Khalid Taha before MMA home game
The long way back for Dortmund’s last “warrior”
The long way back for Dortmund’s last “warrior”
By Michael Bauer
04.04.2025, 7:09 p.m.
Injuries can become a test of patience in professional sports. Khalid Taha can sing a song of that. The MMA fighter from Dortmund can also gain positive things from the suffering and now dares to restart in the large organization Oktagon.
Las Vegas, Melbourne, Jakarta or the Japanese Saitama – Khalid Taha has already seen the wide world of mixed martial arts and the largest organizations. But none of the cities mentioned is associated with as many emotions as his home Dortmund. There is “The Warrior” at Oktagon 69 (On Saturday from 5:30 p.m. on RTL+) return to the large MMA stage – and at the same time end a long time of suffering.
Little was heard from the former UFC fighter for two years, nothing seen in the cage. “I took one break after another,” Taha looks back in an interview with NTV/RTL. He also had a lengthy eye injury. “The past two years have been determined by injuries.” It is all the more gratifying for the 33-year-old that he can continue where he had his last fight for now: in Dortmund.
In 2023 he climbed into the cage after his end in the elite league UFC in the Westfalenhalle under the banner of NFC, a smaller German organization. With his commitment to Oktagon, the return to an international top organization is now returned, plus in the usual realms. Even if Taha had several offers from other organizations: Oktagon made the most sense. “I am happy to be part of it and want to strike like a bomb,” he says.
Full arenas and a fixed schedule
The home game has many advantages for him. Above all: No travel stress for the spring weight fighter who was used to competing abroad. But others also benefit. “I want to fight in Germany, for the sake of my family and my fans. They shouldn’t travel for half the world to see me. This is a giant stage and I am happy to experience this encouragement. For me, this is a great motivation to hear the people. That gives me energy,” says the Dortmund, who awaits a hoot cesser in a sold -out Westphalia hall with 15,000 spectators.
A component that Taha estimates in Oktagon next to the large staging and the full arenas is its schedule. “The events for the year are already clear. This means that if you win and is unharmed, you can already see where you may be fighting next. This is not the case in other organizations.” The German-Libanese in particular has caught the eye of the events in Germany: Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich are still on the Ruhr metropolis. Taha does not want to look out of the fight in Dortmund and his opponent José Zarauz.
The Peruvian fought a few strong people who are now in the UFC. “If you have 26 victories on your bump, you can fight. I wanted such a challenge. He even has more experience than me when it comes to the number of fights.” Taha used the two years without a fight to develop in many areas. “I worked on everything. Striking, wrestling, Jiu -Jitsu. And so it will work in the fight. I will put my opponent under pressure for three laps – a hail of ball over 15 minutes or it falls over beforehand.”
A victory would also mean that afterwards an opponent from Germany faces him. Max Holzer and Deniz Ilbay, who will contest the main fight at Oktagon 69, were also traded as opponents for the Dortmund. “I said from the beginning: I fight against Holzer, I fight against Ilbay. But I still have another big challenge in front of me. One thing I will fight one of the two at some point,” promises Taha.
