Croatian Hrvoje Sep knocks out Vaso Bakočević, silencing Belgrade Arena
Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Croatian fighter Hrvoje Sep defeated Serbian opponent Vaso Bakočević by knockout in the first round.
- The match took place in Belgrade's Arena, leaving the audience in stunned silence.
- Sep expressed respect for Bakočević, acknowledging his positive work despite a past prison sentence.
Croatian fighter Hrvoje Sep secured a knockout victory against Vaso Bakočević in their highly anticipated MMA bout, silencing the Belgrade Arena in the process.
Sep, making his professional MMA debut, delivered a decisive blow to Bakočević's liver with his left hand in the first round, ending the fight quickly. The unexpected outcome left the large crowd in stunned silence.
Following the bout, Sep spoke about his initial perception of Bakočević, admitting he had been misled and thought him to be a "scoundrel." However, after getting to know him better, Sep expressed admiration for Bakočević's constructive work and his role as a positive example for young people, particularly given his past incarceration. Sep apologized if he had previously said anything inappropriate.
Sep also reflected on his own performance, mentioning his background in jiu-jitsu and his calm approach during the fight. He expressed immense happiness at receiving the opportunity to compete and stated his readiness to face any MMA opponent.
Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.