We’ve turned around and KSW turns 20 years old, in just a month! Poland’s premier MMA organization has announced their celebration of this occasion, with a KSW EPIC event, on February 24th.
The card already has some compelling matchups and it brought back a one night tournament, something KSW has been known for. With Mamed Khalidov, who is probably the biggest name in the history of the organization as this card’s main event – we are expecting a juggernaut of a card, with more great additions to it.
KSW will do a combination of things here, as different martial arts will be on display on this monumental night. Khalidov will do a boxing match against a Polish legend Tomasz Adamek, inside the octagon. Moreover, an interesting, old school throwback fight will happen in the lightweight division, as Kacprzak (a Polish BJJ black belt) will square off against Brysz (a Polish judo black belt). This fight will be an MMA bout, done in a kimono!
KSW EPIC brings back a 4-man tournament to crown the light heavyweight champion
On the night of 24th of February, KSW will have a one-night tournament to determine the new light heavyweight champion, as the former title holder Ibragim Chuzhigaev vacated the belt, after his KSW contract expired. While originally putting out that there’s a chance for a new KSW deal, the organization apparently moved on from the now-former champ and we will have a new champion at 205.
The participants of this 4-man tournament will be: Damian Piowarczyk, Kleber Silva, Rafal Haratyk and Marcin Wojcik. The Polish MMA organization is also holding a fan vote, which allows everyone to vote and decide on the matchups that will be held in the two 1/2 finals. The voting started on January 19th.
KSW is going old school – MMA in a GI!
Known for their colorful nature and system – KSW doesn’t shy away from experimenting. Both with some interesting promotional stuff, as well as freaky matchups. We’re talking about a promotion that allows fighters to put their sponsors painted on their bodies. KSW is no stranger to a real spectacle!
Adding to their historic card is a matchup that throws us back to the beginnings of ‘ultimate fighting’, to the days of Royce Gracie and the pioneers of this sport. The rules won’t be as brutal like they were back then (of course), as it will be an MMA fight with modern regulations. The catch is that both competitors come from different disciplines, where they are the masters and will compete inside the cage, in a GI!
Piotr Kacprzak will fight Adam ‘Tornado’ Brysz in this throwback bout. Kacprzak is a 25 year old BJJ black belt, who comes in with a 9-4 professional MMA record, but with an extensive amateur MMA experience, as well. Every professional fight of his came in for Babilon MMA organization, except the one instance where he performed at KSW 68, winning a unanimous decision against Jose Marcos.
His opponent, Adam Brysz is a 36 year old judo black belt, with a professional MMA record of 2-0, with 1 knockout to his credit. ‘Tornado’ last fought in September, just like his scheduled opponent. It is interesting to note that he has a big 9 year gap from the first time he had fought in MMA to his last bout. In that 2nd fight, he competed in Poland’s second most prominent MMA promotion – FEN MMA and won the fight by a decision.
With many added possibilities of holds, submissions, sweeps and techniques – this MMA bout in a GI will certainly provide big entertainment for the fans. Taking old school fans back to the beginning days, while making the new generation figure about different possibilities this type of fight brings.
Pudzianowski, Materla, Narkun – possible additions to the KSW EPIC card
Promotion’s biggest star Mamed ‘Cannibal’ Khalidov is already slated to be the main event of this show, as the former middleweight and LHW champ will face Polish boxing legend – Tomasz Adamek. That being said, with the 20 year celebration, it is expected that other legends of the Polish confrontation will be on the card.
Mariusz Pudzianowski, probably the 2nd biggest star in KSW’s history (right behind Khalidov) is the first name that comes to mind. Pudzian last fought in June of 2023. losing via technical knockout to Artur Szpilka.
‘Dominator’ is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes in history, while also holding multiple records in Poland’s premier MMA promotion like: most wins in the HW dvision’s history (17) and most KOs in promotions history (12).
Former middleweight champion Michal Materla and former light heavyweight champion Tomasz Narkun are also the two big Polish stars that come to mind, when discussing potential fighters to compete on this card.
Phil De Fries vs Darko Stosic 2 to be on KSW EPIC?
One possible, exciting matchup for this occasion would definitely be a rematch for KSW’s Heavyweight championship of the world, between the current king Phil De Fries and Serbia’s own Darko Stosic.
First fight ended with De Fries wearing Stosic out and eventually scoring a 5th round stoppage win against the Serb. According to Darko’s manager, Drazen Forgac – Stosic signed the agreement to fight at the KSW EPIC event, on February the 24th. Forgac said that the signed bout will be an explosive one. Obvious is the opponent?
This one would be a perfect boost for February’s event. What’s a spectacular fight card without a big time heavyweight scrap?
