The first quarter-finalists for OKTAGON’s 16-man middleweight grand prix are set.
Kerim Engizek and Matej Penaz advanced past the opening round of the Tipsport Gamechanger Middleweight Grand Prix on Saturday night, picking up wins as part of OKTAGON 66 from the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Engizek, OKTAGON’s current middleweight champ, overcame short-notice opponent Kamil Oniszczuk in the main event of the night.
A solid showcase of striking skills from Engizek through three rounds earned him a comfortable unanimous decision win.
Engizek started as the more active striker in the opening round, out-landing Oniszczuk to gain an early lead. Poland’s Oniszczuk upped his output as the fight progressed, but found himself still trailing behind as Engizek was connecting with the bigger shots. By the second round, the cleanest strike of the bout was a hard right hand to the head of Oniszczuk.
Growing in confidence, Engizek went from having the edge in a competitive fight to controlling a stand-up battle by the third round. This change in attitude allowed him to score with some of his best strikes in the closing minutes of the fight, including a pair of spinning back fists and a clean two-punch combo to the head.
It was a clear win for Engizek after 15 minutes of action.
Engizek, who represents Turkey but has spent his entire career fighting inside Germany, was returning for the first time since beating Patrik Kincl on scorecards to become OKTAGON Middleweight Champion last fall.
The 33-year-old now has strung together 15 consecutive wins, including four since joining OKTAGON in 2023.
Engizek was originally booked to face Anthony Salamone this weekend but was instead given Oniszczuk on just a few days’ notice due to drug test complications which took Salamone off the show.
Ex-Bellator talent Oniszczuk was initially placed lower on the card against Hojat Khajevand as part of a reserve bout, but by Thursday had a change in opponent. While both fighters were in camp and expecting to fight this weekend, the last-minute alteration to the lineup forced them to suddenly prepare for a different fight than what they were initially signed up for.
Penaz needed just less than five minutes to advance in his Round of 16 fight, stopping ex-UFC talent David Zawada in the opening round with strikes.
While the first round initially looked like a strong start for Zawada, Penaz was able to turn things around in the final minute and secure a finish.
An aggressive Zawada pinned Penaz against the cage early in the opening round, entering into a grinding position where most of the fight took place. After minutes of Zawada throwing knees and keeping Penaz from launching any significant attack of his own from a body lock, Penaz was able to escape.
The disparity in striking skills became obvious as the round neared its end. Penaz made the most of his reach advantage, flinging out aggressive punches that hurt Zawada. A lead jab from Penaz stung Zawada, causing him to cover up against the fence. Sensing the opportunity to finish, Penaz came forward with a knee to the head and a series of punches, crumbling Zawada to the canvas and calling an end to the fight.
The win on Saturday kicked off what could be the biggest opportunity yet for 28-year-old Penaz. The former GLORY Kickboxing talent has developed 10 MMA wins in OKTAGON since turning pro in 2020, with nearly all victories emerging via stoppage.
The loss on Saturday continues a rough post-UFC run for Zawada. The German talent has won just two of his six appearances since he departed the UFC roster in 2021, including an unsuccessful appearance in the 2023 PFL regular season.
Here’s a glimpse at everything that went down in Dusseldorf this week:
Main Card (OKTAGON PPV)
Bout 11: Kerim Engizek def. Kamil Oniszczuk via Decision, Unanimous (Tipsport Gamechanger Middleweight Grand Prix Opening Round)
Bout 10: Lom-Ali Eskiev def. Wanderley Junior via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 4:45)
Bout 9: Matej Penaz def. David Zawada via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 4:42) (Tipsport Gamechanger Middleweight Grand Prix Opening Round)
Bout 8: Deniz Ilbay def. Vladimir Lengal via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 0:35)
Bout 7: Cihad Akipa def. Matous Kohout via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 6: Hojat Khajevand def. Kennedy Rayomba via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 2:20) (Tipsport Gamechanger Middleweight Grand Prix Reserve Bout)
Bout 5: Daniel Solaja def. Raphael Federico via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Emir-Can Al def. Viktor Kovac via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:47)
Bout 3: Tamerlan Dulatov def. Ghith Ighzawi via Submission, Guillotine Choke (RD 1, 0:16)
Bout 2: Zoran Solaja def. Lukas Elias via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 1:34)
Bout 1: Danielle Misteli def. Sara Luzar Smajic via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 2:30)
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