Marian Ziolkowski Outstrikes Sebastian Rajewski, Retains Lightweight Title at KSW 71

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Marian Ziolkowski continued his lightweight championship reign with a unanimous verdict against Sebastian Rajewski in the main event of an action-packed KSW 71 card at the Arena Torun in Torun, Poland, on Saturday.

Ziolkowski (25-8-1 1 NC, 6-2 KSW) showcased his usual coolness as he studied his opponent in the bout’s early moments before coming up with the right strategy to achieve victory. In turn, Rajewski (12-7, 4-2 KSW) maintained the center of the cage and landed offense from afar, disrupting Ziolkowski’s timing on several occasions. Rajewski had a successful second round, scoring with quick body kicks and dropping his foe with a well-timed overhand. Ziolkowski weathered the storm and recomposed himself, keeping Rajewski at bay with his educated jab. Ziolkowski found his pace and range in the championship rounds and kept scoring precious points thanks to his punches. Ultimately, the battle went to the scorecards, and the judges submitted 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 nods in favor of Ziolkowski. In addition to taking home a unanimous decision victory, “The Golden Boy” notched his third title defense and scored his fourth consecutive triumph.

The Bonecrusher wins!!

Errol Zimmerman wins his KSW debut and calls out Izu Ugonoh for a fight in MMA!! pic.twitter.com/E0CQQZBWN9

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) June 18, 2022

The co-main event featured an innovative kickboxing battle with MMA gloves between Marcin Rozalski and Errol Zimmerman. The action picked up immediately, as Rozalski knocked his opponent down within the first 30 seconds of the fight. “Bonecrusher” Zimmerman recovered and let his Polish foe empty his gas tank in hopes of the finish. With Rozalski’s cardio waning, Zimmerman attacked with clean strikes from afar. The first knockdown from the Dutch fighter arrived midway through the round, a heavy combination that dropped “Rozal” and shook his confidence. Rozalski survived the count, but Zimmerman followed up with a second knockdown due to some nasty leg kicks. An exhausted Rozalski managed to make it to the second period, where Zimmerman proved to be the superior athlete with relentless combinations. After Zimmerman scored back-to-back knockdowns, referee Tomasz Bronder stopped the action due to the four-knockdown rule at the 1:26 mark of Round 2.

What a debut!!! #KSW71

@szpilka_artur wins his KSW debut!!! pic.twitter.com/nzBMBKcuWC

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) June 18, 2022

Elsewhere, former KSW titleholders Daniel Torres (14-5, 1 NC; 5-2 KSW) and Borys Mankowski (22-10-1, 11-7 KSW) put on a hard-fought 155-pound contest that ended with a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in favor of Torres; former WBC heavyweight title contender Artur Szpilka (1-0, 1-0 KSW) pummeled Serhii Radchenko (2-2, 0-1 KSW) until Radchenko tapped to strikes 2:52 into the second period; Brave Combat Federation 155-pound alum Valeriu Mircea (26-8-1, 0-1 KSW) suffered an injury that prevented him from competing against Roman Szymanski (16-6, 8-3 KSW) after the end of the first period; at bantamweight, Jakub Wiklacz (13-3-1, 3-1 KSW) outclassed Bruno Augusto dos Santos (10-4, 1-3 KSW) en route to a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26); Dana White’s Contender Series alum Michal Martinek (10-3, 1-0 KSW) outpointed Filip Stawowy (9-3, 0-1 KSW) on all scorecards at heavyweight; Donovan Desmae (16-8, 2-1 KSW) submitted former 145-pound kingpin Artur Sowinski (21-14, 2 NC; 11-10, 1 NC KSW) via rear-naked choke at 2:42 into the second frame of their lightweight affair; and 205-pounder Marc Doussis (8-1, 1 NC; 1-1 KSW) tapped Przemyslaw Dzwoniarek (3-2, 0-1 KSW) with a guillotine choke 2:59 into Round 2.