On Friday, Sept. 23, Final Fight Championship returned to Europe for FFC 26: Staring vs. Stošić. The mixed combat sports card from Linz, Austria featured six kickboxing and six MMA bouts.
In the main event of the evening, FFC heavyweight champion Dion Staring fought Serbian challenger Darko Stošić for the FFC heavyweight MMA title. Staring previously won the title with a stoppage win over former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez at FFC 17 in 2014. Staring had defended his title just once when he took a decision victory over Cage Warriors veteran Andreas Kraniotakes in 2015. Staring lost in his most recent outing against Gerônimo Dos Santos at Akhmat Fight Show 18. Stošić, 24, has picked up eight wins in his nine career bouts. The Serbian prospect has won four straight fights by finish including a 56-second stoppage against at FFC 25. Stošić’s lone defeat came against RIZIN veteran Jiří Procházka.
The inaugural FFC welterweight kickboxing title was on the line when Swiss-Albanian kickboxer Shkodran “Albanian Warrior” Veseli fought Dutch kickboxer Eyevan Danenberg. The two were previously scheduled to meet at FFC 23 before Veseli was pulled due to injury. Danenberg has won all three of his FFC bouts with two wins coming by way of liver kick knockout. Veseli holds four victories inside the promotion.
Former GLORY lightweight champion Robin van Roosmalen was scheduled to make his second MMA appearance before an injury forced him off of the card.
The event aired live at 11 a.m. ET on Fight Channel TV.
MMA: Filip Pejić def. Ahmed Vila by TKO. Round 3, 3:40 – FFC featherweight MMA title
MMA: Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Ivica Trušček by submission. Round 2, 4:50
MMA: Aleksandar Ilić def. Florian Harringer by TKO.
MMA: Arbi Mezhidov def. Marko Burušić by split decision
MMA: Ahmed Abdulkadirov def. Vasilis Karavasilis by TKO. Round 1, 3:46
Eyevan Danenberg def. Shkodran Veseli by unanimous decision – FFC welterweight title
Samo Petje def. Zahir Zairov by unanimous decision
Tomislav Čikotić def. Enver Šljivar by unanimois decision
Ivan Bilić def. Kristian Franjić by KO. Round 1, 2:25
Thomas Leitner def. Marian Serban by KO. Round 1, 2:08
Rene Wimmer def. Cheick Sidibe by KO. Round 3, 0:58