EXCLUSIVE: From collecting championship titles to rendering the Slovakian public speechless with his epic dance moves, Attila Vegh has walked a remarkable road to headlining Oktagon 58.
Growing up in Eastern Europe with nothing but a dream, the talented athlete sacrificed blood, sweat and tears to the sport he holds so close to his heart, stopping at nothing to become the champion he always knew he could be.
But while sporting success always looked likely, the degree of notoriety Vegh has gained in his home nation is almost unheard of. The beloved athlete has reached an astronomic level of fame, with young boys growing up around his country, dreaming of one day reaching the same dazzling heights.
And now, the child who spent so much time kicking a ball around the park with his friends, will battle it out with arch-rival Karlos Vemola, in front of 27,000 fans at the iconic Eden Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic.
But while travelling into enemy territory would be enough to send shivers down the spine of even the fiercest of operators, having already conquered the USA, Vegh isn’t scared of anything.
Attila Vegh reminisces over Bellator glory ahead of Oktagon 58
In 2012, the gifted brawler flew halfway around the globe and put the world on notice.
Showcasing a remarkable array of strikes and a bulletproof mindset, Vegh dismantled the best fighters on the planet en route to emerging victorious in the Bellator Summer Series.
And his American takeover didn’t end there, with the Dunajská Streda native dismantling Christian M’Pumbu to claim the promotion’s title.
The iconic run solidified Vegh’s place in the MMA history books. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the 38-year-old looks back at his time in the company with extreme fondness.
In an exclusive interview with Sporf, he explained: “This achievement has been my dream for a long time. I got what I wanted: a title in one of the biggest organisations in the world, and it’s just… I can’t put it into words. A person who has not experienced it probably cannot understand the feelings and emotions, and even I sometimes still do not believe the success I have achieved in my career and in my life. But it was great!”
The victory propelled the sportsman’s profile to new heights. And it’s fair to say he took advantage.
Attila Vegh starred on reality TV show — Let’s Dance
With a natural level of athleticism and showmanship, Vegh jumped at the opportunity to feature in the Slovakian version of Dancing with the Stars — Let’s Dance.
The combat sports legend moved and grooved his way through the show, impressing the viewers with his mesmeric footwork. And while Vegh just missed out on winning the competition, he still insists that the world of dance helped him grow not just as an athlete, but as a man.
He admitted: “It was really hard and challenging, but it really added a lot to my life. It was an incredible experience and journey, I met a lot of new friends, met interesting people and the door to show business opened for me. I have absolutely no regrets; it was really fun!”
Attila Vegh and Karlos Vemola are set to go to war at Oktagon 58
With dancing now a focal point of his life, Vegh would love to see Vemola take on the challenge.
He laughed: “I think he would be very good too! People would look at him; he would certainly be interesting because he is such a “non-dancer” like me, and thus it would certainly be very entertaining.”
But while Vegh would wish his rival well on the dancefloor, he certainly won’t be doing so for their bout on June 8.
Having already detonated his right hand on ‘The Terminator’ once before, the Slovak hero is hoping to land an equally impressive knockout this time around to put their feud to bed once and for all.
When the pair meet in the most significant event in Oktagon history, European MMA will stand still as two titans of the game trade leather in a blockbuster collision that fans simply can’t afford to miss.
British fight enthusiasts can watch the contest live on DAZN.
Featured Image Credit: Oktagon MMA / Markiza / Bellator MMA
