Exclusive | Katharina Dalisda Talks Transformation of MMA in Germany Ahead of Oktagon 62
The German-born MMA fighter Katharina Dalisda will be looking to defend her world title in her hometown in front of 60,000 screaming fans at Oktagon 62. This stadium event in Frankfurt, Germany, has shown how much the attitude of MMA has changed in Germany over the past decade.
Katharina Dalisda on German MMA
Katharina Dalisda had a background in Judo but never intended to compete in MMA, she was just looking for a good workout. Fast forward, now, she holds a world title in Oktagon and will be battling in front of a record-breaking audience live from Deutsche Bank Park, a massive stadium.
Speaking in an interview, she explained:
“I did judo for about 17 years. Then I stopped and did endurance sports for two years, like triathlons and running. I found it a bit boring and wanted more action. I met someone at the running track; we were both doing a half marathon, and we didn’t know each other. We started talking while running, and he said he was doing kickboxing. That piqued my interest. Yes, it’s kind of crazy! But training is fun. It became a true passion for me.”
UFC 99 was hosted in Germany and the country was not welcoming of the new sport, painting it as a bloody affair with street toughs. Now, Oktagon will be hosting a major event in Frankfurt after investing in the nation. On this shift, Katharina Dalisda explained:
“I think it has a lot more awareness than it did two or three years ago. When I started, I had my first fight in 2019 at a really big event in. There were maybe two or three thousand fans, and it felt huge! Now, Octagon is doing a really good job with marketing and getting fans into the scene …
“More people are becoming aware of the sport. I hope the image of MMA continues to improve too. It’s mixed right now. Many “normal” people enjoy the sport and see the complex tactical aspects behind it, but not everyone is there yet. I think in a year or two, it will get even better.”
Oktagon 62
Oktagon 62 is an MMA event scheduled for October 12, 2024, at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. This event is expected to attract up to 60,000 fans, making it one of the largest MMA gatherings ever. In fact, it even surpassed the UFC’s record attendance of 57,127 from UFC 243 in Melbourne.
The main event will feature a welterweight title fight between two popular German fighters: Christian Eckerlin from Frankfurt and Christian Jungwirth from Stuttgart. This matchup is being billed as a battle for the title of “King of Germany.”
‘Tigress’ Katharina Dalisda plans to defend her Strawweight title against former UFC fighter Mallory Martin. Germany’s Dalisda is looking to make it seven wins in a row.
See the full interview below:
