Around 17,000 people are expected to be in attendance for OKTAGON 90
A trio of Irish fighters will feature on one of the summer's biggest MMA events anywhere in the world this weekend in Germany. Around 17,000 people are expected to sell out the Uber Arena in Berlin for the OKTAGON 90 event, with Ireland's Will Fleury, Denis Frimpong and Richie Smullen all fighting on the card.
Fleury defends his heavyweight title against German Kasim Aras in the main event and is extremely determined to keep his good run going. The 37-year-old came close to quitting the sport just a few years ago, but now holds both the heavyweight and light-heavyweight belts with "A few years ago, I never thought I'd get to this stage in my career," explained Fleury.
"I've been here for a while now and it's been going very well so I'm just at that point where you're extremely determined to keep it going. " Fleury has fought everywhere from Las Vegas to the 3Arena, but in recent years has been on huge shows across the Czech Republic,OKTAGON are in the middle of celebrating their 10-year anniversary and will stage another monster at the football stadium in Frankfurt this September.
"It's crazy how big it has gotten over there and OKTAGON have established themselves as the main guys in the market," said Fleury. "MMA is very mainstream over there. It's bigger than anything else MMA-wise that has happened in western Europe.
"A lot of venues we fight in are hockey arenas and you feel if there were an extra 5,000 or 6,000 seats that they should sell them too. "Pavol Neruda, OKTAGON co-founder and co-owner, describes Fleury, who is their number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter, as the biggest Irish MMA star in the world after "Will has a massive support in Germany, he has an incredible fighting style and his fights are something you should not miss," stated Neruda.
"I would love one day for him to come back to Ireland and be greeted by big crowds at the airport after one of these big wins because he is a real champion. " It has been quite the journey for someone who only got into MMA after suffering a bad foot while playing rugby and being told boxing footwork was the best thing to do to help repair it.gym and got hooked on it," Fleury reveals.
"At the time, I never thought I'd be a great boxer but I got more into it and had a few novice level fights. "I enjoyed the whole craic of fighting and eventually went to the MMA Clinic down in Cork. Because of having the rugby background, I could wrestle a little bit.
" Now Fleury aims to win his sixth consecutive fight with OKTAGON, but is expecting a tough challenge from his 11-5 opponent, who is a year older than him. "I think he is underrated," commented the Irishman. "A lot of people expect me to just go in and smash him, but I've been watching this guy for a while and I think he's a tricky fight.
"But if I'm smart and I do my job right, it shouldn't be too hard of a night and I could get him out of there early. " Dubliner Frimpong and Wicklow's Smullen are both fighting at featherweight this weekend against German pair Niko Samsonidse and Zafar Mohsen. "Denis' journey has been incredible," said Neruda. "His first fight with us was an exhibition and now he is close to a title shot.
He has become a fan favourite. On Smullen, he added: "Richie Smullen is ranked fifth in the featherweight division so he is also on the verge of a title shot. I have big expectations for him. "
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