The British heavyweight will be the first to tell you that. The De Fries of 2012 was going through a dark time, not just in fighting but in life — his struggles with anxiety and alcoholism now well-documented.

On Saturday, atop KSW 79, the Polish promotion’s debut in nearby Czech Republic, De Fries had a rare opportunity — to avenge that loss to Duffee in a rematch a decade in the making.

De Fries, on a ten-fight win streak with seven title defenses, made the most of it, returning the favor and stopping Duffee inside of a round.

Duffee had been the center of attention ahead of the fight, turning up on The MMA Hour and elsewhere after a three-year absence. He promised to take care of a fighter he’d labelled “boring” despite admitting that the Phil De Fries of 2023 was a very different athlete.

It wasn’t long, however, before Duffee was on the ground. Soon enough, he’d given up his back, with De Fries mounted on top of him. Down came the ground n’ pound, as Duffee covered up, escape out of the question, and too much time on the clock to weather the storm.

The ref waved it off. De Fries had title defense #8 in the bag, and his eleventh straight win.

With Michal Kita defeating Daniel Omielańczuk earlier in the night, what comes next for De Fries will be interesting. The promotion recently announced a return to Poland’s national stadium, PGE Narodowy, in Warsaw this June. Having the heavyweight title on the line at KSW Colosseum 2 is a no-brainer — but with De Fries continuing to clean out the division (he’s already defeated Kita, and everyone else the promotion has thrown at him), the question is, who’s left?

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A decade removed from his UFC run, Phil De Fries has become a dominant force in KSW’s heavyweight division. The dominant force. Since capturing the title in 2018, the Englishman has defended his championship a stunning seven times, knocking off two UFC veterans, and a couple of KSW champions (Tomasz Narkun, Karol Bedorf) in that span.

Overall, De Fries has won ten straight fights, with his opponents sporting a combined 160-54 record in that span. That number becomes even more impressive when you consider that a 2017 Bellator fight with James Thompson accounts for 13 of those losses.

One of De Fries’ own losses returned to face him for the second time this weekend. Out of action since a 2019 No Contest at UFC Vancouver, Todd Duffee finally returned to the cage. Their first fight saw Duffee score a knockout inside of a round; both fighters would tell you that the 2012 contest saw a very different De Fries enter the cage.

Would he avenge the loss on Saturday at KSW 79, or would lightning strike twice for Duffee, who has had to overcome numerous injuries and ailments over the years?

Phil De Fries and Todd Duffee weren’t the only UFC vets in action on Saturday, as heavyweight Daniel Omielanczuk was matched up with a former title challenger in Michal Kita.

KSW 79 takes place at the Home Credit Arena in Librec, Czech Republic on Saturday, February 25, 2023. The card streams live via KSWTV.com; full results from the event can be found below.

KSW 79: De Fries vs. Duffee 2 Results

KSW 79 Weigh-In Results

Phil De Fries def. Todd Duffee by TKO (punches), Round 1, 3:46 — for the KSW heavyweight championship
Dominik Humburger def. Jorge Luiz Bueno Jr. by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Arek Wrzosek def. Tomas Mozny by unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
Michal Kita def. Daniel Omielanczuk by TKO (punches), Round 3, 2:06
Brian Hooi def. Jivko Stoimenov by TKO (punches and elbows), Round 1, 3:52
Andreas Gustafsson def. David Hosek by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:33
Ramzan Jembiev def. Murilo Delfino by knockout (head kick), Round 2, 0:19
Natalia Baczynska def. Petra Castkova by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Matyas Viszlay def. Frederico Komuenha by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

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In a rematch over a decade in the making, Phil De Fries will look to make his eighth consecutive title defense opposite the returning Todd Duffee. The pair first met in 2012, when Duffee knocked out De Fries inside of a round at UFC 155.

Since then, the duo have travelled very different paths. Duffee has fought in fits and starts, struggling with injury and illness including Parsonage–Turner, a knee injury, and an MRSA infection. He last competed in 2019, in a bout with Jeff Hughes at UFC Vancouver that ended in a No Contest due to an eye poke.

De Fries, meanwhile, has stayed busy, winning ten straight fights dating back to 2017 and defending his KSW heavyweight championship a stunning seven times. Arguably one of the best heavyweights outside the UFC, De Fries has a rare chance for vengeance in the KSW 79 main event — where he’ll look to show just how much he has evolved as a fighter.

Former UFC heavyweight Daniel Omielanczuk will also be in action on Saturday, looking to pick up his second straight victory.

Full results from Friday’s KSW 79 weigh-in can be found below. The event takes place Saturday, February 25, 2023 in Librec, Czech Republic at the Home Credit Arena, streaming live via KSWTV.com.

KSW 79 Weigh-In Results

Main Event
KSW Heavyweight Title
Champion Phil De Fries (120 kg/265 lb) vs. Todd Duffee (109 kg/240 lb)

Co-Main Event
Middleweight
Dominik Humburger (84 kg/185 lb) vs. Jorge Bueno (84.3 kg/186 lb)

Heavyweight
Arek Wrzosek (107.2 kg/236 lb) vs. Tomáš Možný (120.6 kg/266 lb)

Heavyweight
Daniel Omielanczuk (114.8 kg/253 lb) vs. Michal Kita (108.3 kg/239 lb)

Welterweight
Brian Hooi (77 kg/170 lb) vs. Jivko Stoimenov (77.1 kg/170 lb)

Middleweight
Andreas Gustafsson (84.1 kg/185 lb) vs. David Hosek (84.3 kg/186 lb)

Catchweight 68.5 kg | 151 lb
Ramzan Jembiev (68.5 kg/151 lb) vs. Murilo Delfino (68.5 kg/151 lb)

Catchweight 59kg | 130lb 
Natalia Baczynska (59 kg/130 lb) vs. Petra Castkova (58.8 kg/130 lb)

Middleweight – First Fight
Frederico Komuenha (84.4 kg/186 lb) vs. Matyas Viszlay (84.1 kg/185 lb)

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That’s something of a loaded question; after all, pretty much every fighter strives to be the best, with the self-belief that on any given day, they can be. But in his case, the shoe might just fit. De Fries has been on fire the past few years. He stacks up incredibly well against any of the heavyweights in the PFL, Bellator MMA, or ONE Championship, and probably a good number of UFC big men.

Ten fight win streaks don’t come often at heavyweight, where one punch can change anything. In that stretch, he’s defended the KSW heavyweight title an astonishing seven times. Two of those opponents were former UFC athletes.

“I think everybody fighting, everyone is tough to beat now. I feel on my day, I can beat anyone,” De Fries (22-6, 1NC) replied to that very question. “I’ve mixed it up with Tom [Aspinall, UFC heavyweight] pretty much every day lately, and I firmly believe Tom’s the best on the planet at the minute.”

“Yeah, I would say I’m one of the best outside the UFC that there is. But you know I’d love to do cross promotion, let’s go and really find this thing out, you know?”

The UFC isn’t about to change their mind on cross-promotion. But Bellator, for one, has been open to the possibility, going into business with Japan’s RIZIN at times. There’s a history there, dating back to Strikeforce and PRIDE, but never say never.

Of course, also outside the UFC technically at the moment is Francis Ngannou, who has yet to sign on with a new home. So maybe there’s an asterisk to our original question. De Fries, for his part, is a fan of how “The Predator” handled himself in negotiations with their shared former employer.

“I love it. I bloody love it. He stuck to his guns, he wants what he wants. I think there’s a lot of money to be had at the UFC, but I think they’re making a lot more money than they’re sharing. I think it’s great, athletes standing up against the big guy,” said De Fries. “I hope he makes a lot of money, and I hope that many other people follow suit, and everybody can start earning a bit more money.”

Ngannou has been vocal about his desire to try his hand at boxing, and De Fries’ own UFC run came to an end roughly two years before Ngannou showed up in the organization, meaning they never crossed paths. He’d love the fight, if it were ever possible (as unlikely as it seems, KSW has sold out stadiums in Poland before, and have the sort of production that could make even a one-off fight seem special). De Fries just has one condition.

“I would love that fight, that would be fantastic. But I would also want loads of cash!” he exclaimed. “I’m at a stage of my career, I’m 36. I’ll fight bloody anyone on the planet. I’m ready to fight anyone, I can prepare for anyone, I’m not going to say no to anyone, but I am going to say ‘yes, give me some more money!'”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z72ysURjsgQ

These sort of what-ifs are what makes MMA so much fun. The sport was created to answer the “what if” scenarios of the day, after all: what if a wrestler took on a boxer? Who would win? KSW 79’s main event will feature another what-if of sorts, with a rematch a decade in the making.

Rematches always bring a host of questions, starting with “what if they meet again? Who’s shown more growth as a fight?” In the case of Todd Duffee, De Fries’ opponent this Saturday, there are a far more questions than answers, however.

Duffee has been out of action since 2019, when a fight against Stipe Miocic teammate Jeff Hughes ended in a No Contest due to an accidental eye poke. Duffee’s career to that point had been plagued by health problems, and it would not have been a surprise had he never fought again.

Instead, De Fries now has a chance to avenge a defeat served up back in 2012, towards the end of his UFC run.

“It’s always good to avenge a loss. Especially a loss where I lost by being kind of bored of fighting and weak in the head. That was 11 years ago, that whole stage of my life was a dark time,” said De Fries, who has been very open about the depression, alcohol, and anxiety issues he’s had to overcome. “There’s no hard feelings, but it would be nice to get a little revenge.”

The De Fries of 2023 is a very different animal, he believes, from the one that faced Duffee the first time around. “This time, he’s going to fight the real me, who’s going to stand there and fight. And I’m a lot better than I was back then. So it does mean a lot, I’m raring to go. It’s always nice to have a little extra motivation.”

With over a decade having passed, however, how do you prepare for a rematch with an opponent who has fought pretty much in fits and starts?

“You can only go by the past couple of fights he’s had,” De Fries suggested. “I don’t think he’s changed. He’s the same guy. He hits really hard, he starts fast, and he’s pretty one-dimensional. I don’t think he’ll be fit enough to go five rounds, for sure, especially at my pace.”

“I don’t expect any new tricks up his sleeve. I know he sometimes comes out southpaw, and that’s something I’ve prepared for if he does. But I’m good to go. I think he’s the same guy, I think I’m the one that’s all different.”

Phil De Fries faces Todd Duffee in the main event of KSW 79 this Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Home Credit Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic.

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On Wednesday, promotion officials announced that longtime heavyweight champion Phil De Fries (22-6, 1NC) will face former UFC talent Todd Duffee (9-3, 1NC) in the main event of the February 25, 2023 event.

Duffee announced his signing with the company on Wednesday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“Who else are you going to call to besides an American to come save the heavyweight division for KSW?” Duffee told host Ariel Helwani after revealing the news.

Duffee fought in fits and starts during his UFC career, competing twice in 2008-09 before leaving the company. He returned in 2012, fighting four times up to 2019, in part due to being diagnosed with Parsonage–Turner syndrome, a neurological disorder that can cause severe pain in the shoulders and arms.

Following a 2019 fight that ended in a No Contest due to an accidental eye poke against Jeff Hughes, Duffee underwent surgeries on his shoulder and knee. He would later retire — but will make his comeback in what is a rematch with De Fries.

The pair first met under the UFC banner in 2012, with Duffee winning by TKO. De Fries, who fought four times for the promotion, made he exit the following year. He eventually made his way to KSW, and currently sits on a 10-fight winning streak. With seven straight title defenses, he remains one of the most decorated heavyweights outside the UFC at the moment.

KSW 79 will take place at the Home Credit Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic on February 25, 2023.

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The rise of Czech MMA has been ongoing for a couple of years now, with Jiri Prochazka landing in the UFC and claiming light heavyweight gold (prior to vacating the title due to injury), and Oktagon MMA becoming one of Europe’s better regional promotions.

Now, KSW will debut in the country with KSW 79 on February 25, 2023 at the Home Credit Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic.

Promotion officials announced the news via press release recently.

KSW has previously held events in the U.K., Ireland, and Croatia, but saw its international expansion halted during the coronavirus pandemic. The Czech Republic show will mark its first event outside Poland since the onset of COVID-19.

While no match-ups have been made official for KSW 79, a trio of heavyweight fighters are expected to compete next month, including heavyweight champion Phil De Fries. With seven defenses of his heavyweight title, De Fries (22-6, 1NC), a former UFC talent, has become one of the most successful heavyweights outside the UFC and arguably Bellator MMA.

Another former UFC talent, Czech Republic’s own Viktor Pesta, will make his promotional debut at the event. Pesta will be returning to the heavyweight division after a stint at light heavyweight that saw him claim gold in Oktagon MMA, then enter the PFL regular season last year.

Former Glory heavyweight and Polish kickboxing star Arek Wrzosek (1-0) will compete in MMA for the second time at the event.

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