Oktagon MMA’s Expansion Continues: Behind the Scenes of the Manchester Tournament

The Czech-Slovak organization Oktagon MMA continues to expand. After five tournaments in Germany, she visited England for the first time and straight to the biggest hall AO Arena in Manchester for 21,000 spectators.

Octagon did not sell out the hall or half of it

“It’s a big hall and it’s possible that we took too big a bite. I will be happy with anything above 12-14 thousand tickets sold,” co-owner of Oktagon Pavol Neruda told ŠPORT.sk three weeks before the tournament.

The organization, accustomed to sold-out arenas on the day of the event, announced only around 4.5 thousand sold tickets. “Success or failure will not be measured by this one tournament. We need to do 1-3 tournaments there so they can see that we are better than any domestic organization. Then, I believe, it will start to kick in full,” added Neruda.

VIDEO: Watch the entire interview with Pavlo Neruda:

The expected match was canceled by an incident at the weigh-in

The only Slovak on the card, Radovan Uškrt, withdrew early from the tournament due to injury. Czech fans were most looking forward to the clash between the veteran of the domestic scene Jaroslav Pokorný and the big-mouthed Englishman Shem Rock. Humble is a plainclothes policeman, Rock has been on the run from the law for many years.

news-item-description">Oktagon MMA has prepared another captivating documentary that maps the life path of one of the best English wrestlers, who got into MMA thanks to escaping from the country.

The match with an interesting story in the background was preceded by sharp verbal exchanges, especially on the part of Rock. Pokorny didn’t even want to look his opponent in the eye during the official weigh-in the day before the tournament. He only responded to the call of promoter Ondřej Novotný.

Rock dropped him twice during the staredown and also kicked him in the ribs. After the examination, the doctor did not recommend Pokorný to wrestle, and the organization canceled the fight.

“Everyone should remain professional. Hurting an opponent at the weigh-in, even if unintentionally, is unthinkable. The contract remembers this and we will deal with it with Rock’s manager.

The whole situation is very damaging to Pokorný, who was obviously preparing for the match, the fans who were looking forward to the match, and last but not least, the entire organization that invested a lot of money in this match.” stated Neruda.

news-item-description">After being accused of armed burglary in the past, he spent ten years on the run across the world. It wasn’t until a decade later that Shem Rock (9-1-1) was cleared of guilt for a crime he didn’t even commit. Since then, he has developed a hatred for law enforcement officers, and he wants to take revenge on one of them on his home soil in Manchester.

Octagon 48 in Manchester

Main card

do 57 kg: Aaron Aby (WAL) – Elias Garcia (USA) – TKO, stoppage by doctor (2nd round, 5:00) – first flyweight champion

do 92,5 kg: Scott Askham (ENG) – Marc Doussis (GER) – na body (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

up to 70 kg: Jakub Bahník (CZE) – Akonne Wanliss (ENG) – with no result, illegal kick (1st round, 0:25)

do 77 kg: Jake Quickenden (ENG) – Paul Smith (ENG) – TKO (1st round, 1:16)

do 61 kg: Jack Cartwright (ENG) – Júnior Assis (BRA) – americana (1. kolo, 2:15)

do 70 kg: George Staines (ENG) – Denis Frimpong (IRL) – guillotine (4th column, 2:02) – winner of the Octagon Challenge

Prelims

up to 77 kg: Alex Lohoré (FRA) – Ion Surdu (MDA) – KO (1. kolo, 4:10)

do 68 kg: Shoaib Yousaf (ENG) – Common Day (FRA) – The Body (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

do 86 kg: Lee Chadwick (ENG) – Zdeněk Polívka (CZE) – for bodysuit (28-29, 28-29, 28-29)

do 70 kg: Hascen Neri Gelezi (ENG) – Aaron McDonald (IRL) –  na body (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The legend’s victorious debut in the Octagon

He is a UFC veteran (2-4), a former KSW champion and three years ago he was the twelfth ranked middleweight in the world. Thirty-five-year-old Englishman Scott Askham (20-6) is a legend of the European MMA scene.

In his debut in the Octagon, he troubled the German Marc Doussis (9-3). Askham won after a tiring, not very attractive, but purposeful fight, which took place mostly at the mesh. The Englishman had harder punches and more control. He wants to stay active next year.

He overcame cancer three times, heading for the title

He has survived cancer three times and has been living with cystic fibrosis since birth. The diagnosis does not predispose him to practice professional sports. Despite this, he was heading for the Octagon title in Manchester.

The story of Welshman Aaron Aby (15-8) is an inspiring one. However, he did not see a winning finish. Although he beat the American Elias Garcia (10-2) for ten minutes, the doctor did not let him into the 3rd round.

news-item-description">When he talks about his life story, many just stare in open-mouthed disbelief. Aaron Aby (15-7-1) is a huge inspiration for thousands of people around the world. Since birth, he has suffered from a diagnosis that prevents him from playing professional sports. The doctors did not give him much chance, while they advised his parents to write a will for him several times.

To cash in the Thai clinch with a knee to the head in the 1st round, he took a deep laceration above his left eye. Octagon was covered in blood. The doctor checked the Welshman during the opening 5 minutes and at the end. He protected the injury well, he started bleeding again only after three minutes of the 2nd round.

Despite the fact that he was winning on points, the referee waved off the end before the 3rd round on the instructions of the doctor. Garcia, with UFC experience (0-2), became the first flyweight champion in his debut in the Octagon.

Lohoré rapped, followed by a brutal KO

He fought for the middleweight title of the Octagon against Karlos Vémol and Patrik Kincl, he also faced the former welterweight champion David Kozma. He lost all the matches, but he left his mark.

Alex Lohoré (23-10) is an unmissable fighter and impressed even in Manchester. But more on the way to the cage, when he himself rapped the boarding pass with the microphone in his hand.

The fight with Moldovan Ion Surdum (14-5) had a slower start. However, a minute before the end of the 1st round, Surdu was hit and Lohoré backed up to the mesh. In a forward bend, he collected a knee, the Moldovan then unleashed a boxing tornado.

After a series of blows, Lohoré fell limp on the floor. When he recovered, he still struggled with the referee, but he had already ended the duel a few seconds before.

“I went after him when I smelled blood,” said Surda and asked for a rematch with Serbian Bojan Veličkovič (24-12), who he lost to in his debut in the Octagon. “That’s when I made a mistake. This time I’m going to cut him down and fight for a chance at the title,” closed the five rankings in the welterweight category.

Cech defeated the Cage Warriors champion

Czech Zdeněk Polívka (9-7) returned to winning streak after two losses. He faced the much more experienced Englishman Lee Chadwick (28-19), they are separated by 13 years. He beat the former Cage Warriors champion with Bellator or PFL experience on points after a grueling fight.

The 25-year-old Polívka is considered a Czech MMA talent despite his not-so-flattering record. He will probably jump from 10th place in the Octagon middleweight rankings after his victory in Manchester. For Chadwick, it was a farewell to a rich career.

news-item-description">The premiere under the banner of OKTAGON MMA did not go according to his expectations. Shortly after the bitter loss in May, Lee Chadwick (28-18-1) decided to end his active career. But then came the opportunity to perform in front of the home audience. The seasoned Briton will briefly return to the cage this coming weekend.

Czech moaned, after a few seconds it was over

The Czech-English duel between Jakub Bahník (9-4) and Akonne Wanliss (7-2) was one of the highlights of the card. However, it ended before it really started. In the 25th second, Wanliss cut the knee and hit Bahník directly in the crotch.

The No. 7 ranked lightweight groaned on the ground, not even using the full 5 minutes to recover. Bahník’s condition was incompatible with the continuation of the fight and the referee waved the end. The match did not recognize a winner.

The star of the reality show knocked out the comedian

The evening was enriched by the celebrity match between X Factor and Stars on Ice reality show participant Jak Quickenden and stand-up comedian Paul Smith. Quickenden won by technical KO in 76 seconds.

2023-11-05 08:15:16
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