A temporary featherweight championship will be on the line at KSW 80. The event’s complete schedule was revealed by promotion officials in a press release that was distributed on Wednesday. In the main event, undefeated Robert Ruchala (8-0) will compete for the interim title against Germany’s Lom-Ali Eskiev (20-6).
Ruchala made his KSW debut in 2020 and has since claimed five victories while competing for the organization. He most recently defeated former UFC fighter Damian Stasiak in a split decision. Ruchala, a professional since 2019, will make his first run at a big championship at KSW 80. Eskiev had a five-fight winning streak previous to his most recent loss, which was a close split decision. The evening’s co-main event pits British UFC veteran Tom Breese (15-4) against Poland’s Bartosz Lesko (12-2-2). Breese is 3-1 since departing the UFC in 2021 and has a 1-1 record in KSW so far.
Here is everything about KSW 80:
How to watch KSW 80: Ruchała vs. Eskijev Live:
Viewers around the world can watch the action live on the following channels and here for free:
-
Live Broadcast: KSW 80: Ruchała vs Eskijev Live
When and Where KSW 80: Ruchała vs. Eskijev
- Date: Friday 17 March 2023
- Start Time: 02:00 PM ET
- Location: Lubin, Poland
KSW 80: Ruchała vs. Eskijev Preview:
Literally, just before the KSW 80 gala, Giorgi Kvelidze, who was supposed to face Michał Michalski, slipped in the sauna while cutting weight and suffered a back injury. A replacement was quickly found and the Lithuanian player Erikas Golubovskis (8-1-1, 3 KO, 3 Sub) will enter the cage. The fight will take place, as planned, in the middleweight division.
Michał Michalski has had six fights in the round cage. The representative of Ankos MMA fought for the last time during the KSW 62 gala and had to recognize the superiority of Adrian Bartosiński. Prior to this duel, Michał was on a wave of three wins in a row, which he won by knockout. First, at the KSW 48 gala, he beat Savo Lazic with punches, and then in a similar style, but even faster, he defeated Albert Odzimkowski and Aleksandar Rakas. Now Michał will enter the cage to try to return to the path of victory again.
Erikas Golubovskis made his professional MMA debut in 2018 and remained undefeated for over three years. During this time, he fought eight duels, of which he won seven and drew once. Last year he fought for the championship belt of the Austrian organization Inferno, but for the first time in his career, he had to recognize the superiority of his rival. After this duel, he added his eighth career win to his record. Golubovskis has fought mainly in Lithuania so far, but also in Germany and Austria. He won most of his fights ahead of time – he knocked out three times and submitted his rivals three times.
Ruchala has won five consecutive matches since making his KSW debut just two and a half years ago.
A huge win over veteran Damian Stasiak at KSW 75, his first main event, was one of those victories. Two of those victories came against previously unbeaten stars and were won by amazing armbar submissions.
He went from being a prospect to one of the best featherweights in Europe thanks to this outstanding performance.
Eskiev has been a well-known name on the European stage for more than ten years at this point, while Ruchala has been moving up the ranks.
In truth, Eskiev had already competed in twenty professional fights when Ruchala made his debut.
The German joined KSW in 2021 and won his first two bouts with ease before losing by a razor-thin margin in December.
Salahdine Parnasse, the KSW featherweight champion, jumped up and won the interim KSW lightweight championship while pursuing a matchup with Marian Ziolkowski. As a result, the 145-pound division was not suspended, and the interim title was established.
Read More: Jarrell Miller vs Lucas Browne 2023: How to watch, Date, Time and more
Top UK middleweight Tom Breese (15-4) challenges Pole Bartosz Lesko in the co-main event. (12-2-2).
The former UFC fighter wants to start over and work his way up to the championship, while Lesko wants to make a statement in his KSW middleweight debut and get his greatest career victory. The former UFC fighter has been involved in two contentious finishes so far in KSW.
Elsewhere on the card, undefeated French light heavyweight Oumar Sy (7-0) meets ‘Frankenstein’ (19-8) in a potentially explosive bout, and wildman Michal Michalski (9-5) is back in action against Georgia’s Giorgi Kvelidze (10-4), and elite striker Emilia Czerwinska (2-0) looks to continue her transition to MMA when she faces the debuting Yasmin Guimaraes (4-1) of Brazil.
KSW 80: Ruchała vs. Eskijev Fight Card:
Lom-Ali Eskiev vs. Robert Ruchala — for the KSW interim featherweight championship
Tom Breese vs. Bartosz Lesko
Luis Henrique da Silva vs. Oumar Sy
Michal Michalski vs. Giorgi Kvelidze
Emilia Czerwinska vs. Yasmin Guimarães
Wojciech Kazieczko vs. Danu Tarchila
Damian Piwowarczyk vs. Bartłomiej Gładkowicz
Kacper Koziorzebski vs. Borys Borkowski
Kamil Szkaradek vs. Patryk Chrobak
Mateusz Janur vs. Andi Vrtačić