Viktor Pešta

Viktor PeÃÂ¡ta (; born July 15, 1990) is a Czech mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW). He is currently ranked #6 in the KSW Heavyweight rankings.

PeÃÂ¡ta was a Gladiator Championship Fighting Heavyweight Champion, WASO World Heavyweight Champion, Oktagon MMA Light heavyweight Champion and he competed in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He became historically the second UFC fighter from the Czech Republic, after Karlos Vemola.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

In 2006, PeÃÂ¡ta started training under the leadership of VÃÂt SkalnÃÂk. Traditional Musado is the civilian version of Musado, the close quarters combat system used by the Military of the Czech Republic. In 2008, he started training MMA under the leadership of JiÃÂÃÂ VeseckÃÂ½ in the gym in PÃÂÃÂbram, Bohemia.

PeÃÂ¡ta moved to Prague to study at university and to pursue MMA career. In Prague, he began training in Penta Gym. He began amateur fighting at age of 18 and made his professional MMA debut in 2010.

His last fight in GCF was with longtime GCF Heavyweight Champion LukÃÂ¡ÃÂ¡ ÃÂ¤upa for the GFC Heavyweight Championship on December 7, 2013 at GCF 26: Fight Night. PeÃÂ¡ta won in the first round by his signature move, strikes from the (side) mounted crucifix position and he became the new GCF Heavyweight Champion and #1 in Czech heavyweight rankings.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

PeÃÂ¡ta became internationally well known for his website, letmebeyoursparringpartner.com. In February 2014, PeÃÂ¡ta was offered a contract with the UFC.

PeÃÂ¡ta made his debut against face fellow newcomer Ruslan Magomedov on May 31, 2014 at UFC Fight Night 41. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

For his second fight with the promotion, PeÃÂ¡ta faced touted newcomer Konstantin Erokhin on January 24, 2015 at UFC on Fox 14. PeÃÂ¡ta won the fight by unanimous decision.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Derrick Lewis on October 3, 2015 at UFC 192. He lost the fight via TKO in the third round.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Marcin Tybura on August 6, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 92. He lost the fight via head kick KO in the second round.

PeÃÂ¡ta was expected to face Damian Grabowski on January 15, 2017 at UFC Fight Night 103. However, Grabowski pulled out of the fight in late December for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Alexey Oleynik. He lost the fight via submission in the first round.

In May 2017, PeÃÂ¡ta was released from the company.

Fight Nights Global

He signed a contract with Fight Nights Global in the second part of year 2017 after one match at home organization XFN.

OKTAGON MMA

In 2019, PeÃÂ¡ta signed with OKTAGON MMA and made his promotional debut against Mike Kyle at OKTAGON 13 on July 27, 2019. He won the fight via first-round submission.

He then challenged Michal MartÃÂnek for the OKTAGON MMA Heavyweight Championship at OKTAGON 15 on November 9, 2019. He lost the fight in the first round due to an injury.

Move down to Light Heavyweight

PeÃÂ¡ta was expected to face Csaba Hocz at OKTAGON 16 on September 26, 2020. However, PeÃÂ¡ta tested positive for COVID-19 and was replaced by Alexander Poppeck.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Ildemar AlcÃÂ¢ntara at OKTAGON 20 on December 30, 2020. He won the bout via TKO in the first round.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Riccardo Nosiglia at OKTAGON 24 on May 29, 2021. He won the bout via TKO after ground and pounding Nosiglia.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Stephan Puetz for the OKTAGON MMA Light Heavyweight Championship at OKTAGON 28 on September 25, 2021. He won the bout via doctor stoppage after the doctor ended the bout after the third round due to a nose injury.

Professional Fighters League

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Omari Akhmedov on April 23, 2022 at PFL 1. He lost the bout after getting knocked out in first round.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Rob Wilkinson on June 17, 2022 at PFL 4. He lost the bout via TKO stoppage in the first round.

Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki

On January 9, 2023, it was announced that PeÃÂ¡ta signed with KSW, with him making his debut at on September 16, 2023 against Filip Stawowy, in a bout that saw him submit his opponent in the first round via rear-naked choke.

PeÃÂ¡ta faced Szymon Bajor on December 16, 2023 at , losing the bout via split decision.

Personal life

PeÃÂ¡ta's signature move, the (side) mounted crucifix position, was nicknamed/called "BÃÂ¡ba pod koÃÂenem ()" by his fans, after the famous Czech TV Nova's report about an elderly woman who gets stuck for 11 hours under the root of a tree overnight, 50 meters away from her rented hut in the forest and her friends.

Poor Honza, PeÃÂ¡ta's Czech nickname, is a Czech fairy tale hero, similar to the English Jack, the German Hans (or HÃÂ¤nsel) or the Russian Ivan.

Championships and accomplishments

OKTAGON MMA
2021 OKTAGON MMA Light Heavyweight Champion
World Association of Sporting Organizations
2019 WASO World Heavyweight Champion
Gladiator Championship Fighting
2013 GCF Heavyweight Champion

Mixed martial arts record

|- |Loss |align=center|19Ã¢ÂÂ9 |Szymon Bajor |Decision (split) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Gliwice, Poland | |- |Win |align=center|19Ã¢ÂÂ8 |Filip Stawowy |Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:12 |WrocÃÂaw, Poland | |- |Loss |align=center|18Ã¢ÂÂ8 |Rob Wilkinson |TKO (punches) |PFL 4 (2022) | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:03 |Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|18Ã¢ÂÂ7 |Omari Akhmedov |KO (punches) |PFL 1 (2022) | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:25 |Arlington, Texas, United States | |- |Win |align=center|18Ã¢ÂÂ6 |Stephan PÃÂ¼etz |TKO (doctor stoppage) |Oktagon 28 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- |Win |align=center|17Ã¢ÂÂ6 |Riccardo Nosiglia |TKO (punches) |Oktagon 24 | |align=center|2 |align=center|0:50 |Brno, Czech Republic | |- |Win |align=center|16Ã¢ÂÂ6 |Ildemar AlcÃÂ¢ntara |TKO (punches) |Oktagon 20 | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:06 |Brno, Czech Republic | |- |Loss |align=center|15Ã¢ÂÂ6 |Michal MartÃÂnek |TKO (injury broken jaw) |Oktagon 15 | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:49 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- |Win |align=center|15Ã¢ÂÂ5 |Mike Kyle |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Oktagon 13 | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:59 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- |Win |align=center|14Ã¢ÂÂ5 |Ivan VitasoviÃÂ |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Night of Warriors 15 | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:16 |Liberec, Czech Republic | |- |Loss |align=center|13Ã¢ÂÂ5 |Alexander Emelianenko |TKO (punches) |RCC 3 | |align=center|2 |align=center|3:52 |Yekaterinburg, Russia | |- |Win |align=center|13Ã¢ÂÂ4 |Alexander Gladkov |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Bratislava, Slovakia | |- |Win |align=center|12Ã¢ÂÂ4 |Alexei Kudin |Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:52 |Penza, Russia | |- |Win |align=center|11Ã¢ÂÂ4 |MichaÃÂ Kita |TKO (punches) |X Fight Nights 3 | |align=center|2 |align=center|4:39 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- |Loss |align=center|10Ã¢ÂÂ4 |Aleksei Oleinik |Submission (Ezekiel choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:57 |Phoenix, Arizona, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|10Ã¢ÂÂ3 |Marcin Tybura |KO (head kick) | | |align=center|2 |align=center|0:53 |Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|10Ã¢ÂÂ2 |Derrick Lewis |TKO (punches) |UFC 192 | |align=center|3 |align=center|1:15 |Houston, Texas, United States | |- |Win |align=center|10Ã¢ÂÂ1 |Konstantin Erokhin |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Stockholm, Sweden | |- |Loss |align=center|9Ã¢ÂÂ1 |Ruslan Magomedov |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Berlin, Germany | |- |Win |align=center|9Ã¢ÂÂ0 |LukÃÂ¡ÃÂ¡ ÃÂ¤upa |TKO (elbows) |Gladiator CF 26 | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:18 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- |Win |align=center|8Ã¢ÂÂ0 |Yosef Ali Mohammad |Decision (result overturned by SMMAF) |Heroes Fighting 1 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Halmstad, Sweden | |- | Win |align=center|7Ã¢ÂÂ0 |SaÃÂ¡a LaziÃÂ |TKO (punches) |Heroes Gate 9 | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:53 |Prague, Czech Republic | |- | Win |align=center|6Ã¢ÂÂ0 |Christian Colombo |Submission (rear-naked choke) |European MMA 1: Casino Fight Night 2 | |align=center|2 |align=center|1:07 |Copenhagen, Denmark | |- | Win |align=center|5Ã¢ÂÂ0 |Zoran Krpan |TKO (elbows) |Gladiator CF 12 | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:16 |Brno, Czech Republic | |- | Win |align=center|4Ã¢ÂÂ0 |LukÃÂ¡ÃÂ¡ OlejnÃÂk |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Gladiator CF 8 | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:01 |PÃÂÃÂbram, Czech Republic | |- | Win |align=center|3Ã¢ÂÂ0 |Alexander UhlÃÂÃÂ |TKO (punches) |Noc Valecniku: Warrior Night 3 | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:59 |Kladno, Czech Republic | |- | Win |align=center|2Ã¢ÂÂ0 |ÃÂ tefan KrajÃÂÃÂ |Decision (unanimous) |Gladiator CF 2 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |MladÃÂ¡ Boleslav, Czech Republic | |- | Win |align=center|1Ã¢ÂÂ0 |VÃÂt MrÃÂ¡kota |Submission (armbar) |Gladiator CF 1 | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:49 |Prague, Czech Republic | |-

Amateur record

References

External links