A new era has officially dawned in the OKTAGON MMA welterweight division, while the historic quest for Germany’s first male champion goes on. On Saturday, October 31, OKTAGON delivered a thrilling Halloween spectacular inside the state-of-the-art SAP Garden in Munich, Germany. OKTAGON 96 brought high-stakes mixed martial arts action to one of Europe’s most technologically advanced arenas, featuring pivotal bouts across multiple weight classes that reshaped divisional landscapes and set the stage for future title fights.
In the headlining bout of the evening, Georgian standout Amiran Gogoladze squared off against veteran fighter Jessin Ayari for the vacant welterweight championship. The contest immediately delivered high drama in the opening round. Ayari caught Gogoladze with a devastating strike that badly hurt the Georgian contender, sending him crashing to the canvas. It was a precarious moment that threatened to bring an abrupt end to the championship affair, but Gogoladze demonstrated remarkable poise, resilience, and tactical recovery to survive the frame.
As the fight progressed into the championship rounds, Gogoladze mounted a methodical comeback. Utilizing his superior technical striking and maintaining a composed demeanor, he steadily took control of the pace and territory inside the cage. After twenty-five minutes of high-level combat, the judges’ scorecards rendered a unanimous decision in favor of Gogoladze, with all three judges scoring the bout 49-46. With this hard-fought victory, Gogoladze improved his professional record to 19-3 and etched his name in the promotion’s history books as the third Georgian champion in OKTAGON history. Following his crowning achievement, Gogoladze expressed his intention to defend and hold onto the prestigious welterweight belt for a very long time, signaling the arrival of a formidable new kingpin at 170 pounds.
The co-headlining attraction at welterweight proved that veteran experience remains a vital commodity in elite mixed martial arts. Ronald "Rony" Paradeiser stepped into the cage against rising talent Tyron Pfeifer in a fifteen-minute test of wills. Paradeiser, boasting a wealth of experience with a 24-11 record, consistently stayed one step ahead of his younger adversary. Displaying a well-rounded skillset that blended sharp striking with savvy grappling transitions, Paradeiser effectively neutralized Pfeifer’s offensive weapons.
By the time the final bell sounded, the judges confirmed a clean sweep for the veteran, awarding Paradeiser the unanimous decision with identical 30-27 scores across all three cards. The victory served as a crucial return to the win column for Paradeiser, reaffirming his capability to compete alongside the absolute upper echelon of the welterweight division. For Pfeifer, who fell to 8-2, the setback will undoubtedly serve as an invaluable learning experience, offering critical insights to further develop his game as he continues his progression within the sport.
Heavyweight action also provided a dramatic focal point on the main card, featuring a clash between Bulgaria’s Lazar Todev and Simon Biyong. Todev, widely known as the "Bulgarian tank," squared off against Biyong in a contest defined by tactical movement and heavy artillery. Todev proved to be significantly more active on his feet throughout the duration of the fight. Leveraging his exceptional athleticism, he utilized a disciplined hit-and-move strategy, continually managing distance and frustrating his opponent’s attempts to close the gap.
After a closely contested battle, the judges rendered a split decision, favoring Todev with two scorecards of 29-28 against one dissenting 28-29 tally, bringing Todev’s professional record to 15-7 while Biyong moved to 12-7. Capitalizing on his microphone time immediately following the victory, Todev wasted no time calling out reigning heavyweight champion Will Fleury for a championship rematch. The Irishman quickly took to social media to respond, appearing to accept the challenge and setting the wheels in motion for a future title showdown.
Elsewhere on the main card, the action continued at a relentless pace. In a catchweight encounter set at 73kg/161lbs, Gökhan Aksu maintained his flawless 100% stoppage rate. Aksu squared off against Rene Runge and wasted little time imposing his will, finishing Runge via strikes at 1:58 of the very first round to improve his record to 15-7-1. In a featherweight preliminary match that made its way onto the main broadcast block, Michael Deiga-Scheck secured a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Lukáš Chotěnovský, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 to elevate Deiga-Scheck’s record to 12-8.
Main Card
The professional card kicked off with high-level preliminary encounters that showcased international talent across various divisions. In the middleweight division, Marek Bartl delivered a stellar performance against Brian Manning. Bartl overwhelmed his opponent with a relentless onslaught of elbows and punches, forcing the referee to halt the contest at 3:03 of the opening round, securing a technical knockout victory that brought his career record to 18-16.
Welterweight action saw Endrit Brajshori continue to turn heads with his immense natural talent. Facing off against Christian Mach, Brajshori showcased his striking prowess before overwhelming his opponent with punches, culminating in a TKO stoppage at 4:38 of the first round. The victory improved Brajshori’s record to 7-2 and further established him as a prospect to watch closely in the talent-rich European welterweight landscape.
In the featherweight division, Henrique Madureira picked up a crucial victory over Daniel Schordje. Madureira navigated three competitive rounds to earn a unanimous decision from the judges, with the scorecards reading 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 in his favor, pushing his record to 11-7.
A catchweight bout set at 72kg/159lbs featured Ivan Klevets taking on Ronaldo Ferreira. After three frames of tactical exchanges, Klevets emerged victorious via unanimous decision, earning identical 30-27 scores from two judges and a 29-28 tally from the third to improve his record to 6-3.
In another explosive welterweight preliminary pairing, Burak Kizilirmak made short work of Kevin Hangs. Kizilirmak found his range early and unleashed a flurry of punches that forced the referee to step in and wave off the contest at the 1:54 mark of the first round, securing a swift TKO win and boosting his professional ledger to 13-3.
Opening up the evening’s festivities in the lightweight division, Abdulmalik Aliev maintained his undefeated professional status by defeating Marat Nessar. Aliev put on a dominant grappling and striking display across three rounds, earning a decisive unanimous decision victory with scores of 30-26, 29-27, and 29-27. The win advanced Aliev to a 2-0 record, successfully opening the night of fights inside the SAP Garden and setting the tone for a memorable evening of mixed martial arts competition in Munich.
