Why will D. Dirkstys fight against an inexperienced fighter in a different weight category at the UTMA tournament in Klaipėda?

On Friday, March 28th, the second UTMA Rising fighting tournament will take place at the Švyturys Arena in Klaipėda.

9 out of 10 fights of the tournament are already clear, while Dominykas Dirkstys (7-2 UTMA), who will also appear in the ring, will find out his opponent only on the day of the tournament. It was announced that the fighter who performed best in the 86-88 kg weight category in the “open ring” will challenge D. Dirkstys. Regardless of the outcome of the fight, the fighter who faced D. Dirkstys will receive a fee for both fights, will receive a 2-fight guaranteed contract with UTMA, and if he celebrates a victory against the UTMA “pound-for-pound” rating leader, he will earn as much as 10 thousand euros. Talk began on social networks that D. Dirkstys would once again fight against a fighter not in his category and in general would fight “not against an opponent of his level, who has no experience”. The UTMA organization itself reacted to this and explained this decision.

There was talk on social media that D. Dirkstys would once again fight against a fighter outside his category and, in general, would fight "against an opponent of his level who lacks experience." The UTMA organization itself reacted to this and explained the decision.

"D. Dirkstys will fight his "class" opponent in the second main event of the evening on April 19 at the Zalgiris Arena in Kaunas, and there are just over 3 weeks left until this fight, so fighting twice in a fight when the fighter must go to his last fight is neither logical nor possible," the UTMA social media account says. "In such a situation, Dominykas himself expressed his desire to appear in his hometown of Klaipėda at any cost, and since a suitable opponent did not appear, according to which, in the organization's opinion, the opponent would suit Dominykas and such a fight would not be controversial in the martial arts world community, the organization offered an option that could be not only a young fighter's path to the organization, but also an unexpected and very large cash prize."

The organization provides the young fighter with the opportunity to appear not only in the "open ring", but also to fight Dominykas and receive royalties for both fights and an additional opportunity to show his abilities in the organization in the future against an opponent of his level. In case of victory, he will also receive a cash prize of 10 thousand euros.

UTMA "open ring" tournaments start before the main "UTMA Rising" tournament and are held so that not only well-known fighters, but also young or unknown Lithuanian fighters can use the UTMA platform.

All fights of the UTMA Rising 2 tournament:

Raimondas Avlasevičius (1-0-1 UTMA) – Nauris Lukošiūnas (0-0 UTMA) | –75 kg, kickboxing tournament semi-final

Dominykas Dirkstys (7-2 UTMA) – TBA | –86/88 kg, kickboxing Ignas Pauliukevičius (1-0 UTMA) – Alexas Velenčič (1-0 UTMA) | –95 kg, kickboxing

Mantvydas Perednis (3-1 UTMA) – Edvinas Averlingis (2-1 UTMA) | -71 kg, kickboxing Artūras Brižinskas (4-2 UTMA) – Žygimantas Kiudelis (0-0 UTMA) | -63,5 kg, kickboxing

Danyla Matiukov (0-1 UTMA) – Adas Ribakovas (0-0 UTMA) | -75 kg, kickboxing Edgaras Semionovas (2-4 UTMA) – Pavel Majauskas (0-0 UTMA) | -62 kg, kickboxing

Deividas Žamba (1-0 UTMA) – Milanas Majauskas (0-0 UTMA) | -59 kg, MMA Kristupas Šimkus (0-0 UTMA) – Szymonas Soltys (0-0 UTMA) | -95 kg, kickboxing

Augustas Bagdonas (1-0 UTMA) – Eimantas Zarečnyj (0-0 UTMA) | -63,5 kg, kickboxing

Full article here.