Philip De Fries Submits Karol Bedorf, Retains Heavyweight Crown in KSW 45 Headliner

Phil De Fries defends his KSW heavyweight title in a dominant way!#KSW45 pic.twitter.com/YBfvoYZYXH

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) October 6, 2018

Polish MMA promotion Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki made its return to the United Kingdom on Saturday, and delivered an entertaining card in London with just two fights that went the distance.

In the KSW 45 main event, Philip De Fries retained his heavyweight crown after submitting Karol Bedorf with a key lock at 4:26 of round two. The defending KSW champ took down and controlled his opponent for the majority of the first round.

Former KSW heavyweight belt holder Bedorf tried to change the course of the fight in the second, but he found himself taken down again by De Fries, who landed a number of punches and elbows from top position. With 30 seconds remaining on the clock in the second round, De Fries managed to get a crucifix position and secured the fight-ending submission.

Elsewhere, Bosnia native Erko Jun silenced the crowd after scoring the upset of the night, smashing Pawel "Popek Monster" Mikolajuw with a second-round TKO in the co-main event. Jun took the back of the Polish heavyweight after successfully stuffing a takedown and unloaded heavy ground-and-pound from there. Jun is now on a two-bout winning streak after making a successful pro debut at KSW 44. Jun transitioned to combat sports after a building his name as a bodybuilder and fitness model.

IT'S OVER! Erko Jun stops The Monster, Popek! #KSW45 pic.twitter.com/8B2TiRJK4r

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) October 6, 2018

Michał Materla advanced to the finals of KSW middleweight tournament after cracking Damian Janikowski in the opening stanza of their bout. Both fighters exchanged some wild shots, but in the end Materla exhausted the hype surrounding the bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling. The former KSW champ took his opponent out with a short left hook and follow-up punches which ended the slugfest at the 3:10 mark of the period.

WHAT A ROUND! WHAT A FINISH! MICHAŁ MATERLA!#KSW45 pic.twitter.com/xOufuogQEP

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) October 6, 2018

Earlier, Roberto Soldic regained the KSW welterweight championship after blasting Dricus Du Plessis at 2:33 of the third round of their rematch; former UFC fighter Scott Askham scored a first-round KO against Marcin Wójcik and secured a place in the final of KSW middleweight tournament; and Brazilian representative Thiago Silva bested James McSweeney via unanimous decision in the first match of the main card.

In preliminary action: Wagner Prado smashed Lukasz Parobiec via highlight reel KO 41 seconds into the opening stanza in a heavyweight showcase; Akop Szostak vs. Jamie Sloane ended in a no-contest due to a no-intentional eye poke which prevented Sloane from competing; Ilightweight Leszek Krakowski defeated Alfie Davis via split decision in the card’s opening bout.