KSW 116 Preview: Bartosiński v Fleminas, Piwowarczyk v Zając

KSW is back in action this Saturday night for the annual mid-March show. Gorzów Wielkopolski hosts its third show for the promotion, and KSW 116 will be live from the Arena Gorzów with nine fights on deck, one for an international KSW title.

Adrian Bartosiński (18-1) has been the dominant KSW Welterweight Champion since April 2023 where he knocked out Artur Szczepaniak in the first round. The Octopus Łódź man makes his fifth title defence on Saturday, and he’s one of the most talented well rounded fighters in the world. The 30-year-old is a menace on the feet and carries huge power and technique that hits opponents for six, picking up twelve knockout wins. The Pole can keep a solid pace for twenty-five minutes and has a really solid chin. On the mat, he’s a very decorated BJJ practitioner and in MMA competition, he’s had big success with the kneebar. His fight IQ is very high and his only defeat was to the great Mamed Khalidov up a weight, and he’s undefeated in his own division. Madars Fleminas (14-7) is the blue corner and contender in this one. Training out of Grimsby in the UK, he’s fought at a high level across Europe, most notably for Cage Warriors. The “Latvian Express” has a wrestling background, however he prefers to be in the trenches and throwing big shots. The 37-year-old beat Tymoteusz Łopaczyk in September by a split decision. Bravery is one of his biggest qualities, he’ll take one to land one, and he trusts his ability to do more damage in the process. In the pocket, he threatens with slick elbows and big punches, with seven knockouts on his record.

Damian Piwowarczyk (10-4) has achieved a lot in his young years in a division usually dominated by older heads. The Białogard man moved to the Uniq Fight Club and Nemesis fight team in Warsaw a few fights back, sparring with the likes of Arek Wrzosek, Radek Paczuski and Marek Samociuk. The 28-year-old is looking increasingly good on the feet, mixing up his shot selection well, and offering a genuine knockout threat in the process. The Pole is also a very tricky BJJ player, using his long limbs to cause his opponents fits. His standout submission is the guillotine and he’s finished nine of his bouts so far. Sergiusz Zając (9-1) is from the same new school as “Piwo” and he’s an absolutely terrifying competitor. The 27-year-old unleashes a world of misery when the cage doors close, possessing explosive striking. Since losing his pro debut, he’s laid waste to foe after foe. The Żołynia man has eight knockout wins, and he has many ways to separate you from your consciousness. If you let the Pole get too close, he’s going to rinse you with knees and upend you with elbows, and if you keep the distance, his fists can knock you stone dead.

Tommy Romanowski (19-11) is one the biggest fan favourites on the roster and is known for leaving his heart in the cage no matter what. The Szczecin man trains with the Berserkers, and he comes from a grappling background, not that he uses it much anymore. The 37-year-old is at his happiest when he’s in boxing exchanges, putting his soul into every combination while he walks opponents down. He beat Alain Van De Merckt last November. Bartosz Kurek (5-0) has a hat trick of wins under the KSW banner already, including picking up two knockout wins in his last two bouts. The Pole has performed very well against strikers historically, and he’s shown durability in his chin early in his career. His main submission threat comes off his back, with a nice triangle choke on offer. He gives up a lot of experience here, but he’s not a man to shirk a challenge.

Bartosz Leśko (15-6-2) trains with the Mad Dogs team up by the Baltic Sea, and he has a lot of experience to fall back on with some ACA fights on top of his eight KSW bouts. The Gdynia man is a very good wrestler with a knack for taking the back and sinking in a rear naked choke, winning with that technique seven times as a pro. The 29-year-old is competitive on the feet, with the ability to hold his own against top contenders. He’s got big wins against Maciej Różański, Dominik Humburger and Damian Piwowarczyk. Bartosz Szewczyk (9-4-1) is a Contender Series veteran and a former champion in FEN. The Ankos MMA man picked up a split decision win in August against Dawid Kasperski. The Poznan man is known for his kickboxing, flummoxing opponents with his punches and kicks. Six wins have come via knockout, and he hits as hard in the last second as in the first. From a submission point of view, he won his pro debut via rear naked choke.

Ewelina Woźniak (10-3) has always been one the premier female practitioners in Europe. The “Mad Queen” is on a two-fight win streak and she’s recently moved to Ankos MMA. The Trzemeszno lady isn’t afraid to get involved in stand-up exchanges, throwing nice combinations and is not afraid to shed some claret. The 32-year-old has an eclectic submission game, specialising in a wide range of chokes. She has a high finish ratio, which you don’t always see at strawweight, stopping seven opponents before the final bell. Eva Dourthe (9-7) is a two-time title challenger in Oktagon, and has competed for Cage Warriors, Hexagone and FEN in the past. The Frenchwoman is a hard-nosed competitor and will be in your face from the off. Her main finishing threat is in the submission game, picking up wins via guillotine and armbar, although both were pre 2020. She’s more of a decision fighter, making it a scrap over fifteen minutes.

Kacper Formela (19-6) is a former FEN champion and was last seen picking up a quick ground and pound victory in Strife last November. The Mighty Bulls Gdynia man is a high level striker, possessing an exciting kickboxing game. The 29-year-old has eight knockout wins and can hurt you to the body and the head. On the mat, he poses a rear naked choke threat. Krzysztof Mendlewski (9-3) makes his KSW debut and he’s a former Babilon MMA champion, coming in on a four-fight win streak. The 31-year-old is stronger in the grappling exchanges, combining a good wrestling game with a great rear naked choke. In recent fights, he’s found ways to consistently damage opponents with his striking. He’s very patient and picks his moments well.

Wojciech Kawa (9-4) is a FEN veteran and another Berserker from Szczecin. “Coffee” is very mean in boxing changes and he has one of the best body shots on the roster. If you leave a gap open, he’s going to dig right in there and temporarily paralyse you. In addition, he loves throwing knees and isn’t against just punching you in the face. Six wins have come via knockout. Oleksander Moisa (4-2) is one of those men that was born to fight, with big experience over many different codes. The Ukrainian was a champion in Lethwei, a sport that allows headbutts, as well as in kickboxing and Muay Thai. The 31-year-old had used his striking prowess to finish three of his four mixed martial arts bouts. This is a man who emphasises the damage section of the scoring criteria, keeping the cut people in gainful employment.

Damian Mieczkowski (3-2) is a soldier by trade and he’s a man that has never gone to a decision in his pro career. The Berserker is heavy handed on the feet, throwing with a good volume and dangerous intent. The Kołobrzeg man has an unlucky loss on his record where he broke his arm, and he’s a tough gentleman in and out of the cage. Maksymilian Kowalski (5-1) makes his promotional debut after competing in FEN and Babilon on the regional scene. The Zawiercie man has shown to be a well rounded finisher in his young career to date. The Pole is aggressive early on in the stand-up, catching many opponents on the hop and has two knockouts so far. On the mat, he uses his wrestling to set up the rear naked choke. He was a junior national champion as an amateur.

Andrzej Karkula (5-1) is looking to pick up his first promotional win after an unsuccessful debut. The Nowy Targ man is a dangerous submission player and he’s got four tap out wins already as a pro. The rear naked choke has been his technique of choice, although he has an impressive armbar win over the UFC’s Cezary Oleksiejczuk in his amateur days. Dominik Mazur (2-1) straps on KSW gloves for the first time and he spends some time training with the Berserkers. You can expect the Pole to be a well-rounded competitor that poses a finishing threat on the feet. The 26-year-old has big power early, however is still looking for his first pro knockout. He does the basic submissions well and loved using toe holds as an amateur.

KSW 116 is live from Gorzów Wielkopolski at 18:00 Dublin time this Saturday night and the PPV can be purchased at KSWTV.com. If you’re looking for a taste of what’s to come, the first two fights will air for free on Youtube, as well as the infamous KSW opening ceremony.