Will Fleury believed for a long time that all he needed was one opportunity to prove that he belongs under the brightest lights and at OKTAGON 65, he got exactly that.
At the O2 Arena in Prague on a huge card for the promotion, he took on the Czech Republic's finest and showed once and for all that he isn't going anywhere.
Following back-to-back wins and finishes since arriving in the promotion, Fleury got the opportunity to challenge OKTAGON icon Karlos Vémola for the light heavyweight title before the superstar retires from the sport.
Some trademark resilience kept the defending champion in the fight but from start to finish, the co-main event this past Sunday was one-way traffic.
Fleury was leagues ahead in the striking and was even able to showcase his grappling skills both offensively and defensively.
The most remarkable aspect of the fight was how Vémola was even able to make it to the final bell after being severely compromised at multiple points.
Fleury spoke about this in his post-fight interview with Bryan Lacey after getting the belt wrapped around his waist:
"I want to say one thing first. In 2024, I did absolutely everything I said I was going to do but I told all of you that I was going to finish that man in the first round because I believed it in my heart. I saw the way he moved, I thought, 'I can chin this guy'. I hit him with that shot in the first round and I said, 'He's gone, it's done,' and he stayed on his feet and I couldn't f****** believe it. I hit him with two more good shots in that round and he stayed going and he didn't give a s*** and then I hit him in that third round, maybe twenty times, every shot I thought, 'He's going to go, he's got to go, how the f*** is he standing?!' And that man did five rounds with me tonight.
"I don't know how he stayed in there but what a heart, what a fighter, what a f****** man. Every one of you, I know you all supported him anyway, but he deserves the f*** out of your respect. I can't thank him enough for the opportunity. All I ever needed was the chance, that man gave me the chance, OKTAGON have given me the chance and I appreciate it so f****** much and I really, really wanted to put him away but that's that man. I thought I did my job, I thought I did enough to put him away but he f****** stayed in, what a man."
The SBG fighter has never been the kind of competitor who is quiet about what he wants.
He wanted to take out the top guy in the promotion and after doing that, Fleury intends to continue working his way through the hitlist.
The 35-year old even engaged in a back-and-forth inside the cage with Vémola's teammate, Makhmud Muradov, who recently returned to the promotion following a seven-fight stint in the UFC.
Fleury may have finally earned the moment that he believes he has deserved for some time but he also knows that this is the beginning of a new chapter in his career.
"I've gone and f****** done it and I have a lot more to do. Watch 2025, I did a bit in '24, I've got bigger plans. I'm going f****** nowhere lads, there's a lot more to happen. Karlos gave me this chance, he's opened the door for me, I'm f****** here now. You c**** might not like me yet but you're going to have to get used to me because I'm not going anywhere and I'm going to smash all of the boys you love so watch me do it one man at a time."
Watch the full interview below:
