Bad blood is the theme of this week’s episode, as host Bryan Lacey highlights simmering feuds in the promotion and has two exclusive interviews, with OKTAGON MMA lightweight champion Losene Keita and German giant Alexander Poppeck.
Anticipated bouts over the next couple of months where there is animosity between the participants are previewed during the show, including the massive end-of-year clash between middleweight champion Patrik Kincl and 205-pound king Karlos Vemola.
Undefeated Belgian sensation Keita (9-0) joins Lacey to discuss whether or not his life has changed since winning the lightweight belt, his potential drop down to the featherweight division, and ambitions to become a double champion. Significant quotes from the interview can be seen below.
Keita: “I never diet, so I can make featherweight, I think, but it must be worth it. I don’t know why they are giving the title match to these two guys (Mate Sanikidze and Jakub Tichota at OKTAGON 37). I need to fight for the title, but no problem. They can fight for the title, and I can just wait and fight the winner. They can give me both of them on the same night if they want!”
Fresh off a statement, first-round TKO victory in his return to the organization, one of the scariest fighters in OKTAGON MMA, Poppeck (15-4), talks about the landscape of the light heavyweight division, the sport’s growth in Germany, and the upcoming show in his hometown of Munich. Significant quotes from the interview and the full episode can be viewed below.
Poppeck: “I repeatedly called (Martin Zawada) out because he is kind of a legend in Germany. He’s had more than 40 MMA fights, or maybe even more. He has fought a lot internationally and it would be great to fight him next and get that mark on my profile.”
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.
