OKTAGON MMA’s schedule for the year is kicking off in just under two weeks’ time, so Bryan Lacey is back with another installment of “OKTAGON HYPE” to bring international audiences up to date with all the recent developments in the top European promotion.

On this episode, a new segment called “OKTAGON News” debuts, where Lacey breaks down all of the latest news and notes surrounding the organization in a way that only he can! Viewers are also given a detailed overview of “The Best of 2022” awards, where fans can make their picks for “The Best Fighter,” “Fight of the Year,” “The Most Epic Moment” and many more. There are a total of 17 categories overall, and votes can be cast at Oktagonmma.cz/bestof22.

Niklas Stolze (12-6) joins the show to discuss his return to the promotion after four-and-a-half years away as he prepares to face James Lewis (8-4) in a welterweight contest at OKTAGON 39 in Munich, Germany. The UFC veteran also highlights OKTAGON MMA’s development of the German market and comments on the €1 million Tipsport Gamechanger tournament. Significant quotes from the interview and the full episode can be viewed below.

Stolze: “I have to prove something for myself and I just need to feel it so I’m going to do it (finish him) in the first round. This is the intention so that’s why we train so much and so hard to push the pace from minute one. Go. Go. This is what my coach says in every session because we really want to bring the heat. People should remember me and my name after the fight.”

OKTAGON HYPE is a magazine show for international audiences featuring the latest news, exclusive interviews, event recaps, card previews and much more. It also allows MMA fans from all around the world to learn about the backstories of the promotion’s biggest stars (many of which are mainstream, household names in different regions) through different insight segments. Every two weeks, a new episode is released on the OKTAGON MMA UK & Ireland YouTube channel.