Martin custoards a dampening spirit - Frankfurter Dalisda relinquishes the crown
The record-breaking Oktagon 62 event in Frankfurt's Deutsche Bank Park plays host to the biggest MMA night in history, with over 60,000 spectators eagerly awaiting the decree of Germany's "King of the Cage." Before the main event between local hero Christian Eckerlin and Christian Jungwirth, eleven combats must first unfold. You can witness these battles live or follow the results here, or subscribe to RTL+ (premium subscription starting at 8.99 euros) to watch the entire event.
The evening's festivities commenced with Cologne's Deniz Ilbay and Munich's Michael Deiga-Scheck in the featherweight division. Known for their explosive striking, they pledged a captivating duel beforehand. However, it appeared Ilbay was not eager to live up to this promise initially. Deiga-Scheck attempted to take the battle to the ground with several jabs and succeeded momentarily. Ilbay managed to recover and deliver several powerful hits in the clinch. Deiga-Scheck suffered from Ilbay's striking maneuvers, such as hooks to the guard and body shots. Eventually, another hook sent Deiga-Scheck crashing to the canvas, prompting the referee to intervene. Ilbay was victorious, as the fight concluded with the former foe curled up on the floor.
In the second fight of the evening, Arijan Topallaj from Balingen confronted Hafeni Nafuka, two of Germany's most promising talents boasting significantly different styles. Topallaj excels in striking, while Nafuka dominates on the ground. Nafuka adhered to his plan by seizing Topallaj and dragging him to the ground, maintaining control with little damage. Topallaj primarily countered from the bottom with short strikes. The referee intervened when the action remained too passive, allowing the lightweight combatants to stand once more.
The second round adhered to the same pattern. Topallaj launched forward, forcing Nafuka to backpedal and land well-aimed blows. Topallaj ducked under an aggressive swing and took Nafuka down again just before the bell. In the final round, Nafuka remained true to his strategy, making it particularly challenging for Topallaj to mount any sort of offense. He seized his visibly tired foe one last time before bringing the fight to the ground, engaging in a few strikes before the referee called it a night. Nafuka emerged victorious, having garnered the favor of the judge's decision.
The following bout featured Will Fleury and Pavol Langer in the Light Heavyweight division. Fleury began with relentless aggression, driving Langer back with an orchestrated assault of body and head blows. A well-placed jab set the stage for a powerful left hook, sending Langer tumbling to the canvas. Fleury then declared his intentions for the champion, Karlos Vemola, and thanked the crowd for their electric atmosphere.
Next up were Mohamed Machaev and British fighter James Hendin in the Featherweight division. These two gifted combatants displayed a diverse range of maneuvers. Hendin aimed to take the fight to the ground after combinations, whereas Machaev executed sharp counterattacks. Machaev held a dominant grip on ground combat, while Hendin managed to find success. After an intense three rounds of back-and-forth action, Machaev emerged victorious through a surprisingly convincing unanimous decision.
The Women's Strawweight title contest saw Katharina Dalisda face Mallory Martin. Dalisda entered the arena as the resounding favorite, and her introduction was met with thunderous cheers from the crowd. Dalisda opened the first round with precise one-two combinations and incorporated leg kicks into her attack strategy. Martin searched for counter opportunities, but both fighters could only deliver light strikes. A powerful jab from Martin shook Dalisda halfway through the round. Dalisda creatively took Martin down in the clinch, thwarting a submission attempt and applying pressure from the dominant position. However, Martin triumphantly claimed the first round via points.
In the second round, Dalisda fine-tuned her distance management, applying sustained pressure despite Martin's threatening blows. Both fighters engaged in a back-and-forth exchange of jabs. In the third round, Dalisda struggled to maintain a consistent offensive, and Martin challenged her with powerful counterattacks. In the following round, Dalisda attempted to utilize her grappling, grasping Martin two times against the cage but swiftly finding herself pursued by her adversary. Martin caught Dalisda off guard and successfully executed a takedown, placing the German on her back. Both fighters squared off with exquisite small strikes, and as the round came to a close, Dalisda found herself in a precarious situation.
From hereon, only an extraordinary event could salvage Dalisda's crown. Martin strategically maintained a gap between them in the closing five minutes. With two minutes to go, she sealed another pin, placing Dalisda on her back. Martin clinched a clear-cut victory through points, playing the spoilsport in Frankfurt and stripping Dalisda of her title.
In the midst of the event, discussions regarding the future of mixed martial arts in Germany inevitably arose. With talents like Deniz Ilbay and Arijan Topallaj showcasing their skills, the sport's growth and popularity are undeniable.
As the night progressed, various styles and techniques were displayed, further emphasizing the importance of mixed martial arts in the evolving landscape of combat sports.
