October 3, 2023

    Aaron Aby faces Elias Garcia for inaugural flyweight title headliner in Manchester

    Peter Knox 03/10/2023

    We will crown our first ever OKTAGON MMA flyweight champion in a bout that headlines our debut show in England! OKTAGON 48 goes down inside AO Arena, Manchester, on Saturday, November 4 and signals the opening of a brand-new division in Europe’s leading MMA promotion. Aaron Aby will fly the Welsh flag with pride while hunting for gold in the biggest fight of his career when he collides with UFC veteran, Elias Garcia. Aby (15-7-1) has one of the most inspiring and courageous stories in the whole of MMA. He was born with Cystic Fibrosis and his parents were told it would be unlikely he’d live beyond his teenage years. After overcoming these odds to become a professional athlete well into his adult life, he was hit with more devastating news. Aby was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer which later developed into a large stomach tumour but yet again, he showed dogged determination and grit to battle through, fully recovering from his illness. Now he has the chance to complete the ultimate comeback story and prove that everyone can achieve their dreams, no matter what obstacles they face. Garcia (9-2) is coming off three straight victories in Combate Global following his run in the UFC. The American has shared the cage with Mark De La Rosa and went the distance with one of the best flyweights in the world, Kai Kara-France. In November, he will travel to Europe for the very first time in his fighting career and hopes to silence the UK crowd, taking the belt back to the USA in the process. The loaded card in Manchester also features the captivating season finales of ‘Stage to the Cage: Jake vs. Paul’ and ‘OKTAGON Challenge: England vs. Ireland’. The first episode of ‘Stage to the Cage’ has received brilliant reviews, having been watched more than 200,000 times on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel. Furthermore, rising UK and Irish talents, who are also coaches on this series of OKTAGON Challenge, Shem Rock and Akonne Wanliss, will compete in the biggest fights of their careers to date. Tickets for a live MMA experience like no other at OKTAGON 48 on November 4 can be purchased right now on Ticketmaster.

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    Across The Pond Profile: PFL MMA fighter Shanelle Dyer

    Myles Painter 03/10/2023

    From Newcastle to the city of lights, PFL Europe is showing that it can pack just as much of a punch on par with its North American counterpart. In today’s episode of Across The Pond, you will meet the latest European eagle for the promotion soaring skyward at flyweight with her fearsome terror talons at 22 years of age. A professional mixed martial artist since March 2023 and representing GB Top Team, Shanelle Dyer holds an undefeated 3-0 record comprised of two knockouts and one decision. She has fought for Hexagone MMA, PFL MMA and Full Contact Contender. The majority of Dyer’s victories over the course of her career as a professional MMA fighter have been inside the distance. She is 1-0 under the PFL MMA banner. Dyer has two first-round finishes under her belt in three appearances during her time in the professional ranks. She has gone to the scorecards once as a professional, sweeping them clean across the board on that occasion. Dyer has earned a finish in two out of her three wins overall during her career as a professional mixed martial artist with consecutive round one finishes to show for it. In her MMA debut at Hexagone MMA 7, she faced Weronkia Eszer and went on to knock her out in round one. Dyer defeated Kamila Simkova via technical knockout in the first round at FCC 33 to earn her second knockout win as a professional along with back-to back finishes. Then in her promotional debut with PFL MMA in the opening contest of PFL Paris, she defeated Luisa Cifuentes via unanimous decision. The victory earned Dyer the first decision win of her professional career. She also extended her unbeaten streak to three to begin her career in the process. Many a sleepless night await those that dare slumber with eyes half open when dueling this youthful nightmare!

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