Will Fleury is venturing into enemy territory once more, this time aiming to defend his two championships in Berlin with a determined mindset.
OKTAGON MMA is set to make its debut in the German capital with OKTAGON 90, scheduled for Saturday, June 20th, at the Uber Arena. This event is a landmark occasion for the Czech-Slovak promotion, which has established itself as a premier MMA organization in Europe. The fight card is anticipated to be one of the most robust the organization has presented in Germany. The main event will feature the double champion Will Fleury putting his heavyweight title on the line against the hometown contender, Kasim Aras.
Fleury Faces Aras for Heavyweight Gold in Berlin
Fleury, who also holds the light heavyweight belt, arrives in Berlin following a career-defining victory. In December, he secured a first-round knockout against former UFC heavyweight Martin Buday in under two minutes, successfully defending his title. This impressive performance garnered significant attention from Irish media and European MMA circles, highlighting him as one of OKTAGON’s standout champions.
Following this dominant performance, Fleury received numerous offers from promotions worldwide. However, he chose to re-sign with OKTAGON, committing to a new six-fight contract. He has publicly expressed his desire to build a lasting legacy with the promotion rather than pursuing short-term gains. His bout in Berlin marks the beginning of this new contract, taking place on hostile ground against an opponent who has actively sought this matchup.
Aras enters the fight as one of the few heavyweights who openly campaigned for a shot at Fleury. The German fighter is a former LFL champion and a veteran of Bellator, boasting a professional record of 11-5. He quickly built his reputation within OKTAGON with a decisive debut in Hamburg at OKTAGON 73, where he defeated Adam Pałasz on the main card, significantly boosting his profile with the German audience.
He followed this win with a victory over Simon Biyong at OKTAGON 78 in Cologne. During his post-fight interview, Aras directly called out the champion, a strategy that aligns with OKTAGON’s approach of rewarding fighters who can effectively promote bouts in their home markets. For Aras, OKTAGON 90 represents the most significant opportunity of his career, offering him the chance to become the face of the promotion in Germany should he dethrone the visiting champion.
The promotion is supporting the event with a strong lineup of German talent throughout the card. Rising bantamweight prospect Alina Dalaslan, an undefeated 25-year-old from Germany with a professional record of 4-0, including recent knockout wins over Karolina Sobek and Kamila Simkova, is scheduled to compete in Berlin. This follows her breakout performance at OKTAGON 83.
Former featherweight title challenger Niko Samsonidse, who competed for the vacant belt against Mago Machaev at OKTAGON 83, is also slated for the event as he aims to rebound from his first-round knockout loss. Additionally, matchups such as Attila Korkmaz vs. Dawid Śmiełowski and Niklas Stolze vs. Tyrone Pfeifer are expected to generate local interest and provide the German audience with a mix of established fighters and those on the rise in the European rankings.
For Fleury, the challenge in Berlin is to defend his championship in an opponent’s backyard. For Aras, it’s a hometown opportunity to fundamentally alter the heavyweight landscape in a single night. Regardless of the outcome, OKTAGON’s inaugural trip to the German capital holds the potential to be a pivotal moment in the promotion’s efforts to establish Berlin as a regular stop on its European tour.