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Will Fleury Retains OKTAGON Heavyweight Title With Second-Round KO After Turning Down UFC Offer

The victory boosts Fleury's bargaining leverage by proving his drawing power on OKTAGON.

Overview

  • Will Fleury defended his OKTAGON heavyweight title by knocking out Kasim Aras at 1:29 of round two on Saturday, June 20, 2026, extending his unbeaten run with the promotion.
  • OKTAGON used Fleury's post-fight interview to announce a rematch with Daniel Škvor for OKTAGON 92 on August 1 in Prague, booking the next high-profile defense immediately.
  • Fleury had publicly described a recent UFC approach as insufficient and declined the offer, and his emphatic win strengthens his leverage in any future contract talks.
  • The Berlin card produced eight early stoppages of 11 fights, including Niko Samsonidse's 54-second knockout of Denis Frimpong, who was briefly unconscious and later recovered after medical attention.
  • OKTAGON signaled further expansion by announcing a September 26 stadium return in Frankfurt and continuing live distribution through Oktagon.tv and broadcast partners, a strategy that helps regional fighters build value outside the UFC.