The main event of KSW 117 is officially on after both fighters successfully made championship weight. Pawel Pawlak weighed in at 83.9 kg, while Mamed Khalidov came in at 83.6 kg. Pawlak will defend his title against the veteran Khalidov. Both fighters are within the required weight limit for their championship bout. The weigh-in confirms the headlining fight will proceed as scheduled.
Pawel Pawlak and Mamed Khalidov both cleared the scales on Thursday, officially setting the stage for their KSW 117 middleweight championship bout. Pawlak weighed in at 83.9 kg and Khalidov came in at 83.6 kg, with both men inside the required championship limit.
Pawlak, the reigning champion, enters the contest with a professional record of 12 wins and 3 losses. The 37-year-old Pole, who trains out of Octopus Lodz, stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He averages 1.67 significant strikes per minute and lands takedowns at a rate of one per 15 minutes, suggesting a measured, well-rounded approach inside the cage.
Khalidov, the veteran challenger, needs no introduction to KSW audiences, having long been one of the promotion's most recognizable names. His verified data was not included in the pre-fight release, but his presence in a title fight underscores the significance the promotion has placed on this headliner.
Why it matters
- Pawlak puts his middleweight title on the line against one of KSW's most storied competitors
- A successful defense would further cement Pawlak's status at the top of the Polish promotion's middleweight division
- The experience gap between a grizzled veteran challenger and a reigning champion creates a compelling stylistic question heading into fight night
