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KSW Colosseum 2 results: Khalidov KOs Askham, Pudzianowski gets stopped

KSW MMA

WARSAW, Poland - One thing has never been truer: KSW knows how to put on a spectacle.

The premier Polish MMA promotion - and one of the biggest in Europe - hosted its second stadium show Saturday, returning to PGE Narodowy for KSW Colosseum 2.

Roughly 50,000 fans were in attendance to see Polish hero Mamed Khalidov turn back the clock once again in the main event, as the KSW legend knocked out British fighter Scott Askham in the third round of their middleweight trilogy bout.

This was KSW's second event at PGE Narodowy after hosting 57,000 fans in 2017. Khalidov also headlined that card, winning his bout by unanimous decision. The first Colosseum event had one of the highest attendances in MMA history, beating out every UFC event to date. KSW Colosseum 2 will go down as the second-highest attendance in European MMA history.

KSW is known for its extravagant production value, and it was on full display from the very beginning of Colosseum 2. Stadium lights, flamethrowers, and camera flashlights made the stadium glow throughout the night. Fans chanted "Mamed" as Khalidov walked out during the opening ceremony, making for an impeccable atmosphere, and five-time strongman winner Mariusz Pudzianowski also got a big pop.

Polish fans had a lot to cheer about once the fights were underway, as home-country fighters scored victories in all five matchups.

Khalidov proved age is just a number in the headliner. The 42-year-old former KSW middleweight champion controlled Askham on the ground in the first two rounds. Askham attacked with leg locks but didn't appear to put Khalidov in danger. In the third and final round, Khalidov landed a side kick that tossed Askham to the ground, then connected on a devastating flying switch kick before sealing the deal with ground-and-pound.

Khalidov won his head-to-head series with Askham 2-1. In 2019, Askham beat Khalidov by unanimous decision. But Khalidov got revenge in their 2020 rematch, also finishing him with a flying switch kick 36 seconds into the bout to regain the KSW middleweight belt.

In the co-main event, former boxing title contender Artur Szpilka stunned Pudzianowski, the former strongman now considered a KSW legend, by knocking him out in the second round. Pudzianowski, 46, got off to a good start, taking Szpilka to the ground just seconds into the first stanza and keeping him there.

Pudzianowski tried to score another takedown at the start of Round 2, but this time Szpilka stayed on his feet. Szpilka landed a massive right hand and then finished the job with a left.

Former UFC fighter Pawel Pawlak captured the vacant KSW middleweight title with a fifth-round TKO of Tomasz Romanowski, and former KSW titleholder Michal Materla froze time with an impressive first-round knockout of Radoslaw Paczuski.

The Colosseum 2 co-main event, a lightweight title unification bout between Marian Ziolkowski and Salahdine Parnasse, was canceled at the 11th hour. Ziolkowski suffered a knee injury while warming up for the fight backstage.

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