Oktagon 41 has concluded and what a show it was, with Jonas Magard unifying the bantamweight title with a big knockout victory over the then interim champion Gustavo Lopez.
With a victory like this against a UFC Veteran and still a fighter who can compete at that level and a captivating amount of popularity in the promotion. The Shark seems destined to get something even bigger than the last in his next fight.
But that begs the question, what next for the current champion?
Could Jonas Magard vs Mate Sanikidze be next?
One man that instantly has to come to mind is the Georgian fighter, Mate Sanikidze. The current featherweight champion has hinted at potentially dropping down to 135 in order to become an Oktagon double champion and that adds a lot of excitement to the fight once Sanikidze faces Losene Keita.
Jonas Magard vs Mate Sanikidze would pit two of the most popular fighters you could find in the promotion together one known for his title-winning performance against Jakub Tichota in Sanikidze and then Jonas Magard when he beat Elnur Veliev in a debut that instantly cemented him as a one to watch in the division.
Both fighters could easily put on a competitive bout with one another and main event almost any card with all fans keen to see it if the fight came to fruition
Could a Filip Macek rematch be on the table?
Originally booked for December of last year, the fight that created an interim title in the first place was never able to happen as a result of an unfortunate Magard injury.
Since facing Magard, Filip Macek had gone on to win his next two fights till he faced Lopez where he lost in the first round.
With just one win it wouldn’t be unfair to give Macek a title shot considering his skill and the amount of time he has spent in the promotion.
The last time both men faced each other was in 2021 when Magard became champion having reigned ever since.
Could this be the next fight to make at 135?
Could Oktagon sign Adam Bramhald to face Magard?
At the moment, Oktagon are announcing signing after signing from the UK and they’re already getting big matchups within the promotion.
One name that could suit the Bantamweight division is Adam Bramhald, a Yorkshireman who already holds a win over 4th-ranked Kostadin Enev back in December of 2021.
It would pit a very highly skilled striker against another and create a very interesting matchup that again gives the potential to massively shake up the division.
Oktagon could even book Bramhald vs Enev 2 and decide from there whether it would be a competitive fight for Bramhald if he took on Magard.
Bramhald per his Instagram was offered a short-notice fight with the UFC last year so it would be another fighter linked to the UFC in some capacity for Magard to beat and further continue to prove why he is one of the best.
In conclusion, whoever it is to face Magard next. They will have a very big task at hand and will most likely main event or at the very least co-main event a card at a big capacity, a common trend within the promotion.
