OKTAGON MMA returns to Frankfurt! The tournament with serial number 36 is hopelessly sold out and really around the corner. On that occasion, we asked presenter Oliver Sálus what to expect watching Saturday’s tournament and what his advice is for the winners of the biggest draws. How did he respond?
“From my point of view, the clear draw for the foreplay is the return of John Hathaway. His story will really touch your heart. But as my co-host Bryan Lacey said in the promotional video, MMA is the sport in fastest growing. Hathaway hasn’t fought in eight years, so despite his incredible UFC success at the age of 22, going 17-2, his form could be a big question mark.
I can’t wait for this match to come and I’m very curious to see what The Hitman will show us in the cage after an eight-year hiatus and, above all, if he has what it takes to return to the role of practically invincible dominant fighter. “
The main card will offer a real draw with virtually every game. However, the Octagon moderator has selected four duels that he looks forward to with particular impatience.
“Frankfurt Festhalle can expect a fantastic show that Ondřej was able to organize brilliantly. The first match on the main card will be a rematch between Jungwirth and Kertész. Their first duel took place some time ago and it was a real duel, of the rest, like practically every meeting in which the German Celtic debuts.
I personally saw Jungwirth win in a very close duel at the time. Even though Kertész enjoyed the smallest difference in the end, it is clear that the second fight between these two fighters can be very balanced. Jungwirth will surely want to have his tastes, will go to the finish line and will not want to leave his fate to the referees.
After a very unfortunate duel with Veličkovič, Kertész succeeded in Štvanice, so the Hungarian favorite jumped once again on the winning wave, which according to his ideal scenario will lead him to another duel with his enemy David Kozma. Kertész’s last matches always end on points, Kozma, Bryczek or Veličkovič have not been able to stop Mátého, even though he himself had five TKOs in 2019, but since the victory over Wittner there have not been more in three years.
Again I see it as a bloody three-round battle, in which Máté will fully show what he has learned while training with the wrestling wizard Khabib. I see him as a slight favorite, but if Jungwirth comes off, Kertész could be in big trouble.
The duel I am looking forward to is the Polívka heavyweight battle against the Pirate. In February, at the O2 Arena, Samuel Krištofič was defeated in the battle for the title against Patrik Kincle, to whom he lost after five rounds and lost the belt, which he had won in the summer of last year. But he would like to get closer to the title again.
The opportunity is now. If the pirate wins, he could become the next challenger for the middleweight championship. But Zdeněk Polívka will object. The very nice thing about him is that he does not allow himself to be intimidated by any challenge and purposely asks only names against him that are ahead of him in the standings. Last time it didn’t work out with Lohoré, who was after all only a little older than the still young Zdeněk could not digest in the cage. He then left his mark with a good performance on Cheick Koné and remains number four in the middleweight rankings.
In Saturday’s game, on the other hand, I see Pirata as the winner, and the reason is, of course, the experience. It is true that Polívka is practically always facing a more experienced opponent, and Zdeněk has been able to train many of them, but Samo is a very intelligent and mature fighter and I am sure that with his driver Attila Végh behind him, he has certainly prepared. a plan that will work against the Polívka in Frankfurt.
Another bomb follows soon after. Two elite welterweights, two UFC veterans, two title challengers who cut their teeth on David Kozma. This is the fight between Apollo Silva and Bojan Veličkovič. Anyone who has watched MMA for at least a year must have come across these names before, so it must be clear to them just how crazy this fight is on paper. And it can get even crazier in a sold out Festhalle.
I see Bojan as a slight favorite in this fight. The match will be at a high pace with frequent kicks. I am curious with what confidence Apollo will move in the cage after Marek Mazuch broke him with a blow, dancing and joking between the ropes and sent him to the ground hard.
All of us at OKTAGON like Miloš Petrášek very much. A great handsome guy, a good guy and most of all a great fighter. It’s hard not to want him in this duel. His career was slowed by two losses to Jeremy Kimball and an unfortunate loss to Christensen. Last year, however, a new “evil melon” returned to Štvanice and it was a wonderful sight. The melon has now claimed the big name and former title challenger Stephan Pütz. He will undoubtedly be the best opponent of his career so far.
Also, it will be the first time for Miloš to appear in a match outside the Czech Republic (and outside the Czech audience, which he could rely on in every match) and for the first time he is not even a favorite by the odds. No wonder, on paper everything works for Pütz. The much more experienced former champion will want to take advantage of his current form and the hunger of the home crowd to fight for the title duel with Karlos Vémola. But … It was no small feat against Zawada. Melone can take advantage of the moment of surprise and enter the game in such a way as not to let his opponent do anything. But if Petrášek wins, it will be the surprise of the evening.
In Round Zero, which will now be in English with Bryan Lacey and also in German for tournaments outside the Czech Republic and Slovakia, my guests and I usually talk about tips for the evening’s match. So all that remains is to put my advice at the end of this article. The most interesting match will be that of Bojan Veličković and Apollo Silva.
In any case, a very tempting evening awaits us, the match card is literally packed. The atmosphere in the Festhalle was electrifying during the spring tournament, this time it will be no different, so the home fighters in particular can expect a real cauldron. Don’t miss the OKTAGON 36 ”tournament at any cost.
