David Kozma aims to regain his OKTAGON MMA welterweight strap in the Tipsport Gamechanger tournament

David Kozma aims to regain his OKTAGON MMA welterweight strap starting Saturday night, as he will be competing in the Tipsport Gamechanger tournament on March 4.

The 30-12 Czech Republican is looking to bounce back from his one-thousand-plus day reign as champion, as he’ll take on Łukasz Siwiec (8-1) in his first bout of 2023. Ahead of his fight, BJPenn.com‘s Zain Bando spoke with “Pink Panther” about his future goals and a potential dream fight later in his career.

Kozma’s last victory came in April 2022, when he defeated Petr Kníže by a unanimous decision.

Note: Answers were translated due to language barrier concerns

Q: As the former welterweight champion, do you feel you have a leg-up compared to the other fighters in the tournament?

A: I might have because I’ve already [fought] with some of them in the Gamechanger. But I am not counting on it and preparing myself for 100%.

Q: What has been the proudest moment of your MMA career so far, in or out of the cage?

A: Winning the welterweight belt and holding it for [over] 1,000 days.

Q: Is there a dream fighter you’d like to share the cage with?

A: Not really. I mean it would be great to have a fight with Conor (McGregor) because of the huge visibility it might have. But, I do not have a dream opponent.

Q: Who is your most formidable challenge ahead of you? And what about your long title defense streak? Has a win stuck out to you the most throughout your career thus far?

A: I always stay focused on the fight that is right behind me, so now I am only thinking about winning the Gamechanger. Of course, I would like to get the [championship] title back as soon as it will be possible, hopefully it will be during next year.

Will David Kozma win the Gamechanger tournament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, Penn Nation!