Raphael ‘Virtuoso’ Federico is 5-0 in his career and is just a few weeks away from his OKTAGON debut. The Italian fighter has been impressive, winning four of his fights with knockouts, three coming in the first round. Yet, having never fought outside of Italy – can he bring his winning streak to Germany?
5-0 in Italy
When on home soil, Raphael Federico has boasted an incredible start to his MMA career. His debut saw him dispense with Riccardo Sartirana with a series of ground-and-pound attacks in the first round. Another first-round win followed that up, as he continued to gain momentum in his hometown scene.
Of course, he had to leave the extreme northern heights of Italy to get bigger fights. Milan came calling with a battle against Cherif Ba Pape. That has undoubtedly been his most challenging fight, going all three rounds – and needing the judge’s decision to win this one.
Federico was back in Bergamo for his fourth fight in June 2024, where he fought in the confines of a ring against Frenchman Jonathan Fanard. A stern overhand right stopped the fight just 19 seconds into the second round, leaving no doubt about the result.
Raphael’s most recent fight saw him headline a card curated by Fight1 Promotion. Again inside a Bergamo-based ring, Federico produced a first-round finish to defeat fellow Italian Yuri Massacesi. Subsequently, he proved to go 5-0 in his overall record.
Can he succeed in Germany?
Raphael Federico has only ever fought in Italy before. Close to his hometown, too. Fighting miles away from his turf will be an achievement. OKTAGON 66 takes him from his comfort zone and places him in an unknown environment. There’ll be no home cooking from the Italian judges in Dusseldorf.
It’s not just the geographic placement that’s new for Federico. He’s fighting for a recognised promotion for the first time. Few people will have watched his fights on the smaller Italian promotion events, except for Italian/European MMA fanatics. Some of his prior fights were fought in boxing rings on cards with kickboxing, and Muay Thai bouts – this is a big step up in a professional environment. Can Federico deal with the spotlight? After all, many more people will see him on this OKTAGON live card.
Federico has been exceptional in his first five fights. Has he been perfect because the opponents were amateurs? Or does he have the ability to compete at a higher level? OKTAGON 66 has the answers.
Move to OKTAGON Makes Sense
While Raphael could have continued to dominate the Northern Italy MMA scene, it’s clear that he has the talent to compete in a bigger pool. The Italian combat promoters can’t give him the fights, exposure or paycheques he deserves. Is OKTAGON TV the biggest promotion in the world? No. But it’s a step in the right direction.
As German as Italy Gets
It is worth noting that Raphael Federico is from San Genesio (Jeneisen) in South Tyrol. Despite the prefix South, this is one of the most northern points in Italy. The area borders Austria and Switzerland, and German is recognised as a co-official language—70% of South Tyrol speaks it.
What does this mean for Federico? Well, nothing. He’s still got to travel borders and go to Germany, which isn’t his homeland. However, the home advantage his opponent, Daniel Solaja, might think he has will be dramatically reduced. Federico will probably understand the German being spoken around him. He might even be able to haggle himself a discount at the on-site OKTAGON shop with the right choice of words.
A good Opponent in the form of Daniel Solaja
So who is Federico fighting? It’s a man named Daniel Solaja. He is of Serbian descent but was born in Dusseldorf, Germany. Yes, he will benefit from fighting in front of his hometown, but Solaja has had limited success in combat sports.
He started his career as a kickboxer but lost his two professional bouts in that discipline before moving to MMA. He’s got a 2-1 record, having fought on OKTAGON PPV and We Love MMA cards. The German’s experience at this slightly higher level of MMA competition could be what helps him win the fight. (Reddit MMA is now debating at length the complexities of Northern Italy’s MMA news and results, justifying why it is actually better than UFC…)
Solaja knocked off fellow German fighter Sami Zarabi in his last fight. He was considered the underdog in the fight, as his opponent had much more fight experience and a 4-1 record before the night unfolded. Can he produce another upset here in Dusseldorf on his second appearance on a MMA OKTAGON card?
How to watch OKTAGON MMA?
Don’t know mate. Google it. Probably depends on where you live and who owns OKTAGON broadcast rights in that area.
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