Škvor Steps Up to Heavyweight for Year-End Showdown with Vespaziani
Daniel Škvor closed out 2025 by taking one of the hardest fights available to him. He was sitting third in the light heavyweight rankings but didn’t compete there when December 28 arrived. Instead, the Czech contender accepted a heavyweight scrap with German destroyer Patrick Vespaziani at OKTAGON 81, which went down at Prague’s O2 Arena.
A Risky Move That Could Reshape Rankings
Škvor has built his reputation at 205 pounds, but the Czech striker accepted a heavyweight bout that puts him against the division’s fourth-ranked fighter. Both men are riding three-fight finishing streaks, which makes this matchup particularly dangerous. Vespaziani stands two meters tall and brings the kind of power that comes naturally at heavyweight, while Škvor relies on technical striking refined through years of kickboxing at the highest levels.
Bitcoin sports betting sites showed prop betting options that stretch well past basic moneylines for MMA cards, while also offering betting bonuses to fans betting with crypto. Parlays can stack multiple fight results together, round-specific bets target exact finish times, and some books even took action on strike totals for individual fighters.
The size gap between these two has opened up betting opportunities that don’t usually exist, because Škvor is sacrificing pounds to fight someone who just stopped three straight opponents.
What Both Fighters Brought to Prague
The 2017 WAKO Pro Super Heavyweight K-1 World Championship belongs to Škvor, who also fought in Glory before he committed to MMA with OKTAGON. His 10-4 record features mostly knockouts, but opponents at light heavyweight have become scarce. That shortage pushed him to heavyweight, where he faced a man who can take more punishment simply because of his frame. His striking remains sharp, but he needed every bit of that precision when facing someone who can absorb damage better due to their natural size advantage.
Vespaziani got his “Il Gladiatore” nickname by fighting in a way that telegraphs his intentions from the opening bell. The Frankfurt native owns a 6-2 record and has put away opponents through various methods during 2024 and 2025. MMA Spirit houses his training camp, and his OKTAGON debut sent a message through the heavyweight division. His recent wins over Jovan Zeljković and Paweł Biernat both ended inside the distance, and neither opponent made it out of the first round against him.
The O2 Arena Stage Awaits
OKTAGON 81 represented the promotion’s year-end showcase at a venue that has become synonymous with European MMA’s biggest moments. The card featured two title fights that determined champions heading into 2026. Double champion Will Fleury defended his heavyweight belt against Martin Buday, who returns after spending years in the UFC. Former middleweight champion Patrik Kincl returned to face Robert Pukač in a Czech-Slovak rivalry fight that has generated significant attention throughout Central Europe.
Škvor might have had home-arena advantage, but that came with its own pressure. Czech fans packed the O2 Arena for year-end shows and expect their fighters to deliver dominant performances. The atmosphere there differs from standard fight nights, and fighters respond to that energy with performances that often exceed expectations. Thankfully for Škvor, it paid off, and Vespaziani ended the bout by submission just over 3 minutes into round 2.
