Jake Foley of Combat Press recently interviewed former OKTAGON welterweight champion, David Kozma, who takes on Robert Pukac at OKTAGON 67, live from the Werk Arena in Trinec, Czech Republic on Saturday, February 22. See the transcript below.
As always, feel free to comment below or send feedback about the interview to @JFoMMATalk or @CombatPress on Twitter.
JF: The last time we saw you fight was in June 2024. What were the takeaways from that fight? Were you frustrated you werenât able to fully showcase the hard work you did in training?
DK: Yeah, it was what it was. Every fight is different, and sometimes things just donât go your way. I trained hard, of course, but thatâs the game. No point dwelling on it.
JF: This is the first time in your OKTAGON tenure that youâve lost back-to-back fights. I know youâve lost consecutive fights before joining the promotion, but do you feel any added pressure to secure a win and get back on track?
DK: Not really. Fights go how they go. I just focus on the next one, train like always, and see what happens. Pressure is always there, but it doesnât change how I approach things.
JF: Did you make any adjustments in training to switch things up?
DK: I went to the fighting camp to Poland and trained as hard as I could (which I always try to do).
JF: What are your thoughts on your upcoming opponent Robert Pukac? What was your initial reaction when offered this matchup?
DK: I think most of the fans saw my initial reaction on OKTAGON social media. I was never thinking of Robo as someone I would be fighting with. People could vote who they wanna see me with in the next fight, Robo did his job in calling it out and people voted for him. I take every opponent I get and I am not choosing.
JF: What is your prediction for this upcoming fight? Do you think the judges will be needed?
DK: Of course I am going there to win and have my arm raised up in the end. If it goes to the judges, it goes to the judges. If not, even better.
JF: With a win against Pukac, where do you think youâll be positioned in the welterweight division? How many more wins until youâre fighting for another world title?
DK: I donât really think about that. I just take fights as they come and focus on the one I have happening right now. Of course Iâd like to get the belt back, that is my initial goal.
JF: Youâll be back fighting in the Czech Republic. What does it mean for you to be fighting in front of your home crowd?
I love the support of my fans. Itâs an incredible feeling to hear how they scream and encourage during the fight. You canât describe when the whole arena is screaming your name, you have to feel it.Â
JF: Considering youâre the longest reigning OKTAGON champion of all time, Iâd love to hear your perspective about how the promotion has evolved and changed since your debut in 2018.
Of course the organization and whole MMA sport is growing each year. The gala evenings are bigger and bigger, Oktagon became a global brand and it is crazy how much awareness this sport gained in these last 7 years.
JF: What are your goals for the rest of your fighting career? Is gaining your black belt in Jiu-Jitsu a main priority for you?
DK: As Iâve mentioned I take it step by step and focus on what is ahead of me right now and that is winning in the fight with Robo.
JF: Final question, how excited were you to release a book about your life and fighting career? What are the reviews youâve received after the launch?
DK: I got great reviews back and I really appreciate the support my fans are giving me. For me initially it was a bit of a shock, like why would people wanna read my book⌠I am not really special. But then weâve got a meeting with the publisher and it went great. I really enjoyed the whole process.