Following his recent string of victories, fans are urging the UFC to sign Will Fleury, a two-division champion who has been making waves in European MMA. Conor McGregor famously held titles in two weight classes simultaneously during his UFC reign. Similarly, Fleury, a teammate from SBG, achieved this rare feat by winning both the light heavyweight and heavyweight belts in one of Europe’s top MMA promotions.
On Sunday night at OKTAGON 81, Fleury secured the most significant win of his career by knocking out Martin Bouday in the first round. Bouday, who was recently released by the UFC despite being ranked 12th in their heavyweight division, had a strong UFC record with seven wins and only a single loss in eight fights. Many expected Bouday to dominate Fleury for the OKTAGON heavyweight title. Instead, Fleury countered a kick attempt with a powerful overhand left early in the fight, leading to a knockdown. Although Bouday got back up, Fleury pressed on aggressively until the referee stopped the bout within two minutes.
The knockout clip quickly gained traction on social media, with many fans expressing a strong desire to see Fleury join the UFC roster in 2026. Comments included calls to “bring Will Fleury to the UFC” and predictions that he would rank easily within the UFC’s top heavyweight contenders. Some speculated that UFC president Dana White might already be considering signing him.
Fan Take: Will Fleury’s rise as a two-division champion and his stunning knockout victory highlight the depth of talent emerging outside the UFC. Bringing him into the UFC could shake up the heavyweight division and add compelling new matchups for fighting fans worldwide.
