The project of the Oktagon MMA organization called Tipsport Gamechanger, where representatives of the welterweight division measure their strength, is slowly and surely coming to an end. The semi-final places are currently occupied by four contestants – Czech David Kozma, Greek Andreas Michailidis, Danish Louis Glismann and Serbian Bojan Veličković. And while the loser is guaranteed at least 80,000 euros (less than 2 million crowns), 300,000 euros (converted to 7 million crowns) awaits the overall king at the very end. But first you need to solve the riddle of who will go next…

In one of the semi-final duels, Kozma meets Veličković. Rivals whose paths first crossed in 2021 in the title battle of the Oktagon MMA organization. At that time, the Serbian striker did not manage to reach the belt, but he can at least be pleased with the fact that he took the title at the last moment and risked not being 100% ready. “I didn’t have to accept it. But then I believed that I would win the match,” describes the former fighter of the famous UFC.

In the end, it resulted in a defeat in the fourth round, although the battered Veličković himself was not far from a sensation. “There was one moment when I could have ended the match. But I slipped, I lost my chance,” he recalls the moments of the match, during which Kozma also got into considerable trouble. After one of the blows, he even lost his stability and was not far from defeat.

The native of Karvina, who lost his welterweight championship belt last year, takes his juice extremely seriously after his previous experience. “I consider Veličković as a very good wrestler. I fought him once before, I beat him. I don’t think he’s improved much since then. I expect him to try to knock me out,” says the organization’s longest-reigning champion, who takes the big bucks as a big motivator. “It’s the chance of a lifetime to provide for the family,” he knows.

Veličković’s journey through the pyramid is understandably monitored by the world media. It is also well received in his native Serbia, where he is cheered wildly during his duels. “The other day, my brother wrote and called me for the first time after the game. He said: I’m at work and everyone’s watching your match, it’s crazy. I got so many messages like never before. I would be very proud to win for Serbia,” says the native of Novi Sad.

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The chance for repair is around the corner, in the Balkans they hope for a happy ending this time. “I’m very competitive and excited to go at it again and prepare a little better. I’ll have a better chance. I really worked hard in my career to get here and I don’t want to miss it,” Veličković realizes the weight of the moment, who was able to beat Moldavian Ion Surdu and German Christian Jungwirth in the project. Above all, the duel with the latter was really wonderful for the viewer’s eye. “The match was definitely the highlight of my career,” he says.

According to bookmakers, Kozma is not a big favorite at all. This is probably enhanced by the fact that, unlike in 2019, when the duel was scheduled for five rounds, this time it will be contested in a three-round fight. At the same time, the 31-year-old “Pink Panther” does not want to pay for an unsuccessful rematch for the second time in his career. “It can be a disadvantage for me, I’ve won once and you can tend to underestimate him, but I won’t. I did it with a Chinese (Jaroslav Poborský) and I lost, now there is no danger. I learned my lesson,” he describes.

The fight between Kozma and Veličkovič is the main preliminary match of the Oktagon 46 tournament, which will start on Saturday, September 16, from 18:00 in Frankfurt, Germany. The second semi-final duel of the Tipsport Gamechanger project between the Greek Andreas Michailidis and the Dane Louis Glismann will also take place here. The highlight of the gala evening will be the women’s strawweight title battle between Germany’s Katharina Dalisda and Australia’s Jacinta Austin.