Fight Nation Championship is heading to North Macedonia for the first time, and FNC isn't easing its way into a new market. The promotion has booked a lightweight championship fight between Lom-Ali Eskiev and Marko Bojković to headline FNC 34 on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Boris Trajkovski Sports Centre in Skopje.
For Eskiev, it's the first defense of the title he captured by knocking out Francisco Barrio in February. For Bojković, it's an opportunity to complete a comeback that began after two consecutive defeats threatened to derail one of the Balkans' most talked-about young MMA careers.
FNC 34: Eskiev vs. Bojković also features former UFC fighter Alen Amedovski, undefeated prospects from Serbia and Moldova, several Macedonian athletes competing in front of their home crowd, and a heavyweight Ultimate Boxing contest.
The event starts at 7 p.m. local time in Skopje and will be available through FNC's official streaming service, FNC.tv, with additional coverage through VOYO in supported markets.
Lom-Ali Eskiev vs. Marko Bojković: FNC lightweight championship
The main event brings together two fighters at very different stages of their careers.
Lom-Ali Eskiev, 34, enters with a 24-7 professional record and the kind of experience that cannot be manufactured through favorable matchmaking. The Germany-based fighter has competed against established opposition across European promotions, including OKTAGON MMA and KSW.
His path to the FNC lightweight championship was particularly impressive.
Eskiev defeated former OKTAGON champion Ivan Buchinger by first-round TKO in September 2024 and followed it with another stoppage against Wanderley Junior in February 2025. Those performances positioned him for a championship opportunity against Francisco Barrio.
The fight finally took place at FNC 27 in Munich on February 7, 2026. Eskiev caught Barrio with a powerful right hook late in the opening round, securing the knockout and taking the lightweight belt from the Croatian-Argentine champion.
Eskiev now returns to defend that title against one of the promotion's most recognizable personalities.
Marko "The Skull Crusher" Bojković is 25 years old and holds a 10-2 record. The Serbian built his reputation on aggressive striking, spectacular finishes and a willingness to engage in exchanges that don't always favor the more cautious fighter.
His rise was rapid. Bojković won his first eight professional bouts, including a 12-second TKO of Julio Pereira, a flying-knee knockout of Mauro Paixão and a first-round submission of Arlen Ribeiro.
Then came the setbacks.
Bojković suffered his first professional defeat against Miloš Janičić at FNC 23 in May 2025, losing by second-round TKO. Six months later, Donovan Desmae handed him another defeat, this time by split decision at FNC 25.
Those losses exposed the difference between dominating developing prospects and consistently beating experienced professionals.
Bojković responded in 2026 by stopping Ivan Vulchin in the third round at FNC 28 and defeating veteran Piotr Niedzielski by unanimous decision at FNC 31 in Belgrade.
He now gets the championship opportunity that once seemed inevitable during his undefeated run.
Sta očekujete od borbe Lom-Ali Eskijeva i Marka Bojkovića na FNC-u 24. oktobra?
— Kavez MMA (@KavezMma) September 17, 2026
Eskijev je pokazao visok nivo u poslednjoj borbi dok Marko, iako je veoma opasan, ima takođe dosta rupa.
Biće svakako zanimljivo#FNC34 pic.twitter.com/XGqdUFABcM
Eskiev vs. Bojković breakdown: Experience against explosive offense
The most obvious difference is experience. Eskiev has 31 professional fights to Bojković's 12, and the champion has already fought opponents capable of competing at a high level across multiple European organizations.
Eskiev's boxing has produced 13 knockout victories, while his defensive experience and ability to fight through difficult exchanges make him considerably more seasoned than the average regional lightweight prospect.
Bojković, however, has physical advantages. He stands approximately 180 centimeters tall compared with Eskiev's 170 centimeters, giving him an extra 10 centimeters of height and a modest reach advantage.
He also has the speed and finishing instincts to punish an opponent who becomes careless during exchanges.
The Serbian's greatest challenge may be maintaining his attacking style without giving Eskiev the opportunities that more experienced opponents have exploited in the past. His defeats against Janičić and Desmae showed that his offense becomes less effective when opponents survive the initial pressure and force him to solve different problems.
Eskiev has already demonstrated the ability to capitalize on those moments. His victory over Barrio showed how suddenly he can end a competitive fight with one well-timed punch.
Neither man should be underestimated as a finishing threat. Eskiev has 13 knockout wins and three submissions, while Bojković has five knockout victories and three submissions among his 10 professional wins.
With a championship belt on the line, the fight is scheduled for five rounds. That adds another variable: Bojković has never completed a five-round professional MMA bout, while Eskiev's longer career gives him considerably more experience preparing for established opponents.
MMAtown's early lean is Eskiev, primarily because of his opposition quality, composure and proven ability to defeat championship-level lightweights. Bojković certainly has the tools to win, but he needs to show that his development since the Janičić and Desmae defeats is sufficient to handle the toughest assignment of his career.
Alen Amedovski returns against Tato Primera in front of Macedonian fans
The other major attraction for the Skopje audience is the return of former UFC middleweight Alen Amedovski.
Born in Debar, North Macedonia, Amedovski built an 8-0 professional record with eight knockouts before entering the UFC in 2019.
His time in the promotion proved difficult. He suffered defeats against Krzysztof Jotko, John Phillips, Joseph Holmes and Joe Pyfer before leaving the organization.
Amedovski hasn't competed professionally since his September 2022 defeat to Pyfer, making his appearance at FNC 34 a significant comeback after more than four years away from competition.
At 38, questions about inactivity and preparation are unavoidable. His finishing power was the defining feature of his early career, but returning after such a long absence presents challenges that cannot be answered through his old knockout record alone.
His opponent, Spanish veteran Tato "El Espectáculo" Primera, has fought extensively across the European regional circuit and brings considerably more professional appearances into the matchup.
Primera has won his last two fights, including a third-round TKO of Lucas Batista in March 2026. He also scored a knockout against Oscar López in December 2025.
Amedovski vs. Primera is scheduled at an 81.5-kilogram catchweight rather than the standard middleweight limit.
The local crowd will understandably favor Amedovski, but Primera's recent activity gives him one important advantage over the returning former UFC fighter.
Antonio Budimir vs. Khanbulat Irisbiev: Welterweight prospects collide
Antonio Budimir vs. Khanbulat Irisbiev brings two young welterweights together at different stages of their development.
Irisbiev enters at 3-0 after beginning his professional career in 2025. The 21-year-old has already recorded two stoppages and most recently defeated Dalibor Dragojević by unanimous decision at FNC 31.
That victory established him as a prospect worth following, but he now faces an opponent with more professional experience.
Austrian fighter Antonio Budimir is 6-2 with four knockouts and one submission. He defeated Bruno Pudins by first-round TKO in June, bouncing back after a defeat against Andrija Stanković at FNC 29.
Budimir's striking power gives him a credible route to victory, while Irisbiev has the opportunity to establish himself as a serious prospect by defeating someone with an established record.
The matchup is scheduled for three rounds at welterweight.
Nemanja Nikolić vs. Jivko Stoimenov: Another middleweight test
Serbian middleweight Nemanja Nikolić faces Bulgarian veteran Jivko "The Bulgarian Ripper" Stoimenov in another important main-card matchup.
Nikolić enters with a strong professional record, having suffered only one defeat and one draw. His recent form has placed him among the more promising middleweights competing on the regional European circuit.
Stoimenov has considerably more professional experience and has already competed under the FNC banner. His established finishing ability makes him a dangerous opponent for a fighter attempting to extend his recent success.
The bout represents a familiar crossroads matchup: a younger fighter looking to strengthen his résumé against an experienced opponent who has already spent years competing professionally.
See the Nikolić vs. Stoimenov matchup for the fighters' records and previous results.
Anastasios Chatzigeorgiadis vs. Gheorghe Balaur
One of the more intriguing lightweight fights features Greece's Anastasios Chatzigeorgiadis against undefeated Moldovan prospect Gheorghe Balaur.
Chatzigeorgiadis is 8-2-1 and has competed extensively across the European regional circuit. His professional record includes three knockout victories and five decisions, suggesting a fighter comfortable working through longer contests.
Balaur enters at 5-0 and has finished all five professional opponents. At 22, the Moldovan represents the kind of developing prospect FNC increasingly brings onto its international cards.
His most recent victory came against Henrique Manauara in June 2026, when he scored a first-round knockout.
Chatzigeorgiadis vs. Balaur should provide an informative test for both fighters. Balaur has the finishing record and unbeaten momentum, while Chatzigeorgiadis has the greater professional experience.
The contest is particularly significant for Balaur because a victory over an established European opponent would strengthen his standing well beyond the level of competition he has faced so far.
The remaining FNC 34 matchups
The Skopje event also gives several emerging fighters an opportunity to compete on a larger stage.
Nikola Đurđev vs. Dino Starčević features an experienced Serbian bantamweight against a Macedonian prospect with a 5-1 professional record. Đurđev has competed repeatedly under the FNC banner, while Starčević will have the advantage of fighting in front of a home crowd.
Elias Erber vs. Bondo Kikadze pairs an undefeated Austrian prospect with a considerably more experienced Georgian opponent. Erber is 2-0 professionally and has an extensive amateur background, while Kikadze enters at 8-5-1. It is another matchup where a prospect's potential is being tested against professional experience.
Marko Trajanovski vs. Luka Lainović is scheduled at light heavyweight. Trajanovski is preparing for his professional MMA debut in front of the Macedonian audience, while Lainović brings prior amateur competition experience. Both are listed without professional victories on FNC's current event card.
Martin Horsch vs. Nikita Zelinskyi appears on the preliminary card. Public information about Zelinskyi's professional background remains limited, so there is little justification for making strong predictions about the matchup.
The preliminary program also includes an amateur contest between Macedonian prospect Daniela Aleksovska and Greece's Mina Chatzopoulou, scheduled for three three-minute rounds.
Toshe Cvetkov vs. Miljan Rovčanin adds Ultimate Boxing to the lineup
FNC 34 isn't limited entirely to mixed martial arts.
Experienced Macedonian boxer Todorče "Toshe" Cvetkov will face Serbian opponent Miljan Rovčanin in a 101-kilogram Ultimate Boxing matchup.
It's an important addition for the promotion's first visit to Skopje, putting a local boxer on the main card in a combat-sports contest separate from the night's MMA fights.
Cvetkov was among the Macedonian athletes who attended the promotion's October 14 press conference alongside FNC founder Dražen Forgač and North Macedonia's Minister of Sports, Borko Ristovski.
The Ultimate Boxing bout should not be confused with a conventional professional MMA contest; it takes place under a different ruleset.
FNC 34 betting odds: Eskiev vs. Bojković and the main card
Betting markets have opened for several of the main-card fights, although prices vary considerably between operators.
The following decimal odds are an October 20 snapshot from one available sportsbook board. They are indicative rather than guaranteed prices and can change before fight night.
| Fight | Fighter 1 | Fighter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Eskiev vs. Bojković | Eskiev 1.85 | Bojković 1.85 |
| Amedovski vs. Primera | Amedovski 1.30 | Primera 3.20 |
| Irisbiev vs. Budimir | Irisbiev 1.40 | Budimir 2.70 |
| Nikolić vs. Stoimenov | Nikolić 1.30 | Stoimenov 3.20 |
| Chatzigeorgiadis vs. Balaur | Chatzigeorgiadis 2.20 | Balaur 1.60 |
| Đurđev vs. Starčević | Đurđev 1.20 | Starčević 4.00 |
| Kikadze vs. Erber | Kikadze 2.90 | Erber 1.35 |
The most important observation is that the main-event market is far from settled. Some operators have Eskiev as a more pronounced favorite, while others offer approximately even money between the champion and challenger.
That difference matters more than simply declaring one fighter the better pick.
Eskiev's experience makes him our preferred winner, but his value depends heavily on the price. An available 1.85 is much more interesting than accepting 1.65 for the same outcome, particularly against a dangerous opponent with Bojković's finishing ability.
We would be more cautious with heavily favored prospects such as Irisbiev and Erber. Both have attractive records, but the limited size of their professional résumés makes it difficult to justify assuming they will dominate more experienced opponents.
Reliable moneyline prices were not confirmed for the remaining preliminary matchups or the special-rules Ultimate Boxing bout.
FNC 34 date, start time, venue and how to watch
FNC 34 takes place on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Boris Trajkovski Sports Centre, also known as T Arena, in Skopje, North Macedonia.
- Event: FNC 34: Eskiev vs. Bojković
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Venue: Boris Trajkovski Sports Centre, Skopje
- Start time: 7 p.m. local time (CEST)
- United Kingdom: 6 p.m. BST
- United States: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
- Live streaming: FNC.tv pay-per-view and VOYO in supported markets
- Tickets: MKTickets
FNC has also scheduled official weigh-ins and face-offs for Friday, October 23. Official weigh-ins are expected between 10 a.m. and noon, with ceremonial weigh-ins and the final face-offs beginning at 4 p.m. local time.
The Friday afternoon program will be available through FNC's YouTube channel. The organization has also announced a fan zone and meet-and-greet activities ahead of Saturday's event.
FNC 34 full fight card
The following 11 matchups are listed on FNC's official event page as of October 20. The lineup includes nine professional MMA fights, one Ultimate Boxing contest and one amateur MMA bout.
Main card
- Lightweight Championship: Lom-Ali Eskiev vs. Marko Bojković
- 101 kg Ultimate Boxing: Toshe Cvetkov vs. Miljan Rovčanin
- 81.5 kg Catchweight: Alen Amedovski vs. Tato Primera
- Welterweight: Khanbulat Irisbiev vs. Antonio Budimir
- Middleweight: Nemanja Nikolić vs. Jivko Stoimenov
- Lightweight: Anastasios Chatzigeorgiadis vs. Gheorghe Balaur
- Bantamweight: Nikola Đurđev vs. Dino Starčević
- Bantamweight: Bondo Kikadze vs. Elias Erber
Preliminary card
- Light Heavyweight: Marko Trajanovski vs. Luka Lainović
- Bantamweight: Martin Horsch vs. Nikita Zelinskyi
- Amateur MMA: Daniela Aleksovska vs. Mina Chatzopoulou
FNC 34 FAQ
When is FNC 34: Eskiev vs. Bojković?
FNC 34 takes place on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Boris Trajkovski Sports Centre in Skopje, North Macedonia. The event begins at 7 p.m. local time.
Who is fighting in the FNC 34 main event?
FNC lightweight champion Lom-Ali Eskiev defends his title against Serbian contender Marko Bojković. Eskiev enters with a 24-7 record, while Bojković is 10-2.
How did Lom-Ali Eskiev become FNC lightweight champion?
Eskiev won the lightweight title by knocking out Francisco Barrio in the first round at FNC 27 in Munich on February 7, 2026. FNC 34 will be his first defense of that championship.
Who did Marko Bojković lose to before FNC 34?
Marko Bojković suffered his two professional defeats against Miloš Janičić in May 2025 and Donovan Desmae in November 2025. He subsequently defeated Ivan Vulchin and Piotr Niedzielski to earn another major opportunity.
Is former UFC fighter Alen Amedovski competing at FNC 34?
Yes. Alen Amedovski is scheduled to face Spanish veteran Tato Primera in an 81.5-kilogram catchweight fight. It will be Amedovski's first professional MMA appearance since September 2022.
What are the betting odds for Eskiev vs. Bojković?
Available October 20 odds vary between sportsbooks. One operator lists both fighters at 1.85, while another has Eskiev around 1.65 and Bojković around 2.10. The market may change significantly before Saturday.
Where can I watch FNC 34 live?
FNC 34 is available through the promotion's official FNC.tv pay-per-view platform, with VOYO also carrying the event in supported territories. Streaming availability and prices may vary by country.
Is FNC 34 the first Fight Nation Championship event in North Macedonia?
Yes. FNC 34 marks the promotion's first event in North Macedonia, expanding its presence beyond established markets including Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Austria and Germany.