“A cross and a pentagram in the MMA cage. Kids shall not watch this fight without their parents.” – Maciej Kawulski, KSW co-founder.
This sentence immediately creates the narrative for the heavyweight showdown between champion and the very religious Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (11-2) and Polish megastar and ‘satanist’ Marcin Rozalski (6-4). Not only is this a fight between two exciting heavyweights but also a battle of contrasting beliefs and these beliefs are why both men feel they have the advantage over the other.
“Him being a satanist puts him immediately in a disadvantageous position because my God is more powerful than his. This will be a ‘good vs. evil’ showdown and the ‘good’ will become victorious,” said Rodrigues Jr.
“The ‘good vs. evil’ showdown? So I’m the ‘evil’ one, right? If you look for help from anyone else it means you’re weak. I believe in myself and he doubts himself, I don’t need help from anybody. You can believe in anything you want. It’s not faith that defines men, it’s our deeds, our respect to the environment around us and the respect to coexisting species,” replied Rozalski.
“Marcin Rozalski, train and be ready because you want to take something that belongs to me. I will show you the power of God and that good always defeats evil,” stated Rodrigues Jr.
Rodrigues Jr. captured the title with an upset win over the longtime champ Karol Bedorf at KSW 37. The 29-year-old has only ever went the distance once his career and this fight looks likely to continue that trend as Rozalski has only been the distance once in his ten pro contests.
The veteran Rozalski earned himself the title shot after surprisingly submitting Mariusz Pudzianowski exactly a year ago the night of KSW 39. To be crowned the champion on Saturday would put the feather in the cap of what has been a truly special career. After years of underground fights and competing in Muay Thai and Kickboxing a 33-year-old Rozalski embarked on a career in MMA. Now just two months shy of his 39th birthday and after fighting some true veterans of the sport he has the opportunity to put his name down in history and bring the belt back to Poland.
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