Grad wins in Vegas

Graz fighter gets UFC ticket: “Dream came true!”

Bogdan Grad has made it! He booked his UFC ticket with a victory over Michael Aswell.

(Bild: UFC, Ettl, Krone KREATIV)

But now! Bodgan Grad has made it to the MMA Olympics at his second attempt. With a hard-fought victory at the Contender Series in Las Vegas, the featherweight from Graz not only became the first Styrian to secure a UFC contract, but also made a big impression.

"There is no plan B. Nobody can say what comes after that." Everyone agreed on this before the fight, both coach Gerhard Ettl and his protégé. Now it is clear that there is no need for a plan B!

Because Bogdan Grad has fulfilled his big dream of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the second attempt. After suffering a bitter lightning knockout in the first round at Dana White's Contender Series a year ago, this time he came out on top at the elimination tournament in Las Vegas!

It was no walk in the park, Grad had to take a lot of punishment.

(Bild: UFC)

Of course, it took full concentration and a lot of muscle fat. The featherweight was fully challenged by Texan Michael Aswell over three rounds. In the end, a split-decision (29:28, 28:29, 30:27) went in Grad's favor.

"One of the best fights ever!"
Series initiator and UFC boss Dana White was thrilled: "That was one of the best fights we've ever seen on the Contender Series!" "Bogdi" received a 5,000-dollar bonus on top, but the 28-year-old was of course even more delighted with the contract he had secured for the billion-dollar league with his victory.

Dana White was thrilled with the Styrian's performance.

(Bild: UFC)

It didn't matter at all that he dragged himself to the press conference visibly "marked". Not just because of a few bruises. "I recently had a Botox injection," he joked about his thick, swollen lips. A liver hook from Aswell in the finish would also have had an effect: "But I said to myself: 'No man, you're not going to stop me with that!" For long stretches, Bogdan "saw the plan through", scoring points with mental strength.

What happens now? "I don't need a break. I could be back in the cage in two weeks' time," the high-flyer laughed with relief. After all, the start of a new journey is also the end of an old, extremely gruelling one. A journey "full of blood, sweat and tears", as his coaches Michael and Gerhard Ettl put it.

Michael Ettl hugged his protégé after the battle ...

(Bild: Ettl)

... before he also shone with good words during the winner interviews.

(Bild: Ettl)

Long journey to the cage Olympics
Bogdan took up martial arts at the age of 14; his father Ioan, himself a judoka for seven years, probably passed on his "manual" skills. The Ettl brothers, Austria's MMA pioneers, soon took the talent under their wing at the Champions Gym in Graz. They trained the extremely ambitious athlete ("He has been training three times a day for eleven years") to become an MMA "black belt" and soon sent Grad into the cage of the in-house Cage Fight Series. 

Where he stirred up the crowd and made an impression with spectacular knockouts. Not only, but also with the UFC. He was invited to the Contender Series in 2023. Where Grad still had to compete in the higher weight class, the 1.72-metre powerhouse lost his nerve against 1.90-metre giant Tom Nolan (Aus), was "mentally blocked" and was knocked out in the first minute.

But a few months later, during a visit to the "Krone" in Graz, Bogdan emphasized that he had "matured" thanks to this setback and was now stronger than ever.

Watch the interview again here:

The strong words were followed by deeds, after the Viennese Aleks Rakic and Vienna's "Turkish Adonis" Ibo Aslan, Bogdan Grad is now the first Styrian to fight his way into the MMA Olympics! "A dream come true." Gerhard Ettl agrees with his protégé on this too.