Oktagon 82: Ex UFC Middleweight Competes in Tournament Final
This coming weekend Oktagon return to Dusseldorf for their first event of 2026 and Oktagon 82 is headlined by their middleweight tournament final. Competing for eternal glory and 300,000 Euros in prize money will be the current Oktagon middleweight champion Kerim Engizek and a former UFC middleweight Krzysztof Jotko. The 34 year old Turkish champion Engziek is unbeaten in over 10 years however the UFC veteran provides his toughest test to date.
Kerim Engizek Route to Final
The Turkish middleweight Engizek was the middleweight champion in Oktagon before entering the tournament series and has worked his way into the final. He began his 2025 tournament back in February beating Kamil Oniszczuk via unanimous decision as he headlined Oktagon 66. The champion returned eventually at Oktagon 74 in August against an experienced veteran Mick Stanton. The Englishman was a former Cage Warriors champion but Engizek made quick work of him with a first round TKO victory. The highlight of his tournament came months later in October as he emerged victorious in a war with Dominik Humburger securing his place in the final.
Krzysztof Jotko Route to Final
The ex UFC fighter began his Tipsport Gamechanger tournament facing off with an Oktagon legend in April 2025. Ion Surdu is one of the most well known fighters in Oktagon but the Pole was not phased as he secured his place in the next round with a unanimous decision win. His schedule then mirrored his aforementioned opponent as he featured on the same cards. At Oktagon 74 Jotko got a second round TKO against Marek Mazuch and then at Oktagon 77 in October secured his place in the final with a decision win against Hojat Khajevand.
Jotko last competed in the UFC back in 2022 against Brendan Allen as he suffered a first round submission loss. His UFC tenure stretched over nine years and he left the organisation with a respectable record of 11-6.
Can the 36-year-old use his UFC experience to defeat a formidable opens at Oktagon 82?
