Oktagon Champ Jonas Magard is done waiting: 'I just know I'm better than him'
Former Oktagon MMA bantamweight champion Jonas Magard is making his featherweight debut this Saturday at Oktagon 93 in Brno, Czech Republic, facing hometown fighter Radek Rousal in what promises to be a high-stakes bout. After nine months away from competition, the 34-year-old Danish veteran is refusing to remain sidelined and is instead testing himself against fresh opposition in a new weight class, despite the risks.
Magard (19–7) holds a two-fight winning streak and captured the Oktagon bantamweight title in 2023, but says he cannot afford to wait indefinitely for another crack at his former crown. The move to featherweight reflects his willingness to pursue immediate action rather than sit idle. Rousal (7–2), a skilled muay thai specialist with four consecutive knockouts, enters as the local favorite and will enjoy crowd support at Winning Group Arena, but Magard thrives in adversity.
The Copenhagen native's path to elite MMA was unconventional. Early in his career he struggled, losing three of his first four bouts, but refused to quit. A pivotal decision to relocate to England and train at Manchester Top Team under Carl Prince transformed his trajectory. He credits his work ethic—not raw talent—as his defining trait, and attributes his losses to character-building experiences that sharpened his craft.
Magard is confident his stylistic versatility will neutralize Rousal's striking dominance. While the muay thai specialist has dismantled opponents with heavy hands, Magard believes those rivals lacked range and adaptability. Magard intends to dictate the pace and mix his disciplines to keep Rousal off-balance and unable to land his signature finishing power. If successful Saturday, Magard plans to return to bantamweight but remains open to opportunity at featherweight. Like the fighter's chosen nickname suggests, he plans to keep hunting for his next challenge.
