The leading regional fighting sports promotion Final Fight Championship is to hold its 19th event September 18 in Linz, which is also FFC's second event in Austria after Vienna in December 2014.
The biggest name on the fight card of this upcoming spectacle is definitely Alessio Sakara who is to return to the ring after six months. The Italian “Legionarius” sustained a bicep rupture during his match in Vienna with Maciej Browarski and was thus forced to take a shorter break from fighting. After successful surgery and rehabilitation, the FFC audience will get a new chance to see this UFC veteran. Moreover, after his excellent debut in the FFC ring, MMA fans definitely have something to look forward to. After switching to his natural light heavyweight category, Sakara absolutely looks much better and he is no longer forced to face all the problems that he had while fighting in the UFC's middleweight division. The name of his opponent is yet to be revealed.
Spahovic and Salchow finally meet in the FFC ring
Another great MMA match that is to take place in Linz is definitely the one in the packed light heavyweight division. “The Beast” from the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tomislav Spahovic is to face the excellent and undefeated Nicolai Salchow. This match was originally to take place in Sarajevo and then in Sofia, but it was cancelled and postponed both times due to injuries. This match will also probably decide on the No 1 contender in the light heavyweight division. So far Spahovic's score in the FFC is 3 wins and no losses, while Salchow KO'ed Matej Batinic last year and broke his perfect streak of wins.
One more top match that is to take place in the TipsArena is the one between Croatia's Matej Batinic and Marcin Prachnio. Both fighters were defeated in their last FFC matches. Prachnio lost to Aleksandar Rakic while Batinic lost to aforementioned Salchow. However, both fighters displayed excellent skills and a potential to have bright future in the fighting sports world. It will definitely be very interesting to see who will win in this classical striker vs. wrestler match-up.
Of course, the audience in Linz will surely look forward to see their local fighters in the FFC ring – Manuel Bilic and Lemmy Krusic who recently moved to Linz. Bilic made his FFC debut in Vienna in the bloodiest match in this promotion's history when he defeated favored Dragan Pesic. At FFC 19 Linz he is to face Macedonia's Risto Dimitrov who also scored one win in the FFC. Krusic also fought in Vienna in December and lost to Philipp Schranz extremely quickly which also made him rethink about his future and his MMA career. This time he will try to return to the winning path against aforementioned Dragan Pesic from Bosnia and Herzegovina who fights under the British flag.
Moreover, Florian Harringer will also debut in front of his hometime audience against Albania's Fatim Ukelli who will fight in the FFC ring for the first time as well.
Keclik’s farewell match against Jason Wilnis
The kickboxing part of the event will be headlined by David Keclik who decided to retire after his long and successful career. In his farewell match in front of his hometown audience he is to face old Glory member and one of the best kickboxers in the -85 division Jason Wilnis. Wilnis already fought in the FFC ring a couple of times and in his last match in Zadar, Croatia, he scored one of the most spectacular KO's against Zoran Majkic proving that Kelcik will definitely not have an easy task in his farewell bout.
Another interesting match in the same division will definitely be the one between Slovenia's FFC veteran Miran Fabjan and Austria's Henry Bannert. Fabjan is coming into this match after two consecutive wins – against Boban Krusic and Denis Marjanovic. He returned to the winning streak after switching to -85 kg category, but Fabjan is always a mystery and it is hard to tell whether he will display his excellent tactics or brawl without any game plan this time.
One of the most intriguing matches will be the one between the former lightweight contender Teo Mikelic and excellent young Check fighter Tigran Movsisyan. Mikelic completely recovered from the brutal KO he suffered from champ Samo Petje which he already proved in the match against Italy's Fabio di Marco. Movsisyan never lost in the FFC ring and Mikelic might be his last stepping stone to the No 1 contender position.
Despite the fact that it has not been completely revealed yet, the excellent fight card and fighting sports stars that will perform in Linz definitely guarantee yet another spectacular Final Fight Championship.
FFC 19 – Linz
TipsArena, September 18, 2015
MMA:
Alessio Sakara (ITA) vs. TBA, -93kg
Tomislav Spahovic (BiH) vs. Nicolai Salchow (GER), -93kg
Matej Batinic (CRO) vs. Marcin Prachnio (POL), -93kg
Lemmy Krusic (SLO) vs. Dragan Pesic (ENG), -66kg
Manuel Bilic (AUT) vs. Risto Dimitrov (MAC), -66kg
Geven Hubert (NED) vs. Danilo Belluardo (ITA), -70 kg
Florian Harringer (AUT) vs. Fatim Ukelli (ALB), -84kg
Darko Stosic (SER) vs. Ivan Vitasovic (CRO), HW
KB:
David Keclik (AUT) vs. Jason Wilnis (NED), -85kg
Miran Fabjan (SLO) vs. Henry Bannert (AUT), -85kg
Teo Mikelic (CRO) vs. Tigran Movsisyan (CZE), -70 kg
Antonio Plazibat (CRO) vs. TBA, -95kg
Ivan Zidar (CRO) vs. Zakaria Resai (AFG), -64kg
Patrik Storz (PL) vs. Jasmin Memesivic (BiH), -81kg