With KSW heavyweight champion Phil De Fries running out of challengers to his MMA crown, a test of a different kind has presented itself, with a legend of the sport stepping up to challenge the Englishman.
De Fries has been called out for a submission grappling match by former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett, who teamed up with KSW’s production team to issue an official challenge to De Fries for a matchup at KSW Epic in Gliwice on February 24.
In a special video promo released by KSW’s social media channels, Barnett set the stage for the matchup.
“Four years ago, the lineal KSW heavyweight champion, Marcin Rozalski, challenged me to a bare-knuckle fight. I went to his realm, and I beat him,” he began, before turning his sights on the reigning KSW heavyweight king.
“Now, here comes Phil De Fries. I challenge you to come to my realm,” he continued.
“Phil De Fries, I challenge you on your home turf, as a KSW heavyweight champion, to a grappling match, where I thrive. It’s truly going to be an epic night, at KSW Epic.”
It took De Fries just half an hour to respond, with the Englishman replying, “I accept, let’s do this.”
KSW Epic will celebrate 20 years of KSW with a special event at the 13,000-seat PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland, with the promotion unveiling a huge main event clash for the top of the card.
The headline bout will feature two Polish combat sports legends, as KSW superstar Mamed Khalidov takes on former light heavyweight and cruiserweight boxing champion of the world Tomasz Adamek in a special boxing match inside the KSW cage.
The event will also feature a one-night light heavyweight championship tournament. Damian Piwowarczyk will take on Kleber Silva in the first semi-final of the night, before Rafal Haratyk faces off against Marcin Wojcik in the second semi, with the bouts taking place over two five-minute rounds. The two winners will then meet in the tournament finale to determine the new KSW champion at 205 pounds.
The card will also feature bouts held under varying rulesets. Michael Krolik and Vaclav Sivak will do battle in the cage under Muay Thai rules, while Sweden’s Andreas Gustafsson and Poland’s Konrad Rusinski will face off under old-school PRIDE Fighting Championship rules for their welterweight matchup.
There will also be a head-to-head clash of the grappling arts, as BJJ exponent Piotr Kacprzak takes on black belt judoka Adam Brysz. The bout will take place under MMA rules, with both fighters competing in their traditional gis..
KSW Epic: Confirmed fights
- Mamed Khalidov vs. Tomasz Adamek – boxing rules
- KSW light heavyweight championship bout
- Phil De Fries vs. Josh Barnett – submission grappling
- Michael Krolik vs. Vaclav Sivak – Muay Thai rules
- Rafal Hartyk vs. Marcin Wojcik – light heavyweight semi-final
- Damian Piwowarczyk vs. Kleber Silva – light heavyweight semi-final
- Ivan Erslan vs. Bogdan Gnidko
- Andreas Gustafsson vs. Konrad Rusinski – PRIDE rules
