KSW 45: The Return to Wembley - October 6 (OFFICIAL DISCUSSION)

KSW 45
October 6, 2018
SSE Arena
London, England

Main Card:
Phil De Fries (15-6)            vs.          (15-3) Karol Bedorf 
Main Event |  Title Fight | Heavyweight | 265 lbs (120 kg)

Popek Monster (3-3)          vs.                  (1-0) Erko Jun
Co-Main Event | Heavyweight | 265 lbs (120 kg)

Dricus Du Plessis (12-1)     vs.       (13-3) Roberto Soldić
Main Card |  Title Fight | Welterweight | 170 lbs (77 kg)

Michał Materla (13-7)         vs.  (3-0) Damian Janikowski  
Main Card | Tournament Semi-Finals | Middleweight | 185 lbs (84 kg)

Scott Askham (16-4)          vs.        (11-5) Marcin Wójcik
Main Card | Tournament Semi-Finals | Middleweight | 185 lbs (84 kg)

James McSweeney (15-16) vs.           (20-7) Thiago Silva
Main Card | Heavyweight | 265 lbs (120 kg)

Max Nunes (17-5)              vs.        (14-3) Wagner Prado
Main Card | Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs (93 kg)

John Smith (4-0)                vs.          (3-2) Akop Szostak                    
Main Card | Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs (93 kg)

Alfie Davis (10-2)                vs.  (12-1) Leszek Krakowski                    
Main Card | Lightweight | 155 lbs (70 kg)

Phil De Fries defends title against former champ Karol Bedorf  

After winning the KSW heavyweight title in April with a TKO win over highly ranked Michal Andryszak, Phil De Fries’ (15-6) first title defense will come on home soil as he faces former champion Karol Bedorf (15-3) at KSW 45 on October 6 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England.

Hailing from Sunderland in England, De Fries has established himself as one of the best heavyweights in Europe. The 32-year-old has fought all over the world in some of the biggest promotions, including making five appearances in the UFC, and holds career victories over the likes of Oli Thompson, Brett Rogers, and James Thompson.
Now on a three-fight-win-streak and feeling the best he has ever done, De Fries is looking forward to facing the challenge from Bedorf and vows to remain the KSW heavyweight champ for a long time coming.

Bedorf, who is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweights in the world, is a man on a mission. The former champ has had a rough couple of years. After dropping the title in disappointing fashion to Brazil’s Fernando Rodrigues Jr. at KSW 37 and suffering an injury that forced him from the historic KSW 39 card, the 34-year-old finally returned to action last month and showed no signs of ring rust as he submitted Mariusz Pudzianowski in the first round.

The card will also feature Olympic medalist Damian Janikowski, the UK’s number one middleweight Scott Askham, Polish superstar Michal Materla, and infamous rapper Popek Monster.

I'd like to see Bedorf get his belt back here.

Still weird that Philly Fries or Full of Fries is the KSW Heavyweight Champion.

Rocksoldier84 wrote:Still weird that Philly Fries or Full of Fries is the KSW Heavyweight Champion.

Yeah, it is. Weird things turned out that way.

Two of the brightest young talents in the welterweight division will come head to head once again as Dricus Du Plessis (12-1) defends his title against Roberto Soldic (13-3) at KSW 45 in The SSE Arena, Wembley on October 6.

South African Du Plessis won the welterweight title after he knocked Soldic out in the second round of their incredible back and forth fight at KSW 43 this past April. Soldic took command of the fight early in the first round landing a number of thumping shots to the body as he came forward with venom but Du Plessis showed composure beyond his years to hang in there and then landed a counter punch in the second to drop Soldic and lift the title.

Prior to that fight both men came in on incredible winning streaks. ’The RoboCop’ Soldic had won seven straight fights by KO all over Europe including a headkick knockout over Lew Long and a dismantling of Borys Mankowski at KSW 41 to win the title. While down in South Africa Du Plessis had risen to become a two-weight EFC champion with his own seven-fight-win-streak, all stoppages also.

Also, a new chapter in the KSW middleweight division begins at KSW 45 in The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England on October 6. The icon Mamed Khalidov will vacate the title stating that he does not want to hold the division up and that there is only one fight he is after at the moment.

As a result, a four-man tournament to crown a new KSW middleweight champion will begin at KSW 45: The Return to Wembley. Former champ Michal Materla (26-6) will face off against Olympic medalist Damian Janikowski (3-0) on one side while on the other the UK’s number one middleweight Scott Askham (16-4) takes on former light heavyweight title contender Marcin ’The Giant’ Wojcik (11-5).

Michal Materla (26-6) - former KSW middleweight champion and one of the biggest names in the sport in Poland. The 34-year-old is 4-1 since losing the title to Khalidov. This run includes highlight reel knockout wins over Rousimar Palhares and Paulo Thiago.

Damian Janikowski (3-0) - national hero in Poland and Olympic bronze medalist. Janikowski only made his MMA debut just over a year ago but has finished all three opponents thus far, all in devastating fashion including a former BAMMA and EFC champion. Now he returns to London, the scene of his Olympic triumph, and will be aiming for gold.

Scott Askham (16-4) - the UK’s number one middleweight. Is 2-0 since leaving the UFC with good wins over Luke Barnatt and Michal Materla. The former BAMMA champion has an impressive ten wins coming by way of KO/TKO.

Marcin Wojcik (11-5) - former KSW light heavyweight contender and currently on a 9-1 run with the loss coming to light heavyweight champ Tomasz Narkun. Fought and won his last fight at heavyweight following a last minute change of opponents, now he drops down to middleweight for his shot at glory.

I read Mamed vacated the title because he will be fighting Narkun in a rematch for the LHW title in December.

Impressive win by De Fries. Great event,  ksw as always deliver good show

Kingfedor wrote:Impressive win by De Fries. Great event,  ksw as always deliver good show

I missed this one but caught the results. Yeah, KSW events are always solid.