Jan Malach arrived at Oktagon 53 on a flashy plane, beat his opponent via a stunning knockout and has now returned to the Czech Republic to become a dad for the second time.
The remarkable athlete, who has earned a reputation as one of the promotion’s toughest operators, went toe-to-toe with a man who’d been partying in Croatia just days before.
In the middle of a crazy night in a Zagreb club, Luka Milidragović received the call to test his skills against a legend and simply couldn’t bring himself to turn it down, thus setting the wheels in motion for an epic collision.
In front of 13,000 fans at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, the pair put on an incredible battle with more twists and turns than an action blockbuster.
Starting well, the Croatian connected with a stunning kick, reminding Malach of his loss to Shem Rock, who finished him via the same shot. However, rather than letting the demons weigh him down, the Czech sensation exhibited remarkable heart, battling back from the brink to render his opponent unconscious in the second round.
Jan Malach arrived at Oktagon 53 in style
In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Malach spoke about his superstar arrival in Germany and how he managed to overcome the kick that nearly ended it all.
The fighter beamed: “Haha, it wasn’t a jet, but it was a very expensive plane. I felt confident in the fight, my opponent was tough, he punched me hard. After he hit me on the head a couple of times, I felt his power. But on the other hand, I hurt him to the body, and I knew that he was going to go.”
He continued: “Before the fight, I was like, ‘What’s he going to do’? He’s going to watch the fight with Shem. It was a perfect performance from Shem. He’s going to try and throw the same kick. I had an inflamed elbow two to three weeks ago, and he hit me there, and I felt the power, and I was like, ‘This isn’t happening again’. I evaded his other kicks, and I was like, ‘Ok, fine, I’ve got the distance’. But I didn’t feel comfortable to throw longer combinations.”
Clutching victory from the jaws of defeat meant the world to the warrior, who can’t wait to welcome his second child to the world.
Jan Malach is having another child
Having showcased remarkable courage and determination throughout his life, Malach is undeniably a fantastic role model for his child, and in just a month, he and his wife will experience the miracle of another baby, and the MMA star couldn’t be happier.
He said: “I’ve got a baby boy on the way in a month. That’s still a while to go, but I have to be ready to go home as soon as I can. Luka has a great heart because not many people take fights at big events on short notice. Maybe he was in the nightclub, but he was a completely different style to my scheduled opponent, who was a much smaller guy and Luka is a tall southpaw. So, it was difficult for him, but also difficult for me.”
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“It is funny that you talk about it because two days after I lost to Shem in the summer, my wife told me that we’re expecting a second baby. So, it was a rollercoaster of emotions.”
Featured Image Credit: Jan Malach / Pixabay