Jonas
Magard is starved for new opposition.

The former Oktagon
MMA bantamweight champion hasn’t fought in nine months and
can’t afford to wait any longer for a shot at his old crown. He’s
ready to hunt, but his bloodlust has led him into hostile territory
and a new weight division.

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Magard, 34, makes his featherweight debut Saturday when he faces
hometown hero Radek
Rousal at
Oktagon 93, live from Winning Group Arena in Brno, Czech
Republic. Magard (19-7) expects to receive the cold shoulder from
the Brno fans hoping to see Rousal (7-2) notch a fourth straight
knockout, but the Danish veteran plans to leave the crowd at a loss
for words.

Former Oktagon champion Jonas Magard explains why he’s moving
to featherweight to face Radek Rousal

“I’ve always been the outside guy,” Magard told Sherdog.com. “I’ve
always been the guy that has to come in and prove myself. But to be
honest, I love fighting the home crowd because I don’t feel the
pressure. It’s me against him, and everything else is white noise.
Although I do like to silence a crowd. I’ve done it many
times.” Before Magard cemented his reputation as a card-stealing force, the
Copenhagen native struggled to find his footing early in the sport.
Two years into his martial arts journey, he had already lost three
of his first four fights but didn’t lose faith in his fledgling
career.

Magard was simply a guppy in the sport before deciding he needed to
train in a bigger pond. His camp wasn’t giving him the looks or
opportunities he needed, so Magard packed his bags and moved to
England to train with Carl Prince and the loaded roster at
Manchester Top Team.

Not long after the switch, Magard started to recognize his
potential as a future champion. He rattled off win after win, any
way he had to.

“I’m very stubborn,” Magard admitted. “I may not be the most
talented fighter, but I’ve always been the hardest-working fighter,
and I never considered giving up. I’m very grateful for the losses
I’ve had in my career because they built my character.”

Magard’s character helped lead him to the Oktagon bantamweight
title in 2023. The former champion is aching to get his belt back,
but despite being on a two-fight winning streak, Magard believes
taking a risky fight against a dangerous opponent in a new division
is better than sitting on the sidelines.

With the move to featherweight, Magard fully expects to potentially
run into some heavy hitters. He’s always been a big bantamweight,
so the cut isn’t concerning, but Rousal’s string of TKO finishes
should absolutely be on his radar. Rousal is a skilled muay thai
specialist, and Magard isn’t interested in keeping the fight in the
bigger man’s wheelhouse.

“I’m not a good matchup for him, and I will go in there and show
him a whole new game,” Magard boasted. “Everything is different,
and I know how to mix everything up. The guys he’s been fighting
only come in with one style, and I’ll have options to finish the
fight from anywhere.”

“Look at his opponents and what they bring. Most of them are
babies, while this will be my fifth main event for Oktagon. It’s
not my first five-round fight, and all these things are going to
play out. I just know I’m better than him.”

If all goes according to Magard’s plan Saturday, the former
champion expects to return to bantamweight but is open to wherever
opportunity presents itself. Like a shark, he wants to stay on the
hunt.

“A shark is like one big muscle; it has to keep moving or it will
die,” he said. “I wasn’t the biggest fan of the name at the start,
but it’s definitely growing on me.”

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

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