OKTAGON 78 Cologne Preview: Eckerlin vs. Trušček tops a stacked card; Kakhorov vs. Severino for bantamweight gold

Germany’s MMA scene gets a marquee night as OKTAGON MMA returns with OKTAGON 78: Eckerlin vs. Trušček in Cologne. The lineup mixes title stakes, local stars, and high-octane matchmaking—from a fan-favorite welterweight headliner to a bantamweight championship that could shuffle the European rankings.

Event basics

• Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
• Start time: 16:00 GMT
• Location: Cologne, Germany
• Event hub: OKTAGON 78: Eckerlin vs. Trušček

Main event — Welterweights: Christian Eckerlin vs. Ivica Trušček

Cologne will roar for Germany’s Christian Eckerlin (17-7, 1.18), who brings pressure boxing and a grinding clinch, opposite Croatian ironman Ivica Trušček (45-40, 4.50), a veteran with hundreds of pro rounds under his belt. Eckerlin’s recent form (W-L-W-W-L) and Trušček’s experience (W-W-L-L-W) set up a classic “surging favorite vs. upset-minded road warrior.”

Co-main — Bantamweight title: Khurshed Kakhorov vs. Igor Severino

Khurshed Kakhorov (13-1, 1.72) rides a five-fight streak (W-W-W-W-W) into a meeting with Brazil’s Igor Severino (9-1, 2.05) (W-L-W-W-W). Kakhorov’s patient shot selection and strong takedown defense meet Severino’s explosive entries. With championship stakes attached, efficient minutes and damage metrics could decide this one in the later rounds.

Can’t-miss matchups

• Middleweights: Austria’s Erhan Kartal (12-3, 2.62) vs. Germany’s Cihad Akipa (9-2, 1.44) — contrasting tempos and finishing routes make Kartal vs. Akipa a true swing bout.
• Lightweights: Slovakia’s technician Ronald Paradeiser (21-11) seeks to out-duel German brawler Mohamed Grabinski (24-11) in Paradeiser vs. Grabinski.
• Bantamweights: Former top prospect Katharina Lehner (9-7, 7.00) welcomes unbeaten Alina Dalaslan (3-0, 1.07) in Lehner vs. Dalaslan, a litmus test for Dalaslan’s ceiling.
• Heavyweights: Turkey’s Kasim Aras (10-5) versus Cameroon’s athletic Simon Biyong (11-5) in Aras vs. Biyong offers big-man volatility.
• Lightweights: Germany’s unbeaten Hassan Kayani (3-0-1, 5.00) meets sharp-finishing Arijan Topallaj (7-2-1, 1.15) in Kayani vs. Topallaj.
• Middleweights: Czech veteran Marek Bartl (15-14, 1.61) vs. Germany’s Kennedy Rayomba (6-5, 2.20) — see Bartl vs. Rayomba.

Why this card matters

Between a hometown headliner, a live-wire bantamweight title fight, and multiple Germany vs. neighbors pairings, OKTAGON MMA is primed to move names up the internal ladder. Expect matchmakers to keep winners active through winter cards, with Cologne performances doubling as auditions for 2026 main-card slots.

OKTAGON 78 — Full Fight Card

• Christian Eckerlin vs. Ivica Trušček — Welterweight main event
• Khurshed Kakhorov vs. Igor Severino — Bantamweight Championship
• Erhan Kartal vs. Cihad Akipa — Middleweight
• Ronald Paradeiser vs. Mohamed Grabinski — Lightweight
• Katharina Lehner vs. Alina Dalaslan — Bantamweight
• Kasim Aras vs. Simon Biyong — Heavyweight
• Hassan Kayani vs. Arijan Topallaj — Lightweight
• Marek Bartl vs. Kennedy Rayomba — Middleweight

FAQ: OKTAGON 78 Cologne

When is OKTAGON 78?

Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 16:00 GMT. See the live hub: OKTAGON 78.

Where is it?

Cologne, Germany.

Who’s fighting for the title?

Khurshed Kakhorov vs. Igor Severino for the OKTAGON bantamweight championship.

Which matchups could steal the show?

Kartal vs. Akipa for pure action, and Paradeiser vs. Grabinski for technique and pace.