Niko Samsonidse and Mochamed Machaev Set for Vacant OKTAGON Featherweight Title Clash at Stuttgart
OKTAGON 83 heads to Stuttgart on January 31, 2026, with Germany’s Niko Samsonidse facing Austria’s Mochamed Machaev for the vacant featherweight championship at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle. The five-round title fight marks a comeback story against rising aggression in European MMA’s most watched promotion.
OKTAGON 83
Samsonidse enters the bout ranked first in OKTAGON‘s featherweight division and 62nd globally with a 12-3 record. The 31-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Spitfire Gym Berlin carries the scars of a career nearly ended in May 2021 when his left leg snapped during a kick attempt at National Fighting Championship 3. Doctors warned he might never compete again as the bone refused to heal properly for over 18 months.
The Berlin-based fighter returned to competition in April 2023 at OKTAGON 42, defeating Roman Paulus by unanimous decision. Since resuming his career, Samsonidse has compiled a four-fight win streak in OKTAGON, finishing three opponents. His most recent victory came in February 2025 when he stopped Edgar Delgado with a leg kick TKO in the third round at OKTAGON 67. His only loss during this period occurred at OKTAGON 50 in December 2023, where he was knocked out by then-champion Losene Keita in the second round.
The title became vacant after Keita signed with the UFC in August 2025, vacating both his featherweight and lightweight championships. Keita’s UFC debut at Paris was subsequently cancelled when he missed weight by three pounds, marking the first time he failed to make weight in 25 professional fights.
Machaev brings a 16-2 record into the championship fight at age 25. The Austrian fighter from Soma Fight Club has established himself through calculated aggression and finishing ability. His signature victory came at OKTAGON 54 in March 2024 when he knocked out former UFC fighter Makwan Amirkhani in the third round. Amirkhani, who holds the fastest knockout in UFC featherweight history at eight seconds, was dominated after his cardio failed.
OKTAGON 83 marks the promotion’s third event in Stuttgart at the 15,500-capacity Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle. The event will stream on OKTAGON.tv and DAZN, with pay-per-view priced at approximately 10 euros. The card features multiple fights beyond the main event, continuing OKTAGON’s expansion across Germany and Europe.
