Oktagon 84 Preview: Rony v Brito, Kozma v Wittner

Oktagon is back in their home country of Czechia this Saturday evening. Oktagon 84 will take place in the Ostravar Arena and will see ten fights on the night, including one for an OKMMA title.

Ion Surdu missed weight before his last title defence and as a result lost the belt to the scales. That means the OKMMA Welterweight Championship is vacant, and Saturday will see a new incumbent be crowned. Ronald Paradeiser (23-9) is the red corner in this equation and he’s a former OKMMA Lightweight champion and a runner-up in the 2024 Tipsport Gamechanger tournament. The 28-year-old has won ten of his last eleven bouts, with the only loss coming to ex-champ and soon-to-be UFC fighter Losene Keita. The Slovakian has massive knockout power, felling fourteen foes with his striking. The Ankos MMA man has been working a lot in the gym to upskill his grappling game, however it’s always going to be his spectacular kickboxing offence that pays the bills. Kaik Brito (18-6) has also held gold in the promotion, winning the OKMMA Welterweight Championship against David Kozma and earning a shot on the Contender Series. The 28-year-old was unsuccessful in a great showing against Oban Elliott, which sent him back to Oktagon to rebuild. The Brazilian, like his opponent, is known for his devastating striking style. Fifteen of his wins have come via knockout and he can turn off more lights than a father following his kids room by room through the house. He has a submission game that he rarely uses, including a great triangle choke.

David Kozma (32-15) is a legend for the promotion and a former OKMMA Welterweight champion with five title defences. The “Pink Panther” is a larger than life character that usually wears pink and walks out to the Baywatch theme. The 33-year-old is always exciting on the feet, smashing knees and elbows in close and packs a heavy punch. He’s finished nine fights via knockout. The Czech is a very good wrestler and scrambler. His submission game is tricky and his triangle choke is a big threat. The only question is whether he can still absorb damage. Josef Wittner (16-5) is a PFL veteran and returns to Oktagon for the first time since 2020. The Slovakian is a master of the guillotine with the majority of his eight submissions coming via the technique. The 32-year-old is also dangerous on the feet with a powerful punch. His last win was in 2022 with a sub-15 second knockout and he’s shown more durability of late than Kozma.

Tomáš Mudroch (8-1) will have the full backing of a raucous hometown crowd. The 27-year-old graduated through the GAMMA amateur scene and he’s an exciting striker who commits to a high risk offence and isn’t shy to spin or fly into an attack. The Czech has a massive right hand in his locker and all of his wins have been in the first round, he’s won four in-a-row and he loves to attempt leg locks. Fedor Duric (8-1) is an über prospect coming out of the up-and-coming MMA Spirit in Frankfurt. The German is a very effective wrestler and excels at taking the back and sinking in the rear naked choke. The 21-year-old has tapped out four opponents so far, and he matches this with decent boxing with a bit of pop behind his punches. So far he’s been very durable and his only loss was to the very experienced Pedrag Bogdanović.

Jakub Batfalsky (8-2) is part of a new wave of Central European MMA and is a very highly touted prospect. The Czech has competed in pro boxing and Muay Thai amongst his mixed martial arts experience. The 23-year-old is an Ostrava native so will be a popular man on the night, and that will suit his devastating striking game early on. He’s a man that loves to fight and will fly out of the blocks. Watch out for his dangerous choke game. Eugene Black-Dell (11-8) was a champion in the regional WE LOVE MMA promotion and he picked up his first Oktagon win via second round knockout back in November. The German is at his most dangerous when he’s boxing and his power will be a threat, and he’ll be keen to avoid submission defence where he’s not as strong.

Matéj Kuznik (19-9) will be another ticket seller for the local audience, and now trains out of Reinders MMA in the capital, Prague. The Ostrava man makes his first appearance in over a year and his twelfth fight overall for the promotion. The 30-year-old is very well rounded and has a win over title contender Rony Paradeiser. The Czech is a good wrestler whose submission threat is the rear naked choke, and he’s an aggressive puncher early looking for the kill. Hafeni Nafuka (11-4) is a man whose biggest flaw might be that he’s too active, stepping in to fight anybody, anywhere. The German of Namibian descent trains out of a good gym in Regensburg and despite his massive talent, he’s only won three of his last seven. He’s very strong physically and can wrestle with the best of them, which then gives him access to his impressive submission game which has earned him seven tap outs to date. This is a fight where he’ll want to make a statement.

Jan Široký (13-19) is an Ostrava legend and will bring in a sizable portion of the crowd. The Czech was born to fight and is willing to walk into the centre of the cage to stand and bang with everyone. He’s fought countless times across the striking arts, from big gloves to small gloves to no gloves, kill or be killed, willing to go out on his shield as a warrior. František Fodor (10-9) makes his twelfth promotional appearance and he trains out of Bratislava. The Slovakian is a swanger and banger with the power to knock out a rhinoceros. He’s most dangerous in the second round and is very aggressive once he finds his rhythm and he’ll be looking to upset the hometown crowd here. Six of his wins were knockouts.

Vašek Klimsa (2-0) is another new wave of MMA talent and Ostrava native. The young Czech won his promotional debut in November with a Von Flue choke, and he was a submission specialist all the way back to his amateur days. In his professional debut, he picked up a third round knockout victory. Brajan Przysiwek (4-1) represented his nation at IMMAF level and this is his first appearance for Oktagon. The Pole is very dangerous in early exchanges with his striking power, and he’s finished three pro fights by knockout so far. Back in his amateur days, he was more known for his grappling and rear naked choke finishes.

Petr Bartonék (8-6) is hoping its third time lucky after losing his first two promotional bouts, and he’s on a four-fight win streak. The Czech is a good submission player who tapped out four opponents and he mixes in some nice ground and pound to keep you honest. He’s at his most dangerous when both men are dry and he also has a solid foundation in Muay Thai, which he switches to more and more as the fight goes on. Endrit Brajshori (5-2) trains out of the fast growing gym in Rosenheim and he is of Kosovan descent. The German is a big heavy hitter early on, and his right hook is a night ender. He’s got a nice guillotine to dissuade sloppy takedowns and he’s had some issues with defensive Jiu Jitsu.

Lukáš Závičák (6-6) makes his promotional debut and has won five of his last seven. The Czech is a natural finisher and has been at his best in the submission game. All but one of his finishes were in the first round. The 29-year-old has a great arsenal of chokes in his locker, from the MMA usuals to guillotines and arm triangles. He’s not a fan of being pressured on the feet. Daniel Schordje (9-1) saves this fight by subbing in for Ireland’s Jack Maguire at very short notice. The Austrian comes in from their regional scene, and he had a long career where he represented his nation at amateur level. The 34-year-old is a physical and heavy hitting striker with five knockouts on his record. If he doesn’t finish on the feet, he’ll follow you down and terrorise you with ground and pound, either forcing you to give up your back or the ref will step in and end it.

Adam Havran (1-0) is a local lad in the curtain jerker role. The 30-year-old has a background in pro boxing and kickboxing. The Czech’s debut was a unanimous decision win and he has an amateur victory via knockout. He’ll be looking to make a statement with his striking to open the show. Oskar Staszczak (4-0) trains out of Kraków and has a kickboxing background of his own. The Pole has an impressive kicking game where he loves to work the legs, body and head. He has massive power and all his limbs contain instant knockout threat. One of his wins was a submission, a rear naked choke victory.

Oktagon 84 is live from Ostrava on Saturday night from 17:00 Irish time on Oktagon.tv.