Oktagon 90 Preview: Fleury defends, Frimpong & Smullen return

Oktagon has a big show in the German capital of Berlin. Oktagon 90 goes down in the Über Arena, featuring eleven bouts, including two for an OKMMA title.

Will Fleury (16-3) has become a larger than life star since joining the company and he is the OKMMA Light Heavyweight and OKMMA Heavyweight champion, defending the latter for the first time this Saturday. The Tipperary man has won all five bouts in the promotion, including a high profile knockout win over Martin Buday in December, a fight in which he steamrolled the Slovakian. The 37-year-old has great physical strength and is capable of dominating opponents with his power. The Irishman’s striking has come on leaps and bounds of late and he’s a legitimate knockout threat on the feet. He’s tough, he’s raw and he’s enjoying life right now. Kasim Aras (11-5) is a Bellator veteran, a former LFL champion and a man on a three-fight win streak. The German trains out of Aachen and is of Turkish heritage, and is known as a big bruiser, planting opponents on their backside and landing big ground and pound. The 38-year-old has won five bouts due to strikes and has a couple of tap out wins from rear naked chokes.

Mateusz Legierski (13-2) is a two-time OKMMA Lightweight champion, and he picked up his second title against Attila Korkmaz in November by decision. The Pole had a long and successful amateur career before switching to the pro ranks, and he grew up as a fighter in this promotion. The 29-year-old has great grappling acumen, possessing a strong wrestling game with a nice back take and rear naked choke. “Dynamit” can also compete on the feet, his punches have moderate power and has a good striking defence. His only losses have been to Roman Szymański and Losene Keita, two of Europe’s best. Gökhan Aksu (14-6-1) trains out of MMA Rosenheim, an up-and-coming gym, and he’s won his last six bouts. Flying the Austrian flag, he’s another with Turkish heritage and is known for his striking. The 34-year-old has eleven wins by knockout and he has multiple ways to remove you from your senses. First is his big right hand and if that lands, you’re going down. The secondary concern is his knee strikes, hitting you from the clinch or he’ll fly through the air and plant it on your dome. There is an outside chance of a submission threat by rear naked choke.

Alina Dasalan (5-0) has become a star and has been very active in her first year and a bit in the company, running through even the toughest of opponents. The German was a gold medallist at IMMAF World level, and she’s a high level striker who’s built for the duration. The 25-year-old has a large number of attacks, and has finishes with her punches, elbows and knees already. She’s aggressive, dogged and when she smells blood, she’s devastating. Four of five wins have been via knockout, all in the second round or later having worn down her opponent. Djulia Ariana (5-2) is a promotional newcomer and has appeared twice for LFA in South America. The Brazilian has mainly been a decision fighter so far, with one rear naked choke victory on her record. The 32-year-old is a tough competitor, and will stand and trade with anyone, but doesn’t have much knockout power and usually chase trouble through attrition. Striking defence has caused an issue in the past.

Denis Frimpong (8-3) is another that took the ball and ran with it when given the opportunity. The Dubliner talks the talk and walks the walk, starting out with a nice BJJ base and adding a classy and patient striking style on top. The 31-year-old is a highly active fighter, with all eleven fights coming in the last three years. The Manchester Top Team man has also trained under Collie Mahon in the Dublin Combat Academy, and he has the kickboxing to show for it. Three wins have come via knockout, either with his kicks or a punch sending you to the canvas and following with the ground and pound. Niko Samsonidse (12-4) makes his seventh walk for the company and was defeated by Mochamed Machaev last January in a title bout. The German is of the grappling persuasion, with good wrestling and a tricky leg lock game to be careful of. The Berlin Spitfire Gym man also has a good rear naked choke. One the feet, he’s got some pop on his punches and has four knockout wins.

Niklas Stolze (14-9) is on a two-fight skid and will be eager to steady the ship in his homeland. The German has a kickboxing background and he’s used flying knees and high kicks amongst his punches to score five knockout wins. The 33-year-old isn’t a one trick pony by any means, tapping out a further five, usually with the rear naked choke and an odd armbar. Tyrone Pfeifer (7-1) had a big debut win last March with a third round knockout via elbows from mount position. The German has proven to be well rounded as a pro, with plenty of power in his fists and three knockout wins. The 27-year-old is also a decent submission player both in the leg lock game and in the MMA staples.

Attila Korkmaz (16-11) is another training out of the capital and will have plenty of fan backing. The Bellator, UAE Warriors and ACA veteran is a well rounded individual with seven finishes and nine decisions on his résumé. The Berlin native is another of the Turkish descent crew, and he’s brave on the feet and willing to get into a brawl, swinging big kicks and punches and your head, and is a scrappy grappler when the time calls for it. Said-Khusein Akhyadov (8-5) takes this fight on extremely short notice, filling in for Dawid Smiełkowski. The Chechen has been more of a bare knuckle boxer in recent times, winning three bouts in the Ringlife promotion. In the MMA game, has the Caucus wrestling style to fall back on, and he’s also a keen boxer with a decent degree of power. The 31-year-old is going to come out aggressive and swing from the fences early.

Arjan Topallaj (9-2-1) has won his last two bouts via decision, most recently in January. The German is of Albanian heritage and he has a very strong grappling game who can change your career with his ground and pound and is an expert at the anaconda choke. The 27-year-old has a ripper of a left hand on the feet, and seven of nine victories have been within the distance. Jan Stanovský (8-2) is from the new wave of Oktagon local fighters. The Czech is on a three-fight win streak, finishing all within the distance. The 27-year-old is a good striker with hard punches and loves to use elbows whenever he can. The Brno man has a legit triangle choke and beat Daniel Solaja with an armbar last June.

Matěj Peňáz (10-1) is one of the most talented European fighters not signed to the UFC, and his only loss came on the Contender Series. The 29-year-old has won all four bouts since, and he’s got nine knockouts wins. The Czech is a Muay Thai fighter and his jab alone is enough to make opponents crumble. He’ll work the body and work the head, his right hand is a grenade waiting to go off and danger lurks around every move and feint. Alan Silva (20-13-1) has won multiple titles in South America and has decided it’s time to try out European competition. The Brazilian is an exciting fighter who always puts on a show. The 29-year-old won’t be afraid of his opponent’s striking prowess, and has fourteen knockout wins of his own. His main threat is his punching power, and he likes to utilise his knees as well. In the submission game, his guillotine is his best move.

Ahmad Halimson (7-4-1) beat veteran Jan Malach by decision in January, their first Oktagon win. The Spitfire Berlin man executes a grappling heavy plan where he secures the takedown, smashes with ground and pound and looks for a submission. The guillotine choke is his speciality, and he has some decent kickboxing on the feet. Joseph Donkor (6-2) appears for the first time after building a great reputation on the GMC regional scene. The German is a good boxer that hasn’t shown too much power to date, more of an attritional threat. He’s got a good rear naked choke and also has a nice triangle and D’arce on offer.

Zafar Mohsen (14-4) is a PFL veteran who picked up a big win over Samuel Bark in his Oktagon debut in January. The German is well rounded, using his kicks well on the feet and carrying some pop on his punches. The 31-year-old has a solid submission game and is a big fan of the armbar. Eleven wins have come within the distance. Richie Smullen (15-4-1) is a UFC and Bellator veteran and caused Ivan Buchinger all kinds of problems last October before falling into a ninja choke. The Arklow man is one of the best grapplers in the country and he’s as tough as they come. The Irishman has always been one of the hardest workers on any mat, and he’s a high level BJJ black belt. The 34-year-old was a double champion over in Ukraine prior to the escalation of the war. He’s great at leg locks, particularly the kneebar, and is dangerous from all kinds of chokes. Ground and pound is also one of his strengths. Twelve wins have been via finish.

Davlet Karstaev (8-2) will debut for Oktagon on Saturday and will open the curtain for the Spitfire team. The German has won his last three coming in, finishing all fights. The 25-year-old has had a lot of success due to his wrestling, utilising massive ground and pound and has a good rear naked choke. In kickboxing exchanges, he likes to work the body and is dangerous over the top with a big punch. Six wins have been via knockout and two by tap. Daniel Salas (20-8-1) is another newcomer and he was a champion in Budo in his homeland, and has also appeared for Rizin in Japan. The Mexican trains at altitude in CDMX, and that’s given him a lot of cardio advantages. The 38-year-old is an offensive minded action fighter who will entertain the fans. The Bonebreakers man has six wins on the feet and nine by submission.

Oktagon 90 is live from Berlin on Saturday night from 17:00 Irish time on Oktagon.tv.