There’s a saying people are fond of this time of year: “Hope springs eternal.” This year’s first weekend of spring is filled to the brim with competitive violence. After two championship fights in Bellator MMA‘s debut on Max this Friday, Saturday begins at high noon with more action from the European scene.
24 hours after Bellator kicks off its 2024 slate, Stuttgart, Germany is the host city for the fourth show of the year from Czech Republic-based Oktagon MMA and its second in the month of March. Oktagon 55 takes place inside Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart on Saturday.
Live coverage of Oktagon 55 begins at 12 noon ET/ 9 am PT inside the United States. As always, the event will be streamed to American audiences over DAZN.
Welterweight Rematch in Oktagon 55 Main Event
Barring any late postponements between now and Saturday, 12 fights will be held. Capping the daytime MMA showcase is a rematch at 170 lbs. in the Oktagon 55 main event. Christian Jungwirth (14-8 MMA, 6-6 Oktagon) seeks his second win over Robert Pukac (16-12-1 MMA, 4-7 Oktagon) under the Oktagon promotional banner.
Even though there’s no title at stake on Saturday, this main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close out the show.
🔥 IT’S FIGHT WEEK 🔥
We bring an exciting card, OKTAGON 55, to Stuttgart for the very first time.
🪖 Jungwirth vs. Pukač ⚡️
🪓 Poppeck vs. Kimball 🐻
🇭🇺 Kertész vs. Stolze 👊🏼➕ Cordero, Ryšavý, Topallaj, Szabová and much more!
📺 https://t.co/TVP7NaDRbZ | DAZN | Channel 4 pic.twitter.com/svoGruZWHR
— OKTAGON MMA (@OktagonOfficial) March 18, 2024
The Series So Far
As previously mentioned, the all-time series between these two fighters stands at 1-0 in favor of Christian Jungwirth. Back in March of 2022, he took the first meeting when Robert Pukac’s corner threw in the towel after the second round. How will the renewal of hostilities pan out?
Oktagon 55 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the Oktagon 55 main event on Saturday afternoon, both of these men stand level in height at 5-foot-11. No reach advantage information was accessible at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Christian Jungwirth installed as a -225 favorite on the money line, while Robert Pukac counters as a +163 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA, please wager responsibly.
Jungwirth Has History in Stuttgart
Christian Jungwirth enters the Oktagon 55 main event having posted a record of 2-3 in his last five fights. At present, he’s on a two-fight losing streak. Most recently, he dropped a first-round submission due to a kimura against John Paliaiologos (20-13-1 MMA, 1-3 Oktagon) in September of last year during Oktagon 46.
The Oktagon 55 main event is far from his first rodeo in Stuttgart. He’s already set foot on the athletic field in the city as a member of the VFB Stuttgart soccer club. Jungwirth later discovered combat sports, something that he discussed in a recent interview with James Sweetnam.
“I played football in Stuttgart for four years,” Jungwirth recalled. “I had a knee injury at 22 and had to cancel my football career. I started with not-so-good things in my life, party, drugs, (expletive deleted), you know? At 28, I came to boxing. I started only training for boxing for me. At 30, I worked with a friend on an MMA organization. That was my first contact with MMA. We watched the fights in Age of Cage in Stuttgart and he told me ‘I will see you in the cage.'”
Jungwirth just recently turned 37 years of age on Feb. 25. He’s already fought and won against Robert Pukac once, so will he be able to go 2-for-2 on Saturday? Tune into the Oktagon 55 main event and find out.
Robert Pukac Looking for Revenge Amid Two-Fight Losing Streak
In the other corner, Robert Pukac has gone 1-4 in his last five fights. Currently, he’s on a two-fight losing streak, one that was extended last time out by way of unanimous decision on Oct. 7 versus Matous Kohout (9-7 MMA, 7-4 Oktagon) during Oktagon 47.
Kohout has since lost a fight himself, being submitted by way of rear-naked choke versus Mateusz Legierski (11-1, 8-0 Oktagon) a few weeks ago during Oktagon 54. As far as Robert Pukac is concerned, his camp is probably preaching to him this week that the main event on Saturday night is of the “must-win” variety.
The memories of his first encounter with Christian Jungwirth are still fresh in Pukac’s mind, so can he pick up a much-needed win in the rematch? Only time will tell.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
This is another strength-versus-strength matchup in the Oktagon 55 main event, although an edge goes to Christian Jungwirth due to his boxing background. Who will win the day on Saturday?
Jungwirth Can Land Punches in Bunches
Given that Christian Jungwirth is a boxer by trade, one can surmise that he’ll utilize his fists on Saturday to secure the win. Just look at the tape of his fight against Ivica Trusek.
Throughout the second round, Jungwirth repeatedly and relentlessly teed off with a barrage of strikes, eventually taking Trusek down to continue the onslaught. A now-bloodied Trusek absorbed a second wave of punishment, with the referee mercifully calling a halt to the proceedings less than halfway into round two.
If Christian Jungwirth comes out like a house on fire in the Oktagon 55 main event, it could be over as soon as it begins.
Pukac Has Fists of Fury Himself
In the other corner, you’d be wise not to discount Robert Pukac’s striking prowess. He can write a brutal finish to the story in his own right. One need look no further than the video of the third round of Pukac’s fight versus Tomas Kuzela… all nine seconds of it, to be precise.
Right from the command to fight, Pukac delivered a crisp punch to the head right on the button to knock Kuzela down. He got in a few ground and pound shots before the referee officially ended the contest. All it will take Robert Pukac to win the Oktagon 55 main event on Saturday is for him to land the first big shot of the fight.
If he lands the first major punch of the bout, it could be his to win.
Final Thoughts
Even though there won’t be a championship at stake on Saturday in the Oktagon 55 main event, it’ll still be a great fight to watch. Anytime that there’s a rematch between two fighters, whether it’s in a headlining fight or not, the bad blood stews just the same.
Prediction: Christian Jungwirth by First-Round TKO.
