From an unassuming fighter to a leading star of German MMA. Katharina Dalisda will defend the Octagon belt for the first time: I will defend my title even at the cost of my life!

Katharina Dalisda has become one of Germany’s biggest MMA stars. The initially unassuming and unassuming fighter was the first ever German to win a title in the Oktagon. Now, she has her first defense ahead of her. She talked about more than just that in an interview with Ruik.

From unassuming fighter to champion

“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far, but the title won’t slow me down in my quest to improve my skills. It’s just one step in my journey as an MMA fighter,” the German champion, who is still undefeated in the Oktagon, began the interview.

And how does it feel to hold a title? “The title has helped me to get more publicity. People see me more as a role model. But otherwise it’s still my old life. People just get to know me more and see me as a professional athlete.”

It’s worth noting then that the title made Katharina Dalisda the highest ever ranked German star in the P4P rankings, which the organisation published in December. She was ranked fourth. She is now sixth. Of her compatriots, she was overtaken by heavyweight champion Hatef Moeil.

“There is still room for improvement. My eyes are focused on becoming the absolute number one,” the German Tiger makes no secret of her big ambitions.

She had her first three fights on the prelims card. The main German aces were Christian Eckerling, Christian Jungwirth, Stephan Pütz and the aforementioned Moeil. Now, however, they will make their second appearance in the main match of the evening.

“The first time I fought in the main event, it was impressive. The hype before, during and after the fight was much higher than ever before. It was also a lot more pressure. I wanted to put on a good fight. Show the best version of myself. Fortunately, I usually do better under pressure, so it was better for me. I’m grateful for the trust and honor I received from the Oktagon,” said the 32-year-old fighter.

The time she beat Jacinta Austin to become queen was the first time she had family in the audience. But this time it will be different: “ They enjoyed the match and the show. I’m sure they’ll come back for another fight soon, but unfortunately they won’t be able to make it this time. But I’m happy they came to my last match.”

Still the same pressure, same important step, Katharina Dalisda is clear

Now Katharina Dalisda has her first title defence in front of her. Her opponent will be Eva Dourthe, the woman she defeated in her last fight before signing with the Oktagon.

“We have both improved a lot since then. You can see a lot of improvement in the fights we’ve had since then. I’m looking forward to judging her improvement right in the cage, but I’m even more looking forward to proving that I’ve improved more than her and being able to finish her,” she reports confidently.

Dourthe will face Chiara Penco, one of the German Tiger’s three overpowered fighters, for a title shot. “Dourthe showed that she deserved the fight more. I lost to Penco that time in Bellator because of a huge mistake I made in the first round. That led to a submission and my loss. The result didn’t surprise me,” said the champion.

“I wanted to fight Penco but after seeing the match and the result, I was happy that Dourthe won. It will be a much more interesting, entertaining and challenging match. We are both capable of fighting comprehensively, which will be great,” she added.

And if the defence is more challenging than the first title fight? “It’s still the same pressure for me. I know the last fight was an important step in my career and this is the same case.”

I’ll stop my opponent in the third round, promises the champion

“I’m expecting an action-packed match. We’re both tough, trying to show the best versions of ourselves. Eva Dourthe is a great fighter, I respect her. But I’ve had excellent preparation, I’m in the best shape of my life. She’s going to have a tough night. I’m sure I’ll end the fight on KO or Submission,” Katharina Dalisda expressed her expectations for her first defence.

When it came to a more accurate prediction, the champion was clear: “I will end it in the third round. Either by TKO, KO or submission.”

It also came down to the fact that Dourthe had a slightly more demanding schedule. Her last fight was at the end of December, so there wasn’t as much time to prepare. Can that be an advantage for the German?

“I don’t think it will affect anything. We are professionals, we know how to push our limits. I’m convinced that she will be extremely motivated by the opportunity itself. Iam equally motivated, I will defend the title at the cost of my life,” Tiger replied.

the 32-year-old fighter is then pleased with the fact that the Oktagon has introduced open scoring. “We finally know exactly where we stand and if we need to change anything in the fight,” she explains the reason for her joy.

And the message at the end was clear: “Eva, I hope you are well prepared and show your best form. I want to entertain the crowd and keep my belt dreams alive. I will take it home to Frankfurt!”

Source: Oktagon MMA