After successful the Oktagon welterweight title through a surprising head kick on Brazilian Kaik Brito final month in Munich, ‘Dracula’ Ion Surdu solely spoke with World In Sport Fight Sports activities Reporter Dan Kelly to share his ideas and emotions on changing into champion and what’s subsequent for the fan favorite.
Following up on his spectacular knockout over Czech MMA legend David Kozma at Oktagon 58 in June with one other viral end over one other former champion, Ion Surdu explains that he already felt like a champion earlier than successful the welterweight belt at Oktagon 64.
“In my head I used to be a champion already, I simply needed to go there and take my belt house. For me, it was a fortunate, straightforward, and simply one other day on the workplace” When Dracula says a leisurely day on the workplace, he’s proper. It solely took him two minutes and twenty-six seconds to dispatch Brito in what proved to be the TipSport efficiency of the night time, the place he earned himself an additional 5 thousand euros.
Oktagon 64: Munich. Full Combat Evening Overview
What’s Subsequent For The New Champ?
When requested what’s subsequent, the brand new champion stated, “We’ll see what Oktagon prepares for me. I’m open to all provides, and I’m a person of the corporate, so once they pay me nicely, I like going into the cage and doing my job.”
Some huge names within the welterweight division pique the curiosity of the Romanian, similar to ‘King of Germany’ Christian Eckerlin and a rematch with UFC veteran Bojan Veličković. He craves to proper the wrongs from 2022 when he was compelled to faucet within the first spherical through an anaconda choke at Oktagon 40.
Since we sat down to talk with Surdu on future opponents, it has been introduced that he’s set to maneuver up in weight and enter the third collection of the TipSport Gamechanger for 2025 within the middleweight division, the place he has been drawn within the first combat, in opposition to Krzysztof Jotko of Poland who boasts a 25-6 skilled document.
Oktagon 65: Three Title Fights In One Evening – Full Preview
TipSport a million euro middleweight match line-up revealed.
The European MMA Champions League enters its third season in 2025; this time, the middleweights will take centre stage! A life-changing prize pot of €1 million might be up for grabs as soon as once more as the largest MMA match on the continent returns for what guarantees to be one other thrilling instalment.
The 16-man lineup is suffering from stars as present middleweight champion Kerim Engizek, prime Czech expertise Matěj Peňáz, welterweight title holder Ion Surdu, and promotional newcomer Krzysztof Jotko are all set to compete.
The Tipsport Gamechanger opening spherical matchups will happen throughout three occasions, with eleven international locations represented, and are as follows: OKTAGON 66 in Düsseldorf, Germany, on February 1 Kerim Engizek (21-4) vs. Anthony Salamone (8-2) Matěj Peňáz (9-1) vs. David Zawada (19-10) OKTAGON 67 in Třinec, Czech Republic, on February 22 Piotr Wawrzyniak (13-6) vs. Marek Mazúch (9-2) Miloš Petrášek (13-7) vs. Mick Stanton (13-8)
OKTAGON 70 in Karlovy Fluctuate, Czech Republic, on April 26 Vlasto Čepo (12-3) vs. Erhan Kartal (12-2) ‘Pirát’ Krištofič (17-6) vs. Wildcard (TBC) Occasions to be confirmed Ion Surdu (16-6) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (25-6, 1NC) Andreas Michailidis (16-8) vs. Mark Hulme (12-3)
As in earlier years, reserve bouts might be booked so an athlete is able to step up instantly if something occurs to contributors within the lead-up to their bouts. Moreover, ‘Fortunate Loser’ fan voting will stay, so after every spherical, the general public will get to vote for whoever they suppose deserves a second likelihood to leap again into the bracket later.
On the finish of the opening spherical, the eight remaining athletes will draw numbers randomly earlier than deciding who they wish to combat within the quarter-finals later subsequent 12 months. “We’re wanting ahead to probably the most aggressive 12 months of the European MMA Champions League to date,” stated OKTAGON MMA co-founder Ondřej Novotný. “Followers can get excited in regards to the highest variety of home fighters within the pyramid since we started the mission and the match will develop to extra occasions, which I can not await!”
WATCH HERE: NEW #OKTAGONMMA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION ‘DRACULA’ 🧛🏻♂️ ION SURDU ON STUNNING HEAD KICK WIN OVER BRITO
