Oktagon founders: 'We want to be the Champions League of MMA'

In 2016, Ondřej Novotný and Pavol Neruda started Oktagon in their gym in Prague, with the aim of creating a competition to increase the popularity of MMA in Europe.

Oktagon CEO Neruda is a former Slovakian bouncer, photographer and fighter agent. He said: "We often say that we want to be the Champions League of MMA.

"The funny thing is that even though the Champions League is a European competition, people all over the world watch it. That's what we also want to achieve."

Roll on seven years and Oktagon MMA is set to arrive on UK soil for the first-time after a meteoric rise, which includes selling shows out across Europe.

Even better, there are four more UK and Ireland shows planned for 2024.

Piggybacking on the growing popularity of the sport but doing things their own way, Oktagon is now one of the fastest-growing MMA promotions in the industry, having already hosted 47 tournaments featuring some of Europe's top fighters.

Neruda explained: "Expanding into England is one of the biggest steps we've taken so far.

"Last year, we expanded into Germany and demonstrated that we can sell out the largest arenas that can accommodate more than 10,000 people."

This Saturday (November 4) its debut blockbuster show arrives in Manchester. Tickets for this unmissable event are selling fast so get yours now to avoid disappointment.

Oktagon wants to be ‘unlike any other show’ and places a focus on showcasing the captivating personal stories behind each fighter through social media and reality TV and putting on an incredible show in equal measure.

Novotný said: "The stories of the fighters and their journeys are an important part of our organisation. The story is the whole big cake for us, and the fight itself is just the cherry on