Vacant Bantamweight Title on the Line: Severino Meets Kakhorov at OKTAGON 78

One of the brightest prospects on the European MMA scene is set to return at OKTAGON 78 in Cologne.

Brazilian standout Igor Severino (9-1) will face former PFL Europe tournament champion Khurshed Kakhorov (13-1) for the promotion’s vacant bantamweight title on Saturday, October 18, in front of 20,000 fans at the Lanxess Arena—the largest indoor venue in Germany.

Severino had twice been slated to fight UK star Jack Cartwright for the vacant belt earlier this year, but the matchup fell through each time due to injuries on Cartwright’s side.

The 22-year-old first drew global attention after being disqualified for biting in his UFC debut against Andre Lima in March 2024—an incident that led to his release from the promotion. He rebounded in December, making his OKTAGON debut with a split-decision win over former bantamweight champion Jonas Magard at Prague’s O2 Arena, marking a statement upon his arrival into the Czech-based organization.

In Cologne, Severino faces a formidable challenge in Kakhorov, who will also be making his OKTAGON debut. “Killer” last fought in June 2023, when he scored a knockout victory over Tuomas Gronvall at PFL Europe 2 in Newcastle, England—the ninth KO of his professional career. Just months earlier, the Tajik-born fighter captured the PFL Europe tournament by finishing Franz Mlambo in the finals, securing the title and a €100,000 prize.

With a combined 86% finish rate between both fighters, the battle for the vacant strap has the potential to be one of the most explosive bouts on the OKTAGON 78 card, with the winner cementing themselves as the promotion’s new bantamweight king.