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Stand and Bang: Denis Frimpong’s No-Takedown Streak Turns Heads in MMA

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28 maj 2025

Denis Frimpong. Photo via OKTAGON MMA

Irish MMA sensation Denis Frimpong, renowned for his flamboyant persona both inside and outside the cage, continues to captivate fans with his dynamic fighting style and entertaining trash talk.
– I’m exciting for the fans and I guess OKTAGON recognized that,” Frimpong says.

Just a few weeks ago, rising European MMA star Denis Frimpong found himself in a truly unique situation.

As he warmed up for the biggest fight of his career – the co-main event of OKTAGON 71 – Frimpong was also bracing for another life-changing moment: the call that he was about to become a father for the first time.

”I was worried the baby was going to come early – warming up for the fight and thinking I might get the call during it,” Denis Frimpong tells Frontkick.

The call didn’t come that night but instead the Irishman went inside the cage and pulled of the most important win of his career as he stopped the dangerous Arijan Topallaj in the third round.

”Honestly, the fight went exactly as I expected. I didn’t expect him to sweep me in the first exchange, but that was my own mistake. He starts every fight with a leg kick, and I still went for a high kick.”

”I knew the pace he would set. There’s a reason he wins in the first round – he keeps a crazy pace. A lot of guys crumble under that pressure, get caught, and finished. But I knew if I weathered the storm, he would slow down, and I’d finish him in the second or third. I wanted to turn the pace up in the third. I was tired too, but I knew he was even more tired. He gave everything he had in the first.

In the second, Topallaj got more desperate. The German was throwing wild shots, shooting for takedowns, and holding Frimpong against the cage just to catch his breath.

How was your feeling going into the third knowing Topallaj was running out of steam?

”Confident but I could not get too excited. I was tired too but not as tired as him. I had to dig deep. I knew I had to finish him or dominate the rest of the fight. My coach told me he’d carry me out of the cage if he had to. He told me, ’When you land, faint a punch and land again.’ Then I started catching him with kicks and a combo, rocked him with a right hand. And from there, it was done.”

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Denis Frimpong. Photo via OKTAGON MMA

Denis Frimpong: ”I was always supposed to be at the top of the fight cards”

With this latest victory, Denis Frimpong not only cemented his status as a serious contender in the lightweight division, but also proved that he belongs at the top of the biggest cards in Europe’s premier MMA promotion.

”I think I was always supposed to be at the top of the fight cards. I’m an exciting fighter! I always bring the fight, always go for the knockout. I haven’t shot for a single takedown in my pro career. If there’s any grappling, it’s because someone took me down and I reversed the position. I’ve never gone for a takedown myself. I’m exciting for the fans – the build-up, the trash talk – and I guess OKTAGON recognized that.”

Looking ahead to the future, Denis Frimpong expressed his hopes of being featured on another big card and getting more wins to eventually claim a shot at the title.

”From what I know, it won’t be a main event or title fight next, but it’ll be a good one. Maybe later this year, I’ll get a main slot against a ranked opponent. Next year, I want to keep climbing the rankings and get to the title. That’s still the goal.”

When do you want to fight next?

”I’m going to wait for the baby to come and spend a couple of weeks with the family. Then I’ll jump back into camp for a fight, maybe in September. I still need to fight to make money. I need to put food on the table. Germany in September, maybe. Hopefully one more by the end of the year. That would make it four fights this year.

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