KSW 113 Preview: Bartosiński v Tulshaev, Pawlak v Zerhouni

KSW will cap off a fine twelve months of action with their traditional big end-of-year gala. KSW 113 will come to us live via the Atlas Arena in Łódź in central Poland. There will be nine regular bouts under KSW mixed martial arts rules, including two for international titles. An update to the scoring system is that if a fighter didn’t make weight, they begin the bout with a point deducted. In addition to MMA, there will be an “Extra Fight” and a kickboxing half time show.

Adrian Bartosiński (17-1) is one of the best 170lbers on the planet and he’s defending his KSW Welterweight Championship for the fourth time in his hometown. The Octopus Łódź man makes his twelft KSW appearance and is one of the most devastating finishers in the promotion’s history. The 30-year-old brutalises opponents with his heavy punches, scoring thirteen knockout wins as a pro. You cannot sleep on his grappling either, he’s a good submission player, holding a black belt in Jiu Jitsu, and he specialises in kneebars. The sole loss on his record was at a higher weight against Mamed Khalidov, where he got caught out with an armbar. He’s tougher than a four zloty steak and possesses an extremely high fight IQ. Muslim Tulshaev (14-3) has been a breath of fresh air since joining the promotion and he’s very good at getting eyes to watch him. The Berlin Spitfire man earned this shot with a four-fight win streak and ruffling a lot of feathers along the way. Born in Chechnya, he’s got that quality Caucus wrestling style that can stifle opponents for the duration and is aggressive enough to do damage or sink in a submission at all times. The 31-year-old is at his devastating best on the feet and he’s got an absolute hammer of a left hand. He’s always pushing the pace, hates taking a back step and has secured eleven finishes in his career.

Paweł Pawlak (24-4-1) makes his seventh walk for the promotion and puts his KSW Middleweight Championship on the line for the third time. The “Agent 47” lookalike isn’t far away from the hitman persona with his energizer bunny striking style. The Octopus Łódź man fearlessly walks down his foes and gets his combinations off. Fatigue doesn’t seem to happen to this UFC veteran, he just doesn’t stop moving forward. His most devastating blows are his elbows and if he gets you in a clinch, the cutman will have work to do. Laïd Zerhouni (15-9) receives this shot following back-to-back wins. The Frenchman has also competed for Bellator, UAE Warriors and Hexagone. The 30-year-old is one of the most explosive fighters in mixed martial arts and the damage he can do in an instant is scary. On the feet, he exudes violence and he has fast twitch muscles for days, striking like a viper. He does have submission acumen as well with an eclectic array of ways he can tap you out. You have to look out for his arm locks and leg locks, in addition to the regular MMA staples.

Artur Szpilka (24-5) is a Polish sporting legend and recently had his documentary added to Netflix. Szpila was a European gold medalist in junior amateur boxing, and as a professional challenged for the WBC heavyweight belt against Deyontay Wilder. The 36-year-old has also won regional titles across the continent. The Wieliczka man has really thrown himself into MMA. Training out of WCA in Warsaw, he’s worked very hard on his grappling to round out his game. The Pole won his last bout via arm triangle, showing huge growth in his skill set. He loves the pageantry of it all and is always a spectacle. Michal Martínek (12-6) is the more traditional mixed martial artist of the two. The Czech trains in Prague’s prestigious Reinders Gym while also getting work in at Ankos MMA in Poznan. The Contender Series veteran has also competed in Oktagon and ACA. Blackbeard is predominantly a striker, and is willing to go the distance picking you off consistently. Attritional damage is a strength of his, and occasionally lands that one big blow to end proceedings.

There will be an “Extra Fight” fourth from top of the card on Saturday, which is KSW’s version of a “freak” fight. Adam Josef (2-2), better known as AJ, is a famous influencer and also a personal trainer and dietician. The 33-year-old has 1.32 million subscribers on YouTube and he specialises in sporting content. When it comes to fighting, he primarily focuses on kickboxing where he can use kicks and knees to end proceedings and control the distance. Piotr Lisek (1-0) returns to the cage following two years off. The 33-year-old is a pole vaulter who competed at the 2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, which makes him KSW’s sixth Olympian to compete for the promotion and the second Olympian on this card. The Szczecin man made short work of Daro Lew on his MMA debut, finishing it off with ground and pound.

Speaking of Olympians, Damian Janikowski (10-8) is looking to snap a three-fight skid on Saturday night. The Wrocław man is one of the sport’s good guys and one of the hardest workers on the scene. The 36-year-old won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling and is a man who is fond of a big suplex. After switching to MMA, he fell in love with striking and will go toe-to-toe with the best of them without fear, putting it all on the line to connect with a devastating blow. Under the tutelage of Robert Jocz and Krzysztof Gutowski, the Pole receives a very well rounded coaching experience. Michał Michalski (13-5) trains out of Janikowski’s hometown in Wrocław, as well as basing himself out of Ankos MMA in Poznan. The 36-year-old has won his last four bouts and regularly puts himself into the conversation for fight of the night bonuses. Whilst having solid grappling chops, Pole really comes alive in the stand-up exchanges and he hits like the festive Coca Cola Holidays Are Coming truck. Seven of his wins have come via knockout.

A special “half time show” will split the card down the middle, consorted over kickboxing rules. Marcin Różalski (7-4 MMA) is a former KSW Heavyweight champion and the holder of one of the most iconic appearances in sports. The 47-year-old is heavily tattooed, particular on his face and he looks scary. He is a member of the Płock motorcycle club Bad Company. The Pole competes for the first time in three years and will be eager to show he can still do damage. Stjepan Bekavac (20-12 MMA) is somewhat of a Balkan fight sports legend and made his debut twenty years ago. The 42-year-old was always dangerous with his power in his punches and likes to dig in with his kicks. This is his first bout in a year and a half and was very much a finisher in his MMA career, scoring fourteen knockouts.

Augusto Sakai (17-6-1) is a nine-fight UFC veteran who also competed multiple times for Bellator. The Brazilian comes in off a split decision win over Szymon Bajor in April and he’s looking to get back into heavyweight title contention with long standing champion Phil de Fries. The 34-year-old is a big bruiser is known for his knockout power, with eleven fights ending with his strikes. If you look at his losses, they’re to some of the sport’s best heavyweights, so you need to operate at a high level to avoid his punishment. Marcin Wójcik (21-10) puts his “Giant” nickname to the test as he moves up to heavyweight after an unsuccessful run at the light heavyweight belt. The Pole finished his 205lb run with an impressive knockout win over former KSW champion Ibragim Chuzhigaev. The 36-year-old trains in Ankos MMA and combines his striking and grappling prowess very well. His hands land heavy, earning him eleven knockouts. The Piła man is also fond of a choke and an arm triangle. He very rarely goes to a decision.

Wiktor Zalewski has the unfortunate distinction of making history by becoming the first man to fall foul of the new weight miss rules. The Pole was three pounds over the limit and as a result he surrendered 40% of his purse and will begin the fight with a point deducted. The 26-year-old is a big prospect who has lost his last two and will be eager to get back in the win column. The Płock man will have the same support as Różal and the Bad Company motorcycle club. The WCA Warsaw man is a flashy kickboxer with the ability to make it a very short night for you. On the inside, he loves to rip knees into you and slashing your skin with his elbows. With a bit more open space, his punches can send you into the land of nod. Romain Debienne (11-6) is a PFL and Bellator veteran making his second promotional appearance. The Frenchman will be happy to trade with his opponent on the feet as that’s where he has most of his success. The Parisian flies out of the gates with the goal of separating you from your consciousness. His punches are extremely dangerous early on in the fight and he has seven knockouts so far in his career.

A bantamweight bout will headline the prelim section of the card. Marcelo Morelli (6-4) was a title challenger to Sebastian Przybysz back in June and he’ll be eager to show what he’s really about in this one after taking the shot at the champ on a day’s notice. The Mexican born Venezuelan calls Warsaw his home these days, training over in the Uniq Fight Club, home of the likes of Arek Wrzosek, Marek Samociuk and Radek Paczuski. The 28-year-old is very dangerous in the kickboxing ranges and he has pop on his strikes. He’s also quite durable and can take a shot. Patryk Surdyn (8-4) was an Armia Fight Night champion and is someone who has fought the top guys in the division without complaint over the years. This will be his first appearance in a year and a half. The Łomża man has a very friendly on the eye fighting style, and will rip it up with anyone on the feet. The 30-year-old is fun in the scrambles and works his arse off in the cage.

Igor Włodarczyk (2-0) is one of the hottest up-and-comers in the promotion. The Pole represented his nation at IMMAF junior level, and picked up lots of valuable experience across eighteen amateur bouts. The 22-year-old made his KSW debut in July, an impressive first round submission win. The Arrachion Olsztyn man is a good BJJ player and most of his career finishes come via tap out. He’s also capable on the feet, however he’s still awaiting his first knockout. Artur Krawczyk (5-4) is another one with a great amateur record under his belt, a perfect 7-0 resume. It’s been a year since we’ve seen him in KSW, and he’s done the bulk of his fighting in the TFL, a great regional Polish promotion. The 33-year-old is fun on the feet, always looking for a finish and throws big shots. From a submission perspective, he’s got a wicked guillotine in his back pocket.

Souheil Kaouchen (1-0) is a man with bags of potential, and had a great debut decision win over fellow prospect Oskar Strachura. The Frenchman had an undefeated amateur career where he routinely used his stand-up power to finish fights in the bigger gloves. The Atch Academy man’s debut also showed that he can wrestle as well. He comes from the same gym as Salahdine Parnasse. Krzysztof Geburek (3-1) has appeared in FEN and Babilon, top Polish promotions. The 22-year-old makes his KSW debut here and he’ll look to lean on his striking in this one, a skill he used well on the amateur scene. He showed some submission nous in his last bout, pulling off a slick guillotine choke. The Czerwony Smok man is another tough and durable guy, real key traits for success in MMA.

KSW 113 is live from Łódź at 18:00 Dublin time this Saturday night and the PPV can be purchased at KSWTV.com. If you’re looking for a taste of what’s to come, the first three fights will air for free on Youtube, as well as the infamous KSW opening ceremony.