176 pounds. Catchweight headlines at Octagon 57 on Saturday

This weekend is the first Saturday in May. Within the United States, that means one thing: Thousands of spectators will converge on Churchill Downs for this year's Kentucky Derby. However, not everyone will watch a five-hour television program that amounts to a two-minute equestrian spectacle.

Before the Run for the Roses begins, you can watch MMA live on Saturday. The Czech Republic-based Oktagon MMA is coming back to the Festhalle in Frankfurt for Oktagon 57. Live coverage of Oktagon 57 will air live on DAZN in the United States beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT.

If you're in the UK, Octagon 57 airs on Channel 4 on Saturday evenings from 5pm London time. All told, the final version of Octagon 57 will feature a full 12-fight card (without any subsequent postponements or cancellations leading up to fight day).

Catchweight fight focus of the New Oktagon 57 main event

A highlight of the activity is a contracted catch weight of 176 pounds. in the new Octagon 57 Main Event. Originally scheduled to be a co-headliner fight, Christian Eckerlin (15-6, 1 NC MMA, 2-1, 1 NC Octagon) fights Miroslav Broz (17-3-1 MMA, 7-3 Octagon). This contest was elevated to headlining status following the original Octagon MMA Heavyweight Championship main event between titleholder Hatef Moeli (15-4 MMA, 4-0 Octagon) and No. 1 contender Stuart Austin (18-8 MMA, 2-0). Octagon) was withdrawn due to an elbow injury.

The new Octagon 57 main event will feature a maximum of three rounds of five minutes per round at the end of the show.

🚨 Frankfurt, we're coming back! 🚨

On May 4th we return to the iconic Festhalle Frankfurt for OKTAGON 57.

German MMA superstar Christian Eckerlin (15-6, 1NC) 🇩🇪 takes on Miroslav Brož (17-3-1) 🇨🇿 in a huge feature fight.

Register for advance ticket sales👇🏼
🎫 pic.twitter.com/3NFht4EDgE

— OKTAGON MMA (@OktagonOfficial) February 11, 2024

Oktagon 57 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds

Heading into Saturday's Octagon 57 main event, Christian Eckerlin is the taller man at 5'7″ tall, compared to Miroslav Broz's 5'7″ tall. The latter has a range advantage of 2.6 inches (even 73.6 inches to 71 inches).

The oddsmakers currently see Christian Eckerlin as the -175 favorite on the money line, while Miroslav Broz counters as a +130 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight taking place this weekend, please bet responsibly.

Eckerlin with an important “home game” on Saturday in the Oktagon 57 Main Event

Christian Eckerlin enters the main event of Octagon 57 this weekend having gone 3-1 with one no-contest in his last five fights. Most recently, he dropped a three-round unanimous decision to PFL graduate Leandro Silva (28-11, 1 NC MMA, 4-2 Octagon) during Octagon 49 on November 18th last year in Cologne.

Eckerlin will certainly be able to count on the support of his compatriots and hometown fans on Saturday as Oktagon 57 takes place in Frankfurt, where his fight camp is taking place. This is a man who is on a nine-fight unbeaten streak dating back to 2017 since his loss to Silva late last year.

After losing on home soil to a 39-fight veteran, another fight with the locals in the crowd could be what he needs to get back in the win column. Can he score a win in the Octagon 57 Main Event this weekend?

Broz wants to ride the momentum of the eight-fight unbeaten streak

In the other corner, Miroslav Broz has a record of 5-0 in his last five fights. All in all, he is undefeated in his last eight fights. To find out the last time he didn't raise his hand at the end of a fight, you'd have to go back to Octagon 20 on December 30, 2020.

That night he dropped a split decision to Jan Malach (16-14 MMA, 3-5 Octagon). He hasn't missed anything since then. Aside from a draw against Adam Niedzwiedz (8-4-1 MMA) in December 2021, he has emerged victorious every time, including his most recent triumph against Tom Crosby (8-4-1 MMA, 0-1 Octagon) on February 10th .

If he wants to emerge victorious here, he will have to do so while blocking out a hostile crowd. It's hard enough knowing that Miroslav Broz's fight was elevated to the main event at short notice.

It's even scarier when he knows he'll be entering enemy territory on Saturday. Will he make sure the crowd goes home unhappy?

Analysis, film study and prediction

There will be another clash in the Octagon 57 main event on Saturday evening. Both guys are able to complete their tasks before the final bell.

Watch out for Eckerlin's rear-naked chokes

Christian Eckerlin can be brutal when it comes to fighting. In the first round of his fight against John Palaiologos, Eckerlin took Palaiologos to the canvas after a pause in the action due to a low blow and moved to side control before softening him up with ground and pound shots.

It was just a formality, but Eckerlin mustered the torque necessary to lock up a rear-naked choke in less than three minutes. If Christian Eckerlin can use ground and pound strikes to his advantage, it will give him the chance he needs to secure the submission.

Broz Vicious with punches

In the other corner, Miroslav Broz can use his fists to get the job done. One need look no further than his match against Denis Farkas last year.

In the second round, the fighters traded shots, but Broz charged at Farkas and executed a takedown, landing some crisp ground and pound strikes. The onslaught proved too much for Denis Farkas and the referee waved it off after one minute and 42 seconds.

Miroslav Broz's key to this weekend's Octagon 57 main event: Beat Christian Eckerlin for a takedown. If he drops Eckerlin first, that's his world.

Final thoughts

Although there is no championship on the line at Octagon 57 on Saturday, as originally announced, the evening's main event still appears to be a good one. Consider it a satisfying start to a day-night MMA doubleheader.

Prediction: Miroslav Broz by second round knockout.