Sebastian Przybysz Chokes Werlleson Martins Ribeiro to Defend Bantamweight Title at KSW 69

What an INSANE main event!!
👏 @przybyszmma & Martins 👏

Did you all enjoy!? #KSW69 pic.twitter.com/iOJrKfiXL1

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) April 23, 2022

Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki’s latest event went down at the ATM Studio in Warsaw and ended with an entertaining bantamweight championship battle.

In the KSW 69 headliner, 135-pound titleholder Sebastian Przybysz notched his second title defense after submitting Werlleson Martins Ribeiro. Round 1 saw the fighters studying and testing each other's reactions as Przybysz (10-2, 7-1 KSW) switched guards often while aiming at his foe’s body. The fight took off in the second frame as both fighters started landing more significant strikes. Przybysz's more precise and effective striking allowed him to knock down Martins and unleash some hammer fists and elbows on the mat. In turn, Martins (16-5, 0-1 KSW) dropped Przybysz with a left hook right out of the gate in the third period. Przybysz weathered the storm and reversed position, retaliating with heavy hammerfists on the mat.

Going into the championship rounds, Przybysz looked fresher than the challenger as he implemented a relentless grappling offensive throughout Round 4, where he stayed on Martins' back and attacked with several rear-naked choke attempts. The window of opportunity for the submission arrived in the fifth frame. Przybysz moved the action to the floor and captured Martins' back yet again. Once in the favorable spot, the Mighty Bulls Gdynia representative locked in the choke. After a few seconds of futile resistance, Martins tapped. Referee Lukasz Bosacki stopped the action as the official time indicated 2:07.

The co-main event saw a middleweight clash between Pawel Pawlak and former Thunderstrike Fight League titleholder Cezary Kesik. After a brief exchange on the feet, Kesik pushed his prey against the fence, where he insisted on grappling until Pawlak (20-4-1, 2-0 KSW) disengaged and fired back with a few good shots. Kesik (13-2, 3-2 KSW) ended the round on top of his opponent following a successful takedown. The contestants kept the battle on the feet in Round 2 as they both landed with some crisp leather. Kesik used his strikes to set up takedown attempts, but he was denied by Pawlak, who often retaliated with punches. Pawlak took the lead in the third as he first scored with hands and then took Kesik for a trip on the mat, where he landed several stout punches. In a last-minute assault, Kesik opened up his foe with an elbow from his back, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the fight from going the distance. Ultimately, two of the judges sided with Pawlak while the third saw it in favor of Kesik, but it was enough for “Plastinho” to add a split-decision victory to his record.

Maciej KazieczKOOO!!! #KSW69

🇵🇱 @maciejkazieczko is back in the win column!! pic.twitter.com/JpeucDixro

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) April 23, 2022

Earlier, Robert Ruchala (7-0, 4-0 KSW) bested Michele Baiano (7-1, 0-1 KSW) via unanimous decision at the end of their 150-pound catchweight; in a flyweight battle, Sara Luzar-Smajic (4-1, 2-0 KSW) eked out a narrow split decision from Natalia Baczynska (6-2, 0-1 KSW) as two cageside judges drew 30-27 and 29-28 scorecards for Luzar-Smajic, while the third one 29-28 for her opponent; former 155-pound title challenger Maciej Kazieczko (8-2, 7-2 KSW) smashed Wilson Varela (6-3, 0-1 KSW) with punches, halting the action at the 1:29 mark of Round 2; Artur Szczepaniak (8-1, 1-0 KSW) forced Jivko Stoimenov (12-5, 0-1 KSW) due to rear-naked choke with 32 seconds left in their welterweight encounter; Pawel Politylo (7-3, 4-3 KSW) upended Patryk Chrobak (2-2, 0-1 KSW) on all scorecards (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in a 135-pound tilt; likewise his older brother Maciej who fought on the same card, featherweight Wojciech Kazieczko (2-0, 1-0 KSW) took home a finish victory after stopping Lubos Lesak (2-1, 0-1 KSW) with punches 1:45 into Round 1.