12,200 Fans At Germany’s Westfalenhalle: MMA Brand Oktagon Continues To Sell Out European Arenas

European MMA brand Oktagon, founded by Ondřej Novotný and Pavel Neruda in the Czech Republic in 2016, continues to establish itself as Europe’s premier combat sports brand.

The latest Oktagon event to sell out an European arena was Oktagon 69, which took place April 5 at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany. All available 12,200 tickets got snatched up by fans, once again proving how popular MMA has become in Germany.

Not that any more proof was required: Oktagon 62 took place at Frankfurt’s Deutsch Bank Park, Oct. 12, 2024, selling almost 60,000 tickets – a European record, and more that the biggest UFC events have sold in the past.

The Dortmund event earlier this month only confirmed the passion German fans have for combat sports. The city’s Westfalenhalle, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, has a long tradition of hosting combat sports, from legendary boxing events to international tournaments in judo, fencing, and wrestling.

‘Modern Technology In A Historical Setting’: The Charm Of Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle

Oktagon 69 was the first time mixed martial arts visited the building, and the brand’s founders, Ondřej Novotný and Pavel Neruda, were presented with a sold-out award from Sabine Loos, CEO of the Westfalenhalle Group.

“A sold-out venue, and an evening full of energy: Oktagon has impressively demonstrated how well modern martial arts and large live formats fit into our arena,” she commented.

“Martial arts has a long tradition in the Westfalenhalle – so it’s all the better that we were able to build on this history with this sold-out debut. 2025 is a special year for us: the entire group of companies – including Messe Dortmund, Westfalenhalle and Kongress Dortmund – is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The fact that we can welcome such a high-profile event in this anniversary year underlines the attractiveness of our location,” Loos continued.

The Oktagon founders see it as their mission “to portray the beauty of MMA through compelling stories of our fighters,” with the proclaimed goal of “becoming the European MMA champions league.”

With more than 2 million followers and subscribers across its social media platforms, and a reach of more than 7 million per event, the brand has become an attractive partner for other brands looking to gain public visibility at live events through sponsorships.

That’s in addition to its strong representation on TV thanks to broadcasting partnerships in place across Europe, leading to an additional 500,000 views per event coming in from more than 125 countries, by Oktagon’s own admission.

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