Top Reasons to Watch KSW ‘Epic’

What to expect from XTB #KSWEpic!

🔟 Fights
7⃣ Rulesets
4⃣-Man Tournament
1⃣ EPIC NIGHT

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Saturday | February 24 | https://t.co/KEwIlAHwkA pic.twitter.com/rptLmic9oC

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) February 19, 2024

Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, the premiere mixed martial arts organization in Poland, has curated a captivating spectacle with KSW “Epic” this Saturday at the PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland. As implied by the name of the event, the gala showcases some of the organization’s finest competitors in action, which has fans bubbling with excitement.

The main event features a clash of titans, as Mamed Khalidov and Tomasz Adamek cross swords in an epic boxing clash that promises to bring the thunder to combat sports enthusiasts.

Fresh off a successful KSW 90 card, KSW “Epic” is committed to deliver a spectacle like none other, in line with the company’s established routine of the past 20 years. KSW’s third planned event of 2024 is a celebration of combat sports and provides fans with plenty of other incentives to tune in. The event will be broadcast live on pay-per-view at kswepic.tv.

Let us look at some of the top reasons to watch KSW “Epic” in advance of the event:

Black Belt Showdown

KSW “Epic” features a collision of luminaries from disparate disciplines, stipulated under the MMA ruleset in a gi. The fight pits Piotr Kacprzak, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, against Adam Brysz, a judo black belt with an illustrious history in national and international competitions. Both fighters will don kimonos from their respective disciplines, a homage to the pioneering days of MMA when fighters competed in their traditional martial arts attire. With that said, the fight extends beyond just commemorating the honorable roots of MMA. It is a competition built to foster the evergreen “which style excels” debate, as Kacprzak’s wealth of ground game expertise and submission proficiency will be locked in combat against Brysz’s exceptional takedowns steeped in the art of judo.

A Battle of Light Heavyweight Contenders

In another featured bout on the card, No. 2-ranked former title contender Ivan Erslan locks horns with Bogdan Gnidko, the No. 4-ranked fighter in the light heavyweight division. Erslan touts an exemplary track record of vicious knockouts. Previously, he fell short in championship bouts against Tomasz Narkun and Ibragim Chuzhigaev, yet he remains a force to be reckoned with in the division. His recent loss to Rafal Haratyk will serve as an extra push to bounce back to winning ways. Meanwhile, Gnidko has been turning heads ever since he made his promotional debut at KSW 73. He has comfortably placed among the division’s top-tier talents, with lightning-fast knockout victory over Damian Piwowarczyk and two more finishes in subsequent bouts. Much like Erslan, Gnidko is coming off a loss to Ibragim Chuzhigaev via arm-triangle choke at KSW 85. It is a gripping counter considering both fighters have a shared goal of bouncing back to reclaim victory.

Duel for Light Heavyweight Supremacy

KSW fans have sense a proprietary attachment to the upcoming light heavyweight championship tournament, with their eager votes driving the selection of matchups. In the first semifinal, No. 5-ranked Kleber Silva will go head-to-head with No. 6-ranked Damian Piwowarczyk. Meanwhile, premier contender Rafal Haratyk will challenge third-ranked Marcin Wojcik to determine who faces the Silva-Piwowarczyk winner for light heavyweight supremacy. What makes the event more fascinating is that the entire light heavyweight tournament, including semifinals and final, will be contested on the same night. The semifinals will be contested in two five minutes rounds each. In case of a tie on the scorecards, the competitor who won the first round will advance. The final, meanwhile, will be fought over three five-minute rounds.

Muay Thai Warriors

To crank up the excitement, the gala also features an adrenaline-charged muay thai clash between two of Europe’s leading standup fighters: Michal Krolik and Vaclav Sivak. The collision makes for a brutal muay thai formula in the featherweight division and will be contested in small MMA gloves. Krolik offers a bounty of experience in kickboxing with numerous accolades, including amateur and professional WAKO world championships. His other accomplishments need no further elaboration, with over 20 Polish kickboxing titles under his belt and a diverse background in muay thai, boxing and bareknuckle fighting. Sivak is an undefeated professional kickboxer. He basks on past laurels of being a two-time WAKO pro world champion and multiple-time Czech champion in K-1 and muay thai.

Submission-Only Showdown

Asserting its authority through its history of comprehensive fighter testing, the submission-only showdown at KSW “Epic” presents a unique challenge that is sure to captivate audience. Philip De Fries and Josh Barnett will go toe-to-toe in this showdown stipulated under Abu Dhabi Combat Club rules. De Fries, the reigning KSW heavyweight champion, has a strong background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The Englishman has secured victory in 14 of his 24 MMA fights by submission and is riding a 12-fight winning streak leading up to the bout. Meanwhile, Barnett is an absolute legend of the sport. He became the youngest Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion at 24, with other accolades that expand into organizations like Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce and Pancrase. Barnett sports 19 submissions among his 25 victories, which speak volumes about his grappling prowess.