Czech veteran Daniel Skvor is preparing for a high-stakes return to the cage this Saturday at Oktagon 95, where he is scheduled to face former KSW champion Tomasz Narkun in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The 37-year-old former GLORY kickboxer finds himself at a fascinating and complex crossroads in his career, balancing championship ambitions, a potential shift in weight classes, and the physical reality of a long and punishing tenure in combat sports.
Skvor enters this weekend’s matchup holding an 11-4 professional mixed martial arts record. His path to Oktagon 95 has been far from straightforward. Earlier this year, Skvor was forced to pull out of a heavily anticipated fight against Will Fleury due to an injury. Fortunately, Skvor managed to avoid surgery, allowing him to orchestrate a relatively quick and successful recovery process to step back under the bright lights of the Oktagon MMA promotion.
However, withdrawing from that initial booking meant missing out on a golden opportunity to challenge Fleury, who at the time reigned as a double-champion in Oktagon MMA. Now, Skvor is forced to work his way back up the organizational ladder, though the landscape of the divisions around him has shifted significantly in his absence.
The title picture at light heavyweight has experienced a dramatic shake-up. Fleury ultimately lost his light heavyweight belt to Makhmud Muradov in August, creating a complicated dynamic for Skvor. Because Skvor is teammates and close training partners with the newly crowned light heavyweight champion Muradov, a direct path to the 205-pound title is currently blocked by club loyalty.
When discussing his future championship prospects with Cageside Press in a recent interview, Skvor acknowledged the delicate situation surrounding his training room relationships. He admitted uncertainty about how the division will sort itself out moving forward, given his close ties to the reigning titleholder.
"I don’t know what will happen, because it’s a problem," Skvor told Cageside Press. "I train with new champ Makhmud Muradov. Maybe, I wait for [him to] finish this situation, maybe I go to heavyweight with Fleury. It’s possible. Or maybe I go to the new ‘Stand and Bang’ rules. It’s good for me, and funny."
The mention of Oktagon’s experimental "Stand and Bang" ruleset opens up another intriguing avenue for the veteran striker. Oktagon MMA introduced the "Stand and Bang" concept earlier this year to high intrigue from fans and fighters alike. The unique ruleset completely eliminates takedowns and even kicks, resulting in a combat style that closely mirrors professional boxing contested inside MMA gloves, with clinching remaining legal. Given Skvor’s extensive high-level background as a GLORY kickboxer, the format would seemingly play directly to his core striking strengths while offering an entertaining deviation from traditional mixed martial arts.
Regardless of which path he ultimately chooses—whether it is waiting out the light heavyweight title picture, moving up to heavyweight to challenge Fleury, or dipping his toes into the striking-only ruleset—Skvor is acutely aware that his competitive window in combat sports is rapidly closing. Entering the twilight of a grueling professional journey, the Czech veteran has begun planning for life after fighting.
"I’m an old fighter. I think I have left, two, three, maybe four fights and I must finish my career, because my health is not good," Skvor candidly admitted. "लेकिन [But] now I am focused on this fight, for Narkun. After the fight, I’ll see about this."
When Skvor speaks candidly about his health declining, it is not tied to a single catastrophic injury, but rather the cumulative physical toll of more than two decades of relentless combat sports competition. The miles on his body have accumulated steadily since he first stepped into a gym as a teenager.
"I started at 16, fighting. This year it’s 21 years fighting," Skvor explained, detailing the lack of extended breaks throughout his tenure. "Every year I don’t have any pause, any rest. I’m fighting 21 years, I have arthritis and joint pain. Every training camp is hard for me."
Given the physical wear and tear on his joints and the sheer difficulty of grinding through rigorous training camps, one might assume that moving up to the heavyweight division would alleviate some of the draining pressures of making weight, potentially making a clash with heavyweight champion Will Fleury more appealing. However, the sizing dynamics of fighting larger men present a different set of physical challenges for the veteran.
"It’s possible, but heavyweight for me is not good. My normal weight for me is 100kg," Skvor noted.
That natural walk-around weight puts him significantly smaller than the prototypical heavyweights competing at the elite level of the sport. In fact, Skvor pointed out that he is traditionally undersized even when competing in his customary light heavyweight division. Despite being undersized for both higher weight classes, Skvor refuses to completely close any doors, maintaining that "everything is possible" in the unpredictable world of MMA—with one major exception. When asked if a drop down to middleweight might ever be in the cards to take advantage of his frame, Skvor immediately dismissed the notion, stating firmly that middleweight is completely out of the question.
Before any future weight-class decisions or title aspirations can materialize, Skvor must first pass a massive stylistic test this Saturday against Tomasz Narkun, a decorated veteran and former KSW champion who brings elite grappling credentials to the table. Skvor expects the bout to be a showcase of his polished Muay Thai skills and improved takedown defense, which he knows will be heavily tested by his opponent’s grappling acumen.
When evaluating Narkun’s primary weapon set, Skvor harbors no illusions about the dangers the Polish fighter presents on the canvas.
"His jiu-jitsu is very good," Skvor admitted regarding his upcoming adversary. "Maybe it’s a problem for me."
Despite acknowledging Narkun’s formidable ground skills, Skvor remains confident in his own ability to dictate the pace of the fight and secure a definitive victory before the judges’ scorecards are called into action. He is predicting a stoppage inside the distance at Oktagon 95, visualizing a finish that utilizes his full array of striking tools, and perhaps even catching his opponent in his signature submission hold.
"I think maybe two rounds, any technique. Elbow, knee. Maybe my favourite guillotine instead," Skvor predicted.
The stage is officially set for Oktagon 95, which takes place this Saturday at the Mattoni Arena in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. For Daniel Skvor, the evening represents another critical chapter in a storied combat sports career. Whether he can successfully navigate the grappling threats of Tomasz Narkun and take one more step toward championship glory will soon be answered, setting the tone for the final chapter of a remarkable 21-year fighting journey.
