, and claimed the round on the cards, but it was too late for a reversal. The unanimous 29:28 decision keeps Altin Zenuni on his winning streak, while Šebek tasted the bitterness of defeat in the cage for the first time.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1454" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>IWAN TAGNER VS. MAIWAND HAMRAS</h2>Local talent Iwan Tagner proved his qualities. After barely a minute, he moved the fight to the ground with a takedown, established absolute control, and fought his way to his opponent's back a minute before the end of the first round. A textbook rear naked choke (RNC) followed, forcing Maiwand Hamras to tap. A submission at 4:07 of the first round, and the cards remained clean.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1443" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>NICOLAJ WAGNER VS. JACKSON ROSS</h2>A heavyweight face off and a classic clash of styles. Nicolaj Wagner started actively in the standup, defended a takedown attempt, and rocked Jackson Ross with a hard shot a minute before the end of the opening round. The dazed opponent was just looking for a desperate takedown, but Wagner sent him to the ground and closed the TKO with a final barrage of strikes at 4:30 of the first round.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1453" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>AARON ABY VS. ZORAN MILIĆ</h2>Welsh experienced fighter Aaron Aby had a clear game plan and stuck to it the entire fight. In each of the three rounds, he took the face off to the ground, put Zoran Milić on his back, and comfortably controlled the pace. Although Milić always started actively in the standup, he found no answer to Aby's takedowns. All three judges agreed, and the unequivocal victory belongs to Aaron Aby.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1468" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent><h2>FURKAN UGUR VS. JAKUB ZACPAL</h2>The Cologne night was opened by an attractive amateur duel in the lightweight division. Furkan Ugur dictated the tempo with his more precise strikes, perfectly defended Zacpal's takedowns, and managed to secure a dominant position himself, unequivocally taking the first two rounds. Halfway through the third act, the local fighter locked in a D'Arce choke with both hands and recorded a technical submission at 1:25. The scorecards thus remained unfinished.<oktscorecardfightcomponent fightid="1469" smallerversion="true"></oktscorecardfightcomponent>The middleweight division has a new champion, and the yellow-and-black colossus rolls on. The next chapter will be written on August 1, when OKTAGON heads to the cult Prague Štvanice and kicks off the peak of the summer season under the open sky. Although the tickets are completely sold out, you don't have to miss this ride. Tune in to the broadcast and watch every battle live via PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="132"></okteventcomponent>

Seven finishes, four decisions, and one five-round title thriller. That sums up what the sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne served up on July 11.

COLOGNE THROUGH JUDGES' EYES: 7 FINISHES & A 5-ROUND TITLE WAR

The sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne shook to its foundations in front of twenty thousand fans and delivered a gala evening that made an indelible mark on history. An exhausting title war for the middleweight throne crowned a new king, Krzysztof Jotko, while Mago Machaev delivered a lightning-fast KO right in the first round. Patrik Kincl also showcased a dominant performance, and the spectators witnessed an emotional farewell from Máté Kertész. Who else claimed victory on German soil and left an indelible mark in the cage?<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/60752260-43b9-480c-9104-2fbe2c2941c2/cs.1783811171777.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/36bbf36e-543f-4d38-a5db-17cbd59c4e3a/cs.1783811179338.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>KERIM ENGIZEK VS. KRZYSZTOF JOTKO</h2>The highly anticipated rematch and middleweight title fight knows its winner! Krzysztof Jotko went for a takedown in the very first second, but Engizek defended himself and hit his opponent with a hard knee. However, the Polish champion survived the critical situation, turned the tide in his favor, and took Engizek to the ground. Here he ruled in his kingdom, controlled the position, and landed several hard shots, clearly claiming the first round. A similar scenario repeated in the next two rounds. Jotko constantly pushed his opponent against the fence and successfully delivered takedowns, while the Turkish champion even had a point deducted for grabbing the fence. In the fourth round, Engizek started to find a recipe and landed unpleasant body shots. The fight went into the final five minutes with a very close score. Both fighters dug deep in the final seconds, but Engizek's effort was not enough for a complete turnaround. After an exhausting twenty-five-minute war, Krzysztof Jotko celebrates a victory on points, and the OKTAGON middleweight division has a new king!<oktfightcomponent fightid="1405"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MOCHAMED MACHAEV VS. GJONI PALOKAJ</h2>The first title battle of the Cologne gala brought a brutal finish in the first round! The clash started with sharp exchanges in the stand-up, where both fighters gave each other nothing for free in the cage. However, Mago Machaev showed greater accuracy from the opening seconds, and his punches precisely found their mark. Halfway through the first round, the Austrian fighter unleashed a devastating straight punch that literally put Gjoni Palokaj to sleep on his feet before he collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Machaev thus delivered a phenomenal KO, handed his opponent his very first defeat in the organization, and recorded his second lightning-fast first-round finish in two championship duels. Despite this dominant performance and a valuable scalp, he leaves with a bitter taste, as he was stripped of the featherweight title due to missing the weight limit.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1458"></oktfightcomponent><h2>PATRIK KINCL VS. HOJAT KHAJEVAND</h2>The anticipated duel started rather cautiously and tactically from both sides. However, Patrik Kincl quickly found the right rhythm, started landing precise calf kicks supplemented by punches, and thanks to his overall accuracy, he took the opening act for himself. About a minute into the second round, the Czech matador delivered a successful takedown and moved the battle to the ground. Here he put on a professorial performance, calmly worked his way into a dominant position, and locked in a textbook arm triangle. There was simply no escape from this trap, and Khajevand found no effective defense. With another dominant stoppage triumph, Patrik Kincl takes a huge step closer to a title shot and announces a clear return to the top.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1452"></oktfightcomponent><h2>CIHAD AKIPA VS. MÁTÉ KERTÉSZ</h2>The clash started at a breathtaking pace, and dangerous strikes flew through the air from the first seconds. However, Máté Kertész soon applied his rich experience, took the duel to the ground, and safely secured the opening round after absolute control. The Hungarian matador also put on a dominant performance in the second round, where after precise shots in the stand-up, he ruled on the ground again, while the German Cihad Akipa lost a point for an illegal eye poke. But the final five minutes brought a complete turnaround. Right at the beginning, Akipa landed a hard shot that visibly rocked Kertész. He gathered the rest of his strength and managed to deliver a desperation takedown, but the fight then moved to the fence, where he took an unexpected knee from the German striker. Although the strike landed on the shoulder area, the Hungarian fighter went down, and the referee immediately stopped the battle. Cihad Akipa thus takes a valuable TKO scalp from this dramatic match and extends his winning streak. Immediately after his jubilee twentieth appearance in OKTAGON, the Hungarian veteran symbolically placed his gloves in the center of the cage and announced the definitive end of his professional career. A true staple who left an indelible mark on the history of the yellow-and-black organization is leaving.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1438"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MARC DOUSSIS VS. SASCHA WEINPOLTER</h2>This face-off picked up a lightning pace and turned into absolute dominance by one man. Right at the beginning of the first round, Marc Doussis successfully took Sascha Weinpolter down and immediately demonstrated his elite control on the ground. He quickly worked his way to a dominant position, from which he unleashed a devastating ground and pound. He literally showered his opponent with hard elbows and punches and then promptly applied a textbook arm triangle. After three consecutive losses, Doussis celebrates a return to the winning wave and claims a valuable submission triumph right in the first round.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1475"></oktfightcomponent><h2>KAMIL ONISZCZUK VS. MICK STANTON</h2>The opening minutes brought a tense tactical battle in which Mick Stanton quickly tried to get Kamil Oniszczuk underneath him, but the Polish warrior showed precise defense and great control. Just before the end of the first act, the Polish fighter landed a hard body shot, after which he took his opponent to the ground and rained down punches. The opening round safely went to his side. In the second five minutes, Oniszczuk again managed to move the duel to the ground, where he comfortably held a dominant position and expertly secured this part of the fight as well. In the final round, the British fighter managed to press onto his rival but simply couldn't find an effective recipe for his game. After his dominant performance, Kamil Oniszczuk safely secures a well-deserved victory on points.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1465"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ALTIN ZENUNI VS. PATRIK ŠEBEK</h2>The clash of two previously undefeated lightweight talents started at a very high pace. Although Patrik Šebek showed greater accuracy in the opening striking exchanges, the Albanian fighter Altin Zenuni soon delivered a successful takedown. The Slovak representative managed to get back on his feet in a flash, but his opponent promptly moved the battle back to the ground, where he developed a dominant position and confidently dominated the opening round. An almost identical scenario was offered by the second five minutes, in which Zenuni imposed his game again after a minute, took the duel to the ground, and safely maintained control. In the final phase of the match, Šebek showed tremendous determination when he managed to fight his way to his opponent's back and threatened with strong pressure, but it was not enough for a complete reversal. Patrik Šebek thus fell in the cage for the very first time in his career and lost his zero, while Zenuni continues his spectacular ride after a well-deserved victory on points.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1454"></oktfightcomponent><h2>IWAN TAGNER VS. MAIWAND HAMRAS</h2>From the very beginning of the round, Iwan Tagner put on a dominant performance and began to fulfill the role of a massive favorite to the fullest. After less than a minute, he took the match to the ground following a successful takedown, where he expertly developed absolute control. Maiwand Hamras tried in vain to find a way out of the disadvantageous position, which the fierce talent promptly exploited. A minute before the end of the opening act, Tagner fought his way to his opponent's back and quickly locked in a textbook rear naked choke (RNC), which his opponent had to tap out to. The domestic fighter thus confirmed his undeniable qualities and adds his third professional victory to his record.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1443"></oktfightcomponent><h2>NICOLAJ WAGNER VS. JACKSON ROSS</h2>A heavyweight battle and a classic clash of styles. Nicolaj Wagner started very actively in the stand-up, but Jackson Ross initially managed to take the duel to the ground. Wagner, however, showed good defense and safely fought his way back to his feet from a disadvantageous position. A minute before the end of the opening act, Wagner hit his opponent with a hard shot, after which the shaken Ross attempted a desperation takedown. However, this takedown missed its mark, Wagner sent his opponent to the ground, and with a final barrage of punches, he clearly secured a great TKO victory right in the first round.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1453"></oktfightcomponent><h2>AARON ABY VS. ZORAN MILIĆ</h2>The opening seconds of the match belonged to Zoran Milic, who was more accurate in the stand-up, but Aaron Aby had a clear game plan from the start. The experienced British fighter soon moved the fight to the ground, where he put his opponent on his back, calmly maintained control, and secured the first round for himself. The second act offered exactly the same scenario. Milic started very actively again and managed to land shots, but Aby soon delivered another successful takedown and dictated the pace of the fight. Not even the final five minutes brought a reversal. The Welsh matador again took the duel to the ground, gave his opponent no space for major action, and after three rounds of dominance, he records a clear victory on points.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1468"></oktfightcomponent><h2>FURKAN UGUR VS. JAKUB ZACPAL</h2>The opening clash of the evening under amateur rules offered an attractive lightweight battle between two fierce talents. The German fighter Furkan Ugur dictated the pace with his more accurate punches in the stand-up right in the first act. Jakub Zacpal constantly tried to deliver a takedown, but the domestic puncher showed fantastic defense and managed to develop a dominant position on the ground himself. The relentless pressure of the German representative continued in the second three-minute round, when he confidently put his Czech opponent on his back, controlled the course, and gave him no room for any major action. The German fighter thus claimed the first two rounds for himself. Halfway through the third round, Ugur completely and confidently crowned his precise tactical performance. He successfully locked in a choke with both hands, submitted Zacpal, and claims a submission victory on home soil in Cologne.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1469"></oktfightcomponent>The Cologne night is behind us, but the yellow-and-black colossus does not stop! On August 1st, we are returning to an iconic place that is traditionally the absolute peak of the summer for fans. Although Prague's Štvanice is already hopelessly sold out, you definitely won't miss this spectacular open-air event. Experience the thrilling atmosphere, tough battles in the cage, and unforgettable moments from the comfort of your home. Secure your broadcast and watch the entire gala evening live. Buy PPV on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="132"></okteventcomponent>

The sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne shook to its foundations in front of twenty thousand fans and delivered a gala evening that made an indelible mark on history. An exhausting title war for the middleweight throne crowned a new king, Krzysztof Jotko.

OKTAGON 91 RESULTS: THE MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION HAS A NEW CHAMPION AND MACHAEV DELIVERED A LIGHTNING-FAST KO

OKTAGON is heading to Cologne, bringing a card like no other. On July 11, the iconic Lanxess Arena will become the stage for two title battles and a spectacular event packed with local stars and international elite. From a title rematch to the return of a former king and clashes of undefeated beasts, this night will offer absolutely everything. Go through the complete fight-by-fight overview and get ready for the coming storm.<oktresponsiveimagecomponent url="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/7efebea9-3ad0-4086-8d66-0fc422429bcd/cs.1783688976097.png" mobileurl="https://assets.oktagonmma.com/COMMON_IMAGE/69bd7eb9-6353-4e0f-89a9-5abf918c1cec/cs.1783688982577.png" link="" croppedcorners="true" enablecornersmobile="false" smallercorners="false"></oktresponsiveimagecomponent><h2>KERIM ENGIZEK VS. KRZYSZTOF JOTKO</h2>The main event of the evening and a title rematch where everything is on the line. German middleweight champion Kerim Engizek (24-5), a heavy hitter with fourteen TKO wins, enters the cage with a single thought: to avenge the man who ended his eleven-year undefeated streak. In January, Polish veteran Krzysztof Jotko (29-6) caught him in a rear naked choke in the very first round. Back then, the belt wasn't on the line. Now, the American Top Team representative wants to add the championship title to his Gamechanger triumph. Can Engizek avenge the brutal loss in front of his home crowd and keep his belt, or will Jotko confirm his dominance once again and become the new middleweight king?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1405"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MOCHAMED MACHAEV VS. GJONI PALOKAJ</h2>A featherweight title fight where pure dynamite in the hands meets an elite ground school. Austrian featherweight champion Mochamed "Beast" Machaev (17-2) is an explosive finisher heading into his first title defense. Standing in his way is Hanover grappler Gjoni Palokaj (13-3), who has yet to find a conqueror in the yellow-black cage. Palokaj crushes opponents with ground control, while Machaev holds a phenomenal takedown defense rate and has never tapped out. However, weight intervened right before the start of this highly anticipated duel. Machaev missed the prescribed limit, meaning only the challenger can fight for the vacant title in Cologne. Will Palokaj take advantage of this chance and become the new king, or will the Austrian striker show that despite losing the belt, he is still the most dangerous man in the cage?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1458"></oktfightcomponent><h2>PATRIK KINCL VS. HOJAT KHAJEVAND</h2>The former middleweight king wants to prove he is dead serious about his return to the top. Czech phenomenon Patrik "Inspektor" Kincl (29-12) managed to get back on the winning track after a tough belt loss by defeating Rob Pukač in his last fight. Now he wants to send a clear message to the entire division. The extremely experienced fighter and master tactician faces a dangerous destroyer of favorites and the huge discovery of the latest Tipsport Gamechanger series. Iranian-German gladiator Hojat Khajevand (10-5) has built a reputation as an unpredictable powerhouse on the ground who can break a fight with crushing pressure. Will the experienced matador be caught off guard by a fast start, or will Kincl use his massive experience to claim another valuable scalp?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1452"></oktfightcomponent><h2>CIHAD AKIPA VS. MÁTÉ KERTÉSZ</h2>The welterweight division will offer a fateful crossroads of two careers. Hungarian legend Máté "The Cold Blooded" Kertész (15-10) enters his 20th fight under the organization knowing that after a series of losses, he is fighting to stay among the elite. Riding a fantastic wave against him is dynamic German standup fighter Cihad "The Punisher" Akipa (11-2), who has won five consecutive duels and is in the shape of his life. Will the veteran stop his fall, or will the fierce German celebrate another triumph?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1438"></oktfightcomponent><h2>MARC DOUSSIS VS. SASCHA WEINPOLTER</h2>The royal heavyweight division promises a heart-stopping spectacle. The short-notice rescue mission was accepted by Austrian bare-knuckle boxing champion Sascha "The Destroyer" Weinpolter (14-6-1), who has delivered thirteen of his fourteen wins before the limit and is used to the hardest possible exchanges. Facing him is German brawler Marc Doussis (9-5). He is moving up to the heaviest division with a 100% finish rate, but also carrying a massive amount of pressure, as he currently has three straight losses behind him. Raw power and Spartan durability guarantee a firefight where a single punch can decide everything.<oktfightcomponent fightid="1475"></oktfightcomponent><h2>TAMERLAN DULATOV VS. NIKOLA JANKOVIĆ</h2>A clash with the potential to steal the whole show. Local star Tamerlan "Most Wanted" Dulatov (5-0) steps in front of an army of fans to confirm his status as a huge talent with offensive pressure. Standing against him is twenty-one-year-old Croatian phantom Nikola Janković (9-2). He has never heard the judges' decision in his entire career and delivered most of his wins by KO. Can the favored German withstand the massive power of this fierce finisher?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1420"></oktfightcomponent><h2>KAMIL ONISZCZUK VS. MICK STANTON</h2>Hard tactical chess in an 88-kilogram catchweight. Polish defensive magician Kamil Oniszczuk (12-5) has defended every takedown attempt in the cage so far and represents a literal wall of steel. Now he will be tested by the English bulldog Mick "The Huyton Hammer" Stanton (14-9), a former Cage Warriors champion and battle-hardened veteran of five-round wars. Will the British veteran find a recipe for the Pole's perfect defense in a tough fight, or will Oniszczuk confirm his absolute world-class status once again?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1465"></oktfightcomponent><h2>ALTIN ZENUNI VS. PATRIK ŠEBEK</h2>A duel of undefeated lightweight prospects, where one will lose their zero. Lightning-fast Altin Zenuni (4-0) represents the feared UFD Gym and wants to secure another quick triumph in front of his home fans. The role of the intruder is confidently embraced by Slovak talent Patrik Šebek (4-0), the only Slovak on the card, who claims that the position of the arena's public enemy suits him perfectly. Will Šebek handle the immense pressure of the roaring arena, or will the Albanian fighter celebrate another success?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1454"></oktfightcomponent><h2>IWAN TAGNER VS. MAIWAND HAMRAS</h2>A pure German showdown of ambitious prospects. Iwan Tagner (2-0) enters the fight as an amateur IMMAF world champion, which is practically the greatest achievement one can reach among amateurs. On the other side stands Maiwand Hamras (2-1), a kickboxing champion who relies on terrifying punching speed and lightning-fast starts. Will the elite kickboxer stop the complex threat, or will the amateur world champion enforce his game and celebrate another victory?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1443"></oktfightcomponent><h2>NICOLAJ WAGNER VS. JACKSON ROSS</h2>A heavyweight clash of giants where we most likely won't need the judges. Local hero Nicolaj "Zangief" Wagner (4-4) won the fans' hearts with his OKTAGON debut, jumping in on short notice just three hours before the event started. This dangerous heavy hitter secured all his professional wins by finishing opponents with hard KOs or TKOs. Standing in his way is undefeated American predator Jackson Ross (3-0), an elite wrestler and champion of the amateur GAMMA organization. Will Wagner's devastating grenade destroy the ambitious overseas athlete's plans, or will Ross fully showcase his technical maturity and deliver another quick finish?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1453"></oktfightcomponent><h2>AARON ABY VS. ZORAN MILIĆ</h2>The flyweight division will deliver a thrilling technical battle where elite ground game meets an aggressive standup style. Two-time title challenger and BJJ black belt Aaron Aby (18-11-1) is a massive threat on the floor and has never been forced to tap out in the cage. This Welsh warrior will now face a fierce debutant. Zoran Milić (6-2) is a champion of a Danish organization, loves hard brawls, and has never lost before the limit in his career. Will the Welsh grappler enforce his mastery, or will the Croatian striker snatch a valuable scalp?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1468"></oktfightcomponent><h2>FURKAN UGUR VS. JAKUB ZACPAL</h2>The entire evening will kick off with a clash of beasts under amateur rules. Twenty-year-old local talent Furkan Ugur (4-4-1) proudly represents the elite German UFD Gym and sees fighting in front of the roaring fans in the giant Lanxess Arena as a huge dream come true. His opponent will be the sharp prospect Jakub Zacpal (5-1), a representative of the traditional Czech standup school from Muay Thai Olomouc. He is coming for a win that could open the doors to the professional elite. Who will fully dominate the first duel of this historic night?<oktfightcomponent fightid="1469"></oktfightcomponent>Cologne is gearing up for a spectacular MMA show, and on July 11, the Lanxess Arena will host two title battles, a whole army of local stars, and much more. Do you want to be there when the yellow-black colossus unleashes the Cologne storm? Don't miss this night and watch the entire event live on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OKTAGON.TV">OKTAGON.TV</a>.<okteventcomponent eventid="134"></okteventcomponent>

OKTAGON is heading to Cologne, bringing a card like no other. On July 11, the iconic Lanxess Arena will become the stage for two title battles and a spectacular event packed with local stars and international elite.

COLOGNE CARD FIGHT BY FIGHT: TWO TITLE BATTLES AND AN ARMY OF LOCAL STARS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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