Two of the biggest names in the Oktagon MMA light heavyweight division will go toe to toe for the promotion’s world title as reigning champion Karlos Vemola takes on in-form Irish contender Will Fleury.
The pair will face off in a 205-pound title clash at Oktagon’s end-of-year show, Oktagon 65, which takes place December 29 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic.
The fight sees Fleury look to complete his rise from dangerous newcomer to world champion as he takes on the man he has repeatedly called out since his arrival in the promotion. Fleury underscored his status as a legitimate threat to Vemola’s title with a stunning first-round knockout of former interim champion Pavol Langer at Oktagon 62 in Frankfurt in front of 59,000 fans.
It was a huge occasion for Oktagon, and a big night for Fleury, who stepped up and delivered in the biggest fight of his career as he claimed an emphatic finish, then called out champion Vemola, who was sitting at cageside.
It seemed as if the Czech veteran wasn’t too keen to accept Fleury’s challenge at the time, but now the match has officially been made, with Oktagon MMA officially confirming the bout following the pair’s faceoff inside the cage at Oktagon 63 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Fleury signed for Oktagon in early 2024 and announced his arrival with a second-round rear-naked choke finish of kickboxer-turned-MMA fighter Daniel Skvor at Oktagon 56 in Birmingham. Then he delivered that huge one-shot knockout of Langer at Deutsche Bank Park at Oktagon 62 to put himself at the front of the queue to face Vemola.
“The Terminator” was originally set to feature in the main event of Oktagon 63 in Bratislava, but injury to his opponent, Samuel Kristofic, left Vemola without a fight. Fleury offered to step in to fight, but the pair have instead been booked for the promotion’s end-of-year spectacular, which will bring the curtain down on the most successful year in Oktagon history.
The bout between Vemola and Fleury adds a third championship bout to the event’s fight card. The show will also feature the final of the lightweight Tipsport Gamechanger tournament as lightweight champion Ronald Paradeiser faces former nemesis and current featherweight champion Losene Keita for the tournament title and the €300,000 prize. In addition, Paradeiser’s 155-pound championship will also be on the line.
The women’s bantamweight championship will also be on the line, as Slovakia’s undefeated Lucia Szabova and Czech former UFC veteran Lucie Pudilova will do battle for the vacant title.
Oktagon 65: Confirmed fights
- Ronald Paradeiser vs. Losene Keita – Tipsport Gamechanger final, for lightweight title
- Karlos Vemola vs. Will Fleury – for light heavyweight title
- Lucia Szabova vs. Lucie Pudilova – for women’s bantamweight title
- Mateusz Legierski vs. Agy Sardari – Tipsport Gamechanger reserve bout
- Jakub Bahnik vs. Shem Rock – lightweight
- Zdenek Polivka vs. Radovan Uskrt – middleweight
- Cecilie Bolander vs. Sara Smajic – women’s bantamweight
- Marko Novak vs. TBC
