Will Fleury rips Makhmud Muradov for walking back on rematch, wonders ‘if Oktagon will continue to protect him’

Will Fleury has accused Makhmud Muradov of backing away from an immediate rematch for the Oktagon light heavyweight title, alleging the promotion is complicit in shielding the champion from a return bout.

The two fighters met in August for the 205-pound crown in a dramatic encounter that saw Muradov drop Fleury late in the first round, then score a knockout victory at the 19-second mark of round two. Both appeared open to running it back at the post-fight press conference. However, Fleury claims that four days later, Oktagon owner Ondrej Novotny informed him that Muradov had changed his mind, instead proposing a heavyweight title shot against Fleury or a move down to middleweight.

Fleury disputed Muradov's readiness for either option. The Irish fighter noted that Muradov has never competed at heavyweight and lacks significant victories over top contenders at 205 pounds, let alone a title defense. By contrast, Fleury holds both the light heavyweight and heavyweight belts, having defeated multiple elite opponents before capturing the heavyweight crown when it was vacant. Fleury countered by offering Muradov a heavyweight title bout on the condition that if he loses, a light heavyweight rematch must follow within three months—a proposal Muradov rejected.

Fleury suspects promotional bias toward a Czech-speaking champion is driving the decision to avoid the rematch, frustrating his attempts to reclaim his light heavyweight title and potentially pursue triple-belt status. "He's in a good position right now," Fleury said, suggesting Muradov fears the danger of a second encounter. With negotiations stalled and Muradov's title ambitions fragmented across weight classes, the pathway to a decisive rematch remains murky, leaving fans and observers questioning whether the champion is genuinely trying to avoid the fight.