The biggest grudge match in Oktagon MMA is officially back on after Shem Rock and Jaroslav Pokorny put pen to paper on a bout agreement for a rearranged matchup.
The pair were originally set to face off at Oktagon 48 in Manchester last year, but after a weigh-in faceoff scuffle that saw Rock kick Pokorny in the ribs and render the Czech fighter unable to fight, their planned matchup was scrapped.
Rock later signed a new contract with Oktagon and returned with a first-round submission of Stefano Catacoli at Oktagon 56 in Birmingham, then stated that he had unfinished business with Pokorny.
And today, promotion officials confirmed that the bout has been booked, and will take place in the lightweight division, at the Eden Stadium in Prague, where a crowd in the region of 25,000 is expected for the event.
Officials revealed that 85 percent of tickets for the event have already been sold, as the Czech fight fans have moved quickly to snap up their seats for a huge event that will see the prompotion’s “Rematch of the Century” between reigning light heavyweight champion Karlos Vemola and longtime rival Attila Vegh.
Also set for action on the card is a middleweight title clash between reigning 185-pound king Patrik Kincl and top contender Matej Penaz, plus two Tipsport Gamechanger quarter-final matchups, as Akonne Wanliss faces Mateusz Legierski, and Mago Machaev tahes on Acoidan Duque.
Oktagon 58: Confirmed fights
- Karlos Vemola vs. Attila Vegh – for light heavyweight title
- Patrik Kincl vs. Matej Penaz – for middleweight title
- David Kozma vs. Ion Surdu
- Leandro Silva vs. Amiran Gogoladze
- Milos Petrasek vs. Ahmed Sami
- Acoidan Duque vs. Mago Machaev – Tipsport Gamechanger
- Mateusz Legierski vs. Akonne Wanliss – Tipsport Gamechanger
- Attila Korkmaz vs. Makwan Amirkhani – Tipsport Gamechanger reserve bout
- Shem Rock vs. Jaroslav Pokorny
- David Zawada vs. Marek Mazuch
- Deniz Ilbay vs. Denis Tripsansky
A sports editor and MMA reporter with 25 years' experience in sports media, Simon has covered mixed martial arts since 2009 for a host of national and international outlets, including UFC, BBC Sport, MMA Junkie/USA Today, BT Sport and the Daily Mirror.