Patryk Kaczmarczyk Edges Daniel Rutkowski in KSW 88 Main Event

The Battle for Radom has been decided!

🇵🇱 @kaczmarczykmma jumps into the crowd to celebrate! XTB #KSW88 pic.twitter.com/tBzPrp0VqR

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) November 11, 2023

What promised to be a showdown between two of Poland’s favorite sons, No. 6 featherweight Patryk Kaczmarczyk upset No. 2 Daniel Rutkowski by narrow unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in the KSW 88 main event at the RCS Hall in Radom, Poland.

In a card that produced eight finishes, five in the first round, Kaczmarczyk (11-2) nearly produced the fastest finish of the night after dropping Rutkowski (16-4) in the first 10 seconds with a flush switch knee. Rutkowski played off his back for the rest of the round and recovered nicely.

Kaczmarczyk’s striking prowess continued into Round 2 as the 25-year-old once again floored Rutkowski with a rear roundhouse kick off the temple. Kaczmarczyk followed Rutkowski to the ground, squandering his opportunity to finish.

Kaczmarczyk’s inability to find the finish nearly cost him in the final round as Rutkowski turned the tide and took the much younger man’s back. Kaczmarczyk fought off rear-naked choke attempts for over a minute before getting back to his feet. Despite having the two biggest moments of the fight, the fight tightened near the end and Kaczmarczyk’s biggest win of his career was in the air. Fortunately for the RKT Radom prospect, his two knockdowns in the opening two rounds were enough to hold on for a slim victory. The win gives Kaczmarczyk his third in a row and could put him on the path for an eventual showdown with featherweight kingpin Salahdine Parnasse.

Piotr Kuberski brought down the house in the co-main event after sleeping No. 8 middleweight Bartosz Lesko in the second round.

Lesko, an extremely skilled kickboxer in his own right, was technical and sharp in the first round and cut Kuberski over the eye. Kuberski returned the favor by cutting off the ring and nearly finishing Lesko with a flush right hand that dropped him to his knees.

Kuberski’s confidence was too much to avoid in the second round. Despite Lesko’s tricky teeps and quick elbows, Kuberski’s lack of respect made life hard for the No. 8 middleweight.

With nowhere left to run, Kuberski landed a beautiful three-punch combination that put Lesko flat on his back and out. The win gave Kuberski (12-1) his 10th straight.

Thirty Four-year-old Light Heavyweight Marcin Wojcik has been on a tear. “The Giant” has finished his last five opponents and unfortunately for No. 5 ranked Henrique da Silva, Wojcik’s momentum was too much to contain. Wojik pummeled Da Silva with ease in Round 1, flirting with a technical knockout stoppage at any time, while still trying to find a way to sneak in a rear-naked choke. Wojcik’s indecisiveness to pursue was the only reason why Da Silva survived to see the second round.

Wojik’s decision making was simplified in the second round as the Pole walked across the cage and landed a flush uppercut that snapped Da Silva’s head back into the canvas. The bout was called immediately (0:30) as Wojik (19-8) walked back to his corner triumphantly.

Albert Odzimkowski (13-7) lived up to his nickname “The Golden One” after landing a golden right hand that flattened Jorge Luiz Bueno Jr. in the second round of their middleweight fight. Round 1 was back and forth, but it was apparent early that Odzimkowski’s power was more legitimate for a middleweight. Knowing that, Odzimkowski charged forward in the second stanza and walked down Bueno with a long right hand. After staggering Bueno into the fence, Odzimokowski secured his second straight KO with a right cross that left Bueno flat on his face.

KSW 88 was filled with early violence and the heavyweight showdown between No.7 ranked contender Stefan Vojcak and No. 9 Kamil Gawryjolek was no different. Vojcak bounced back from a knockout loss in his last fight to give Gawryjolek (5-1) his first loss by first-round knockout (1:06). Gawryjolek looked to take the fight to the ground but he never got the chance. Vojcak landed a heavy right hand and put his rival on his butt before following up with a flurry of punches that forced referee Tomasz Bender to intervene.

20-year-old featherweight contender Daniel Tarchila (7-2) is quickly moving up the ranks, but unfortunately due to a last-minute replacement, Tarchila had to fight pro debutant Vladyslav Falbiychuk.

Falbiychuk showcased the skills he picked up in the amateur ranks early as the fight was even on the feet. Tarchila was cautious -- having little information on his new opponent -- but ramped up the pressure once the fight went to the ground. Falbiychuk mistakenly shelled up and went into turtle guard as the Maldivian took his back and finished the bout with a rear-naked choke midway through the first round.

Last-minute replacement Fabian Luczak was fed to a wolf in No. 9 ranked lightweight Ramzan Jembiev (5-1). Jembiev took out Luczak with no mercy in the first round of the 159-pound catchweight fight. In the opening minutes of the bout, Jembiev, who’s won five straight, landed at will before taking Luczak to the ground and sinking in the rear-naked choke.

Maria Silva (10-1) could be on her way to securing a shot at the vacant KSW strawweight title after cruising to a unanimous decision win over Anita Bekus (7-4).

Bekus started fast but quickly waned after being bullied in the clinch from Silva. Silva nearly finished the fight in the second round after taking Bekus’ back, but the Pole survived until the bell. By the third round, Silva was in complete control but instead of hunting for the finish, she calmy outboxed Bekus. Since losing on Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2022, Silva has won both her KSW bouts in dominant fashion.

Konrad Rusinski (6-1) continued the trend of first-round finishes in his middleweight showdown against Krystian Bielski (9-6). Rusinski proved to be too much on the ground for the more experienced Bielski and snatched a rear-naked choke finish midway through the first round to pick up his second win in a row.

Despite it being a battle of unbeatens, Michal Gniady (2-0) stormed over previously undefeated Jacek Gac (2-1). Gniady kicked off the 10-fight KSW 88 card with a first-round finish over Gac in in their 176-pound catchweight bout.

Gniady dropped Gac early and pounced on his man before catching him in a crucifix. Gniady maintained top pressure and peppered Gac with elbows before the fight was stopped at the 1:58 mark of the first round.