The Tipsport Gamechanger tournament that has helped to define OKTAGON in recent years is set to get underway this weekend.
Fighters Only caught up with commentator Bryan Lacey to talk about the landscape of this year's middleweight tournament, what he expects from it and what fans can get excited about throughout the rest of 2025.
Last year's tournament was another fantastic year-long series that ended in a great performance from Losene Keita who won the lightweight title.
Lacey breaks down how this year will be different to the previous seasons with a new weight class and talent pool:
"I expect 2025 to be the most dramatic season of the Tipsport Gamechanger we've ever seen. I think that's in terms of a number of ways. First off, they're middleweights. These are huge, knockout artists. Big, exciting fighters that are going to be locking horns inside the cage so I think dramatic moments will be a plenty in 2025. I also love the fact that there are feuds and rivalries that we hope get settled during this season. Cepo and Matej Penaz, we want that to happen, we would love that to happen and they both want it as well. That's been a long time coming and if they can get past their first fight, it's very likely that we will see them choose each other for the second round of this tournament."
All of the opening round match-ups have now been announced meaning that fans can get a good look at what is to come in the near future.
When looking at the competitors, Lacey believes that is it the two titleholders in the tournament who stand out as favourites:
"The fact we have the OKTAGON middleweight champion in this tournament I think is incredible. Kerim Engizek claimed the belt against Kincl in Frankfurt and now the belt is shelved but it will be a factor. People will want that scalp, people will be hunting to try and claim victory over the champion, Engizek.
"I love the fact that we've got the welterweight champ (Ion Surdu) in as well. It's hard to call him the dark horse when he's the champion in that division but stepping up in weight is a big ask against these middleweights and we will see if he can back that up."
Lacey also picked out two dark horses who he believes could take people by surprise because they aren't overly familiar faces.
The commentator said that both Mick Stanton with his experience and heavy grappling style could prove to be very effective in this format whilst South Africa's Mark Hulme, who is the main training partner of Dricus Du Plessis, could cause some upsets.
Of course, a tournament is only as good as the fights that it produces and Lacey has one potential match-up right at the top of his wish list for the Tipsport Gamechanger in 2025.
"There's one fight that I need to see in this tournament and I've mentioned it already but Matej Penaz versus Vlasto Cepo. There is obviously all the stuff that is at stake with the Tipsport Gamechanger, progressing to the next round, increasing your money, getting towards the title of champion and that 300,000 euro cheque but this one adds some serious bad blood. They've wanted to get their hands on each other for some time. I would love to see that one go down and see it settled in this tournament."
The tournament begins this weekend at OKTAGON 66 where middleweight champion Kerim Engizek is set to headline the card.
Lacey believes that whilst the defending champion has got a tough task ahead of him, this is also his opportunity to finally earn the respect that he deserves.
"I think the fact that Kerim Engizek has entered this tournament is a true testament to him as a champion and competitor. He could very much have taken fights outside, kept this belt going, there would still be plenty of championship fights for him. He's putting a lot on the line for this. This is a tournament full of killers, there's no declining fights either. You don't get a choice in who you face next and I think Kerim Engizek is a fighter who has never really got his dues and that might be from the public, it might be from the press. I think 10 years undefeated says a lot."