While his fight at Oktagon 48 didn’t go the way he’d have planned, Akonne Wanliss, still managed to make a massive statement at the press conference, wearing a magnificent Joker-themed costume.
After making a splash at the weigh-in with a cuddly beetroot toy in his pants and a lightsaber in his hand, ‘The Jedi’ set expectations high for a huge performance in the promotion’s UK debut at the AO Arena in Manchester. Alas, just 25 seconds into his fight with Jakub Bahnik, he landed a flying knee to the groin, leaving ‘The British Slayer’ unable to continue, resulting in a ‘No-contest’.
But while Wanliss was understandably disappointed with how things turned out, he didn’t let it get him down. Instead, he dyed his hair green, put on a purple blazer and addressed the media in attendance at a memorable press conference.
Having dedicated months of his life to preparing for the contest, Wanliss, intends on having a small break to enjoy guzzling down his favourite snack. But as soon as that’s out of the way, he’ll jump right back into the fire ahead of another massive outing.
Akonne Wanliss intends on munching on some Jaffa Cakes
The 31-year-old told Sporf: “I’m going to have a few days off to eat as many Jaffa Cakes as possible. I’m going to make love to my Mrs, and then I’m going to get right back into camp.”
Realising his mother was in the crowd, he chuckled: “Sorry, Mummy, my mum’s in the crowd. The Queen.”
After dealing with that, he got right back into the swing of things, claiming that he’s keen for a rematch with his rival and also match-ups with Hafeni Nafuka and Jan Siroky.
He beamed: “If Bahnik is fixed by then, I’d love a rematch, but if not, I’ve laid out who I want. I’ve got these wanted posters. If you guys want to check that out, head to my YouTube. There’s a great little storyline, and you can follow it along, and you can see the progression of the Jedi.”
And with Oktagon announcing that their 56th show will take place in his home city of Birmingham at the Resorts World Arena, an opportunity at championship glory could be on the horizon
He asserted: “Ooh, the future is bright. I’m not really trying to rush. I wanna get there and take everybody out on the way. That’s why I’ve created these bounty posters because I want to take everybody out one by one. But going to Birmingham is going to be very special, and if that means a title shot, I’ll sit back and talk with my team, and if the stars align on that night, let’s go.”
Featured Image Credit: Oktagon MMA