Polish mixed martial arts returns with KSW:58 Parnasse vs. Torres on Saturday but the focus will be on Michał Michalski and Aleksandar Rakas today. The event is engrained with talent and will go down in Łódź, Poland. With an eight-fight main card, some bouts may be going under the radar, yet have so much potential. Specifically, the welterweight scrap between Michał Michalski and Aleksandar Rakas is a competitive affair between two exciting athletes.
At the weigh-ins for KSW:58, both fighters made weight. Then, at the staredown that followed it was clear the two were ready to clash. Above all, fans get to see Croatia and Poland represented by some very skilled welterweights. Since Rakas has nearly double the fights of Poland’s Michalski, the pressure is on for the fighter with less experience to perform.
🇵🇱 Michał Michalski (8-4)
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🇭🇷 Aleksandar Rakas (16-7)Michalski always brings carnage & chaos into the cage! #KSW58 pic.twitter.com/bSTUPiUYds
— KSW (@KSW_MMA) January 29, 2021
Michał Michalski and Aleksandar Rakas – KSW:58
The fight between Michalski and Rakas is the first of two welterweight bouts of the night. Despite Michalski’s last bout being in December of 2019, he’s riding a two-fight winning streak. The 31-year old Michalski has been inactive, yet when he enters the KSW cage, he’s absolute savage to deal with. Particularly, his hands have evolved and have gotten heavier, which is supported by his last two performances. For instance, at KSW 48: Szymański vs. Parnasse, he proved his power carried into the second round after he smashed through Savo Lazić. Following that blistering win, he finished Albert Odzimkowski even faster under the KSW banner.
Michał Michalski and Aleksandar Rakas – Clash of Styles
Interestingly, the bout could turn into an old school matchup between two classic styles: striker versus grappler. However, Rakas has been fighting for a longer time, so he’s amassed a balanced resume. In fact, the 5″11″ Croatian enters the bout with a total of eight knockouts and six submissions.
One reason Rakas is so exciting is his finishing ability, but that has sometimes come at the cost of some conditioning. Although he lost a couple of bouts by decision a few years ago, certainly it’s not an effective indicator as to the evolution he’s made. Not to mention, Rakas has shown versatile submissions inside the cage. For example, at Malscher Fight Night 5 he managed to pull off a very slick armbar. Prior to that, he picked up a technical knockout against Mehmet Balik at Karlsruher Fight Night 2. Above all, it’s important to understand what game plan he will employ because either one is dangerous.
Don’t miss the welterweight banger between Michał Michalski and Aleksandar Rakas at KSW 58: Parnasse vs. Torres
