Everyone’s favorite eyeball-tatted rapper is stepping back into the cage, and his opponent might be his most bizarre yet…
Even in a sport that caters to as many oddballs as MMA, Polish heavyweight rapper/fighter Popek Monster still manages to stand out from the pack. More commonly known as “Rapper With Tattooed Eyeballs” around these parts (you know, because of his tattooed eyeballs), Popek — or perhaps, Mr. Monster, if you’re nasty — has spent the past few years developing something of a reputation as the go-to guy for freakshow heavyweights fights under the KSW banner…which, if you’re at all familiar with KSW, is really saying something.
Having previously faced off against former World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowksi and ex-bodybuilder Robert Burneika in a pair of fights that would have made even old school PRIDE fans cover their faces during, it appears that Popek will now seek to conquer his fiercest opponent to date: a Polish soap opera actor.
WTF?!!!!!
Yes, that’s Tomasz “Strachu” Oświeciński, a Polish soap and action movie star turned fighter who, believe it or not, might actually be one of the more *experienced* opponents Popek has faced.
Technically, yes, his match against Mr. Monster (real name Pawel Mikolajuw) will be his MMA debut, but “Strachu” actually brings a pretty lengthy Judo background to the table and rose to fame as a fitness instructor before making the leap to acting. So while he’s probably not gonna be the next Cain Velasquez, he could actually present a pretty interesting challenge to ol’ Inkeyes once the cage door closes. At the very least, this fight should be good for a few laughs.
In an effort to hype the fight, which will transpire at KSW 41 on December 23rd, the promotion has released a lengthy promo which you can check out below.
The Trash Talk Is Already Heating Up
As you can tell from the promo, there isn’t exactly a lot of love lost between the two. Whether the rivalry between Oświeciński and Mikolajuw is being entirely manufactured for the cameras is anyone’s guess, but that isn’t stopping Popek from throwing down the verbal gaunlet in the lead-up.
“He’s just aspiring to be a fighter with a 138 IQ,” said Popek. “He’s neither a fighter, nor some kind of genius. He’s just a nut. He’s a talented bit player who thinks he saved Polish cinema.”
The Actor Fires Back
Likewise, Oświeciński didn’t mince words when assessing his opponent’s skills, both in the ring and outside of it.
“I hear that his cardio is only for 30 seconds,” he said. “His training is only limited to media training. People around him tell him he’s good, but he doesn’t see it because of his poor sight.”
“Popek…you’re not a rapper. Your music is more like disco. He’s an idiot in real life who pretends to be smart in front of the cameras.”
DAAAAAAMNNN. Calling a guy a sh*tty fighter is one thing, but comparing his music to disco? I’m going to take a guess that “Strachu” roughly translates to “Iceman” in English because that was COOOOOLD BLOOOOODEDDDD.
Well played, KSW. You’ve gotten me interested in a fight that, on paper at least, sounds like one of the more egregious freak show fights in MMA history. Who else is in?
