UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett

He fought for years under the UFC banner, but eventually had to leave. Now Krzysztof Jotko claimed the biggest prize outside the major circuit, and he did it in style. In Düsseldorf, he ended an unbeaten streak that had lasted twelve years. And he was done in four minutes.

Jotko did not need a full round

This is not a comeback story built on drama. No tears and no big statements. But Krzysztof Jotko’s performance speaks for itself. The 36-year-old Pole won the final fight of the Tipsport Gamechanger MMA tournament, worth €300,000. Within four minutes, he finished the bout with a rear-naked choke. His opponent was Kerim Engizek, who had not lost since 2014.

With that win, Jotko not only wrote his name into the history of OKTAGON 82, he also underlined that fighters outside the UFC still matter.

From the UFC door closing to Gamechanger millions

Jotko debuted in the UFC in 2013 and fought there seventeen times, including bouts against Sean Strickland and Uriah Hall. In 2022, Dana White told him it was over after a submission loss to Brendan Allen. Many fighters disappear from view after a moment like that. Jotko did not.

He quietly fought his way back. Five wins in a row, with the last four coming in the Gamechanger tournament. The event was spread across months, with sixteen middleweights competing for a €1 million prize pool. The winner received the largest share, €300,000.

Engizek arrived with 17 straight wins, but went to the mat fast

Kerim Engizek looked like the man to beat going in. Seventeen wins in a row. Twelve years unbeaten. But in Düsseldorf, everything fell apart. Jotko stayed calm, took over on the ground, and finished the job by submission before the end of the first round.

What followed was quiet. No big statements and no demand for attention. Just a hand raised and a clear message: Jotko is back.

Jotko believes Sean Strickland is past his peak

In an interview after his win, former rival Sean Strickland was also mentioned. Jotko, who shared the cage with him in the UFC, thinks Strickland’s best days are behind him. “He has a lot of miles. Hernandez is dangerous. I think he will make the difference,” Jotko said.

On February 21, Strickland returns in the UFC against Anthony Hernandez. But for now, the biggest statement of the month came from Düsseldorf, delivered by a fighter who once left through the back door and is now stepping back in through the front.