Artur Szpilka made a great first impression this weekend, but froze when it came to the actual fight.
Saturday evening, Szpilka faced Arkadiusz Wrzosek in the co-main event of KSW 94 in Gdańsk, Poland. Szpilka is a former professional boxer who once challenged Deontay Wilder for the WBC heavyweight title, and as such, the man has a history of showmanship in his walkouts. For instance, in 2023 he came to the KSW cage in a car for his bout with Mariusz Pudzianowski. But on Saturday, Szpilka outdid himself, arriving to the arena in a Mr. Freeze-esque cryochamber.
What is happening at #KSW94?
— KSW (@KSW_MMA) May 11, 2024
It's @szpilka_artur stepping into the ring!
pic.twitter.com/QYoVxAuneG
Unfortunately for Szpilka, that cool walkout didn’t translate to in-cage success, as the 35-year-old fighter ended up getting iced in just 14 seconds. Szpilka charged across the cage early and Wrzosek simply dumped him forward to the mat, following up with a hail of punches for the quick finish.
Check out the highlight below.
Arkadiusz Wrzosek claims a lightning-fast TKO over Artur Szpilka in just 14 seconds at #KSW94.
— KSW (@KSW_MMA) May 11, 2024
That's how you make a statement!
XTB #KSW94 | Viaplay | KSWTV pic.twitter.com/DqLHyBGUQM
