Just Bleed: Watch Veronika Smolková Absolutely Dismantle a Late-Notice Opponent With Brutal Elbows at OKTAGON 81
“Sweetheart” Veronika Smolková showed why she’s the number-one ranked flyweight in OKTAGON MMA on Sunday night in Prague, dismantling late-notice replacement Marta Sós with a devastating flurry of elbows that forced the referee to intervene just 2:29 into the first round. The Slovak rising star moved to 8-3 on her record with a display of aggression and finishing power that’s become her trademark in 2025.
Veronika Smolková Carves Up Marta Sós With Brutal Elbows at OKTAGON 81
Smolková was initially set to face Swiss veteran Stephanie Egger, a former world-ranked fighter with significant experience across the globe’s top organisations such as the UFC. Egger, however, withdrew just days before OKTAGON 81 due to illness, opening the door for 21-year-old Polish newcomer Sós to step in on short notice.
From the opening moments, Smolková controlled the pace and dictated where the action happened. She pressed forward with calculated aggression, using her footwork to cut off the cage while establishing her striking range. The fight’s momentum never shifted, it was simply a matter of when she would finish rather than if she would finish. Once the action moved into close quarters, the outcome became academic. Smolková landed a brutal series of elbows that caught Sós’s face repeatedly, and with her opponent unable to defend or escape, the referee had seen enough.
This marks Smolková’s third fight of 2025. More importantly, it extends her winning streak to six fights, with four of those victories coming by way of finish. She’s transitioned from early career struggles into an absolute finisher.
The 23-year-old from Slovakia, who trains out of Dracula Gym in Banská Bystrica, has rebuilt her entire career arc over the past couple of years. After starting her professional journey with losses, she completely reversed course and evolved into someone who knows exactly how to break opponents down both physically and mentally. Her striking has become sharper, her grappling more technical, and her instincts deadlier.
