The Czech-Slovak organization Oktagon MMA broke the world record in attendance! More than 59,000 spectators watched the tournament at the football stadium in Frankfurt.
The Octagon surpassed even the UFC!
The previous maximum was the gala evening of the Polish organization KSW in 2017, when 57,776 supporters gathered at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Third is the most prestigious MMA organization UFC, in 2019, 57,127 spectators watched the tournament live in Melbourne.
Some foreign sources state that the largest number of fans was present at the 2003 tournament of the Japanese organization PRIDE (67,451). However, according to Tapology and Oktagon’s findings, the actual number of visitors was “only” 53,000.
VIDEO: Octagon promoter Pavol Neruda exclusively for ŠPORT.sk about the historic tournament in Frankfurt:
A spectacular show
In addition to 11 matches, the gala evening offered a spectacular show. The event began with the German national anthem, members of the army unfurled the national flag. The world-famous pop singer and DJ John Newman performed as part of the halftime show. The organization originally negotiated with rapper Snoop Dogg, but they did not agree on financial terms.
During the evening, Oktagon also presented the organization’s new anthem. The symbolic title for the king of Germany, which was won by his namesake Eckerlin (17-6) with a victory over Christian Jungwirth (15-9), was brought to the octagon by the former world champion in football, the German Lukas Podolski. The experience of the evening was diversified by several original appearances of fighters.
Octagon 62
Main card
from 77 kg: Christian Eckerlin (GER) – Christian Jungwirth (GER) – na body (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
up to 84 kg: Patrik Kincl (CZE) – Kerim Engizek (TUR) – na body (46-49, 46-49, 47-48) – new champion
from 70 kg: Max Coga (GER) – Antun Račič (CRO) – KO (2nd round, 1:41)
from 66 kg: Niko Samsonides (GER) – Daniel Torres (AUT) – RNC (2nd round, 4:06)
from 120 kg: Lazar Todev (BUL) – Adam Palasz (POL) – TKO (2nd round, 2:20)
from 66 kg: Max Holzer (GER) – Mohammed Trabelsi (GER) – TKO (2nd round, 1:23)
Prelims
up to 52 kg: Katharina Dalisdaová (GER) – Mallory Martin (USA) – for bodysuit (46-49, 45-50, 45-50) – new champion
from 66 kg: Mago Machaev (AUT) – James Hendin (GER) – na body (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
up to 93 kg: PAVOL LANGER (SVK) – Will Fleury (IRL) – NO (1. kol, 1:31)
from 70 kg: He doesn’t smoke (GER) – Arijan Topallaj (GER) – on body (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
from 66 kg: Deniz Ilbay (GER) – Michael Deiga-Scheck (BRA) – TKO (Round 1, 3:19)
The big-mouthed Irishman destroyed Langer and challenged Vémola
The former interim champion of the Octagon in the light heavyweight category, Slovakian Pavlov Langer (13-11), lost his chance for the title again. As the division’s number one, he lost to Will Fleury (13-3) from Ireland in three.
The big-mouthed islander was the clear favorite (1.3 – 3.2). Langer is known for slow starts and he paid the price again. From the beginning, Fleury exerted pressure, intervened and after a successful combination of blows, he knocked out the player from Košice after only 91 seconds! Langer fell limp on his face to the floor. Paramedics helped him and it took him a long time to get back on his feet.
The representative of the famous SBG gym, which also trained Conor McGregor, challenged the reigning Czech champion Karlos Vémola (37-8) after the victory. He was supposed to defend his title against Samuel “Pirate” Krištofič (17-6) on November 9, but the Slovak fighter was injured.
It was supposed to be the draw that Oktagon will sell out the Tipos Arena in Bratislava for the first time. The expected rematch between Karlos Vémola and Samuel “Pirate” Krištofič is canceled!
Vémola sat by the cage as one of the commentators and laughed at the challenge. “She shakes her head because she knows exactly what she doesn’t want,” Fleury fired confidently.
“You have no chance,” he said in the Vémola broadcast: “I would beat him. We’ll see what Octagon has to say about that. If Ondro (Novotný, the promoter of Oktagon) wants, I will face him calmly. I think the team and I know how to deal with him. It’s all in the hands of the promoters now.”
Vémola will most likely end his career next summer with a decisive third match against Slovakian Attil Végh (33-10-2). Until then, he wants to pass one more defense, the opponent should be clear in the next few days. Fleury became the number one challenger with the win over Langer.
Kincl lost the title in the 4th defense
Czech Patrik Kincl (28-11) lost his middleweight title in his fourth defense, losing to Turk Kerim Engizek (21-4) on points 46-49, 46-49, 47-48.
Kincl could not assert his fighting style, Engizek kept his distance except for one round and kicked the legs and body of the Czech champion. He was faster and more forceful, had a clear advantage in the number of blows 159 – 54 (significant 95 – 17). Kincl only won the 4th round when he got his opponent under him, but he couldn’t threaten him even on the ground.
“I am disappointed with my performance, I have already apologized to the coach and the promoter. I had a good strategy, but I couldn’t find the right rhythm. I played it myself,” Kincl said at the post-tournament press conference.
He was the champion from February 2022, when he defeated Samuel “Pirate” Krištofič. He was able to defend the title against Alex Lohoré, Karlos Vémol and Piotr Wawrzyniak.
Engizek won the belt in his third fight in the Octagon. He was an outsider in exchange rate terms of 2.41 – 1.5. He entered the match as number three in the rankings, Kincl was not only the middleweight champion, but also number one across weight categories.
Octagon has introduced the 3rd member of the Hall of Fame
After Slovak Iljo Škondrič and Czech Petr Macháček, German Stephan Pütz became the third member of the Octagon Hall of Fame. The former champion of the then prestigious Russian organization M-1 ended his career with a record of 22-5. In the Octagon, he unsuccessfully fought for the light heavyweight title against the Czech Viktor Pešt.
