Tag: Interviews

Exclusive | Zhilei Zhang on the Double-Edged Sword of Wilder KO – Heavyweights are Scared ‘They don’t want to fight me’

Zhilei Zhang of Wilder KO - Heavyweights are ScaredEarlier this year, China’s Zhilei Zhang scored a huge knockout win against the former boxing world champion Deontay Wilder,…

Zhilei Zhang of Wilder KO - Heavyweights are Scared

Earlier this year, China’s Zhilei Zhang scored a huge knockout win against the former boxing world champion Deontay Wilder, but now every heavyweight is scared to face him. ‘Big Bang’ Zhang spoke with LowKickMMA and AceOdds for an interview to discuss his most recent win.

Zhilei Zhang Knocks Out Deontay Wilder

As an amateur, the southpaw Zhilei Zhang won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and bronze medals at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships. As a professional, Zhang has compiled an impressive record of 27 wins with 22 of his victories coming by knockout. At a towering 6’6″ the former WBO interim heavyweight title holder packs serious power.

Despite suffering a loss to Joseph Parker in March 2024, Zhang bounced back with a notable victory over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in June 2024. But now, back in the top five, after his major win, most other heavyweights at the top are too scared to face him. Speaking to him in an interview, Zhilei Zhang explained:

“It’s a double-edged sword. The good thing is after I lost to Parker in March, I was kind of out of the mix, but with the victory, I was back in the mix again. That’s the good thing about it. It put my career right back on track.

“The negative side is that after knocking out Wilder, people look at me like, he’s from another planet. They don’t want to fight me. They look at me like somebody they want to avoid at all costs. That puts me and my team in a difficult position in terms of looking for opponents and securing big fights. I really feel like the elite heavyweights should just come and face me and just let it be done.”

Zhilei Zhang KO 2 Wilder

Zhilei Zhang On His Future

‘Big Bang’ Zhilei Zhang is hoping maybe Riyadh Season with Saudi Arabia and Turki Alalshikh can make some choices to help move this heavyweight title picture along. He continued:

“I think it’s really smart for his excellency to put everything together. Obviously, we’re benefiting from it but at the same time, they are making fights that we would normally never get to see. They made a lot of fights that we can only dream about and this is really such a good thing.

“Also on the other side, Riyadh season is the big push behind everything, I think they made the whole world realise what a wonderful country Saudi Arabia is. People are looking at Saudi Arabia as the centre of professional boxing and of sports as well.”

The top-five-ranked Zhang has a close eye on the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. He said that he would happily face either one, the Chinese-born athlete added:

“I’ll do it now. Without hesitation.”

Exclusive | Aaron Aby on facing UFC’s Zhalgas Zhumagulov: Ready to Exploit “Weaknesses”

aaron aby vs Zhalgas ZhumagulovAt Oktagon 63 upcoming on November 9, the Welsh-born Aaron Aby is set to face former UFC fighter Zhalgas…

aaron aby vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov

At Oktagon 63 upcoming on November 9, the Welsh-born Aaron Aby is set to face former UFC fighter Zhalgas Zhumagulov. The MMA veteran Aby explained that he is well-prepared for this matchup and has done his homework.

Aaron Aby vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov

Zhalgas Zhumagulov is a veteran MMA fighter originally from Kazakhstan. He had close matchups in the UFC and has since picked up multiple wins since walking away from the organization. With a win against Aby, it is highly likely he would compete for gold in Oktagon.

Aaron Aby is a cancer survivor and was born with Cystic Fibrosis. After a decade of competing in MMA, he is ready to take on one of the toughest tests of his career as he soon will face Zhalgas Zhumagulov.

Zhalgas Zhumagulov

In an interview with LowKickMMA, Aaron Aby discussed his match against Zhalgas Zhumagulov and said:

“I do watch tape; I’m also a coach at my own gym, so I’m always studying opponents. I’ve watched him, studied his weaknesses, and I’ve identified areas where I think I’ll have the advantage.”

Aby is ready to leave an impact on the MMA world. He added:

“I haven’t had time off from the gym, and I feel like I’m improving every day. I’m getting older, but I’m still progressing. This fight’s a tough one, but I feel like I’m ready.“

Zhalgas Zhumagulov is set to make his debut on November 9 in Oktagon, but the former Welsh footballer Aby is coming to spoil his introduction to the organization.

Exclusive | Oktagon’s Aaron Aby on Surviving Cancer “Tough battles make you stronger.”

Aaron Aby Oktagon 63The Welsh-born Aaron Aby is a former Wrexham player who dropped his footballer dreams to compete in MMA. He…

Aaron Aby Oktagon 63

The Welsh-born Aaron Aby is a former Wrexham player who dropped his footballer dreams to compete in MMA. He is a fighter who was born with Cystic Fibrosis and was later diagnosed with cancer. Sitting down in an exclusive interview, ahead of his Oktagon 63 fight against Zhalgas Zhumagulov on November 9, we discuss mental resiliency.

Aaron Aby on Life’s Battles

The professional MMA fighter Aaron Aby has been in the sport of MMA for more than ten years and has taken 26 bouts all over the world in that time. Despite the many clashes in the cage, his toughest fight was his battle with cancer. Speaking recently in an interview with LowKickMMA, he explained:

“I haven’t had a choice. It’s been ingrained in me since I was young. My dad always used to say, “Show me the fighter, and I’ll show you the person. Show me the person, and I’ll show you the fighter.” I’ve carried that with me. Fighting, like life, has its ups and downs. Sometimes you need to use your brain, sometimes you need to dig in and push through. Over time, I’ve become mentally stronger. The cancer battle was the toughest, but I always thought everything I went through was preparing me for it. Tough battles make you stronger. Now, I can apply those lessons in life.”

After a decade in the sport, it has been a long road, he reflected:

“Sometimes, I have to remind myself how far I’ve come, especially with cystic fibrosis. I started MMA to raise awareness for CF. It was on my shirt during my first fight. I feel like sometimes I get caught in the moment, focusing on the big fights ahead, but when I reflect on where I started and how I’ve got here, it’s incredible. I truly appreciate the journey.”

On November 9, Aaron Aby is set to face former UFC fighter Zhalgas Zhumagulov at Oktagon 63.

Exclusive | Katharina Dalisda Talks Transformation of MMA in Germany Ahead of Oktagon 62

Katharina Dalisda Oktagon 62The German-born MMA fighter Katharina Dalisda will be looking to defend her world title in her hometown in front…

Katharina Dalisda Oktagon 62

The German-born MMA fighter Katharina Dalisda will be looking to defend her world title in her hometown in front of 60,000 screaming fans at Oktagon 62. This stadium event in Frankfurt, Germany, has shown how much the attitude of MMA has changed in Germany over the past decade.

Katharina Dalisda on German MMA

Katharina Dalisda had a background in Judo but never intended to compete in MMA, she was just looking for a good workout. Fast forward, now, she holds a world title in Oktagon and will be battling in front of a record-breaking audience live from Deutsche Bank Park, a massive stadium.

Speaking in an interview, she explained:

“I did judo for about 17 years. Then I stopped and did endurance sports for two years, like triathlons and running. I found it a bit boring and wanted more action. I met someone at the running track; we were both doing a half marathon, and we didn’t know each other. We started talking while running, and he said he was doing kickboxing. That piqued my interest. Yes, it’s kind of crazy! But training is fun. It became a true passion for me.”

Katharina Dalisda Tim Wheaton Oktagon 62

UFC 99 was hosted in Germany and the country was not welcoming of the new sport, painting it as a bloody affair with street toughs. Now, Oktagon will be hosting a major event in Frankfurt after investing in the nation. On this shift, Katharina Dalisda explained:

“I think it has a lot more awareness than it did two or three years ago. When I started, I had my first fight in 2019 at a really big event in. There were maybe two or three thousand fans, and it felt huge! Now, Octagon is doing a really good job with marketing and getting fans into the scene …

“More people are becoming aware of the sport. I hope the image of MMA continues to improve too. It’s mixed right now. Many “normal” people enjoy the sport and see the complex tactical aspects behind it, but not everyone is there yet. I think in a year or two, it will get even better.”

Oktagon 62

Oktagon 62 is an MMA event scheduled for October 12, 2024, at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. This event is expected to attract up to 60,000 fans, making it one of the largest MMA gatherings ever. In fact, it even surpassed the UFC’s record attendance of 57,127 from UFC 243 in Melbourne.

The main event will feature a welterweight title fight between two popular German fighters: Christian Eckerlin from Frankfurt and Christian Jungwirth from Stuttgart. This matchup is being billed as a battle for the title of “King of Germany.”

‘Tigress’ Katharina Dalisda plans to defend her Strawweight title against former UFC fighter Mallory Martin. Germany’s Dalisda is looking to make it seven wins in a row.

See the full interview below:

Exclusive | The Scholar and the Fighter, From PhD to PFL: Dr. Souhil Tahiri “Don’t set limits on yourself.”

Souhil TahiriSouhil Tahiri has defied the odds for his entire life. Despite doing poorly in school, he would later get…

Souhil Tahiri

Souhil Tahiri has defied the odds for his entire life. Despite doing poorly in school, he would later get his PhD. Despite not wanting to be a professional fighter, the French-Algerian is now competing in the lightweight semi-finals in PFL MENA taking place on September 20.

Dr. Souhil Tahiri

All he wanted to do was try to quit smoking, so one day Dr. Souhil Tahiri registered at an MMA gym. Speaking in an interview with Tim Wheaton of LowKickMMA, he explained:

“I just wanted to quit smoking and get in better shape. I’d never done combat sports or any sports before that. My main goal was to quit smoking and maybe get some abs or something basic like that.”

But what added to his drive was coaches telling him that he should not be doing this as he was a scholar. At this point, he was working on a PhD in mathematics. Therefore, a career in MMA simply didn’t add up. But he persisted anyway as he pushed himself to constantly be a better version of himself.

“I kept going with it. I started both journeys at the same time, and everybody kept telling me that it was too late to do combat sports or boxing, that I needed to focus on studying. Even in boxing, when I went to the gym, the coach would say, ‘You’re just a scholar. You’re good at studying, no need to put so much effort into boxing. You won’t go any further.‘”

A vital pillar of Souhil Tahiri is that one never stops growing, or learning. Whether it’s in the ring, cage, or classroom; people should strive to be their very best. Therefore, he kept pushing himself.

“Don’t set limits on yourself … I’m trying to motivate those around me. If you have goals, believe in them and work for them. Maybe you’ll get results, maybe not, but you’ll always benefit in some way.

“Yes, it’s possible. You have to put in hard work, believe in what you’re doing, and just keep showing up. Never let yourself down. Even on bad days, keep going to the gym, keep going to school. I failed many exams and lost many fights, but I kept showing up no matter what. Alhamdulillah, now I’m in the PFL, I have my PhD, and I have a job. So, yeah, things are going well.“

PFL MENA 3

Now, Dr. Souhil Tahiri will face the experienced Sanda fighter Mohsen Mohammadseifi in the semi-finals of the PFL MENA tournament. PFL MENA 3 goes down on September 20.

See the full interview with Souhil Tahiri below:

Souhil Tahiri

Exclusive | Omar El Dafrawy On Driving MMA’s Growth in Egypt: “More and more Egyptians making waves.”

Omar El DafrawyPFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the…

Omar El Dafrawy

PFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the sport of MMA at the core level. On Friday, September 19, he will be competing in the Semi-finals of the PFL MENA welterweight tournament.

Omar El Dafrawy on Egyptian MMA

Whether it’s Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Taekwondo, or Karate, the nation of Egypt has a rich history in combat sports and has collected dozens of Olympic medals. MMA is a natural step for the people of the nation but it still needs a push. Omar El Dafrawy and his gym Fitbox are looking to make an impact.

In an exclusive interview with Tim Wheaton of LowKickMMA, El Dafrawy explained:

“A lot of people are transitioning, but we need more high-profile coaches to guide them through that. We have strong bases in boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and judo, with Olympians and gold medalists. When the right people who genuinely care about the sport get involved, things will continue to change. I’ve seen it happening, especially as I’ve traveled and invested in myself as an athlete … We’re seeing more and more Egyptians making waves.”

Combat sports is booming in Egypt, and MMA is right at the forefront, he added:

“There are a lot of high benchmarks being set. I think I’ve restructured the sport back home. My background is academic, and people saw that the sport is for everyone, not just those with tough upbringings. They saw that you can be educated—I have a bachelor’s degree—and still be a full-time fighter. There’s a huge gap in the market for education on training and preparation, but that’s what I’m trying to deliver through Fitbox. As for numbers, MMA is booming. There are at least 20 promotions back home, with more popping up. For example, the national kickboxing tournament has 800 fights over two days, just with kids.”

PFL MENA 3

Upcoming at PFL MENA 3, on September 20, El Dafrawy is looking to build on his impressive win streak and advance to the PFL MENA finals later this year. But standing in his way is the experienced Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi. On this matchup, the Egyptian MMA athlete explained:

“I’ve studied my opponent, and I feel confident that I can knock out Jarrah.”

Jake Paul

YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul will soon be competing in MMA in the PFL but still has yet to have an opponent picked. Omar El Dafrawy is throwing his name in the mix whether it be under boxing or MMA rules. Omar El Dafrawy said:

“I want to punch him in the boxing ring first! But seriously, I like what he’s been doing. He’s calling out the people who don’t treat fighters well, like Dana White. That’s why I chose PFL. It’s about building myself and having financial security. PFL gives fighters the freedom to box if they want and respects the fighters. That’s what the sport needs—promotions that understand fighters.”

See the full interview with Omar El Dafrawy below: