UTMA 19 will also feature matchups in the heavier divisions, as Naglis Kanišauskas (3-1 UTMA), who continues his climb up the weight classes, steps into the ring to face Dovydas Girdzevičius (0-1 UTMA), a fighter who has already proven his grit under the UTMA banner.
The contest will be a catchweight bout at 91 kg, held under kickboxing rules.
This fight will take place on September 26th at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas. The main event of UTMA 19 features a heavyweight clash between Sergejus Maslobojevas and Dominykas Dirkstys.
Tickets are selling fast on kakava.lt, and the live PPV broadcast can be ordered at UTMA.lt.
This will mark the heaviest weight class of N. Kanišauskas’ UTMA career.
Kanišauskas made his UTMA debut in January 2025 at UTMA RISING 1, securing a second-round TKO victory over Isa Gocmen in an 84 kg kickboxing contest.
At UTMA 13, Kanišauskas suffered a first-round KO loss to D. Dirkstys, but he has been on an impressive winning streak against formidable opposition ever since.
At UTMA 16, the Klaipėda native secured a third-round TKO over Latvia’s Ričards Ozols, and at UTMA 18, he emerged victorious against Maxim Zaplitnii after a grueling battle that went to an extra round. All of these bouts took place at 86 kg.
“I’m moving up in weight once again – I don’t have much choice. There aren’t many opponents left at 86 kg, and I’m chasing the guy I want a rematch with. I’m not lazy when it comes to cutting weight, but fighting in a higher division might actually be more interesting. I walk around at over 95 kg, so I usually cut a lot; now I can give my body a rest, conserve energy, and keep my muscle mass strong,” Kanišauskas explained regarding his shifting weight divisions.
Meanwhile, D. Girdzevičius made his promotional debut at UTMA 18 when he stepped up on short notice to take on Edvinas Šalkovskis. Girdzevičius displayed true fighter’s heart, though his corner ultimately stopped the fight in the second round.
“I gained invaluable experience and realized I can compete with the best. I pushed past my own boundaries – public speaking, debuting in front of the cameras and a massive crowd. Fighting in such a huge arena helped me master my inner mental state and show my character. Now training camp is underway – I’m working out with the Titanas guys and my coach, focusing on endurance, building experience, and learning. We know our main weaknesses and we’re fixing them all,” Girdzevičius shared.
N. Kanišauskas entered the UTMA ring from an MMA background, whereas D. Girdzevičius brings extensive Muay Thai experience. Another noticeable difference is height: Kanišauskas stands at 192 cm, giving Girdzevičius a slight 3 cm height advantage, as well as more familiarity competing in heavier weight classes. However, neither fighter attaches much weight to the physical differences.
“Dovydas is a solid fighter; he definitely surprised everyone. Nobody wrote him off, but it’s always tough when you have so little time to prepare. He took the fight on short notice and put on a great performance. I don’t pay too much attention to height – lately all my opponents have been shorter, but it’s no problem that he’s taller. I’m actually curious to see how I perform against someone with his frame,” Kanišauskas noted.
“From what I’ve watched, Naglis looked really good in his recent fights. He’s just as tough as Šalkovskis, maybe just coming from a slightly lower weight class. He has plenty of experience and stamina. I don’t think the weight class will change much; either way, it’s going to be a great fight,” Girdzevičius stated.
Both athletes last competed at UTMA 18, giving them an identical turnaround time between events. For Kanišauskas, this meant a slightly calmer summer routine.
“For the first time in five years, I was able to actually enjoy the summer. I used to always have fights in July and could only rest in August. I kept training and staying fit – not pushing to the extreme, but maintaining my conditioning. I started ramping up the intensity in the first week of August, structured my camp, and got down to serious work,” Kanišauskas said.
Girdzevičius is confident that having passed his promotional initiation, he will step into his second UTMA fight with far greater self-assurance.
“My advantage will be stepping in with even more confidence. I know I can fight, and I know I can perform at a high level. It just takes hard work. I have the complete arsenal, I’ll keep improving, and everything will go well,” Girdzevičius asserted.
Moving up another weight class, Kanišauskas makes no secret that his primary goal remains avenging his sole UTMA defeat, though he also sees plenty of targets among the heavier fighters.
“I feel like I’ve cleared out the 86 kg division – the only guy I want a rematch with keeps running from me. I’m moving up through the weight classes alongside him, and until I get that rematch, I’ll have time to clash with other big names in the 95 kg division,” Kanišauskas affirmed.
The bout between N. Kanišauskas and D. Girdzevičius takes place on September 26th at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas. The main event of UTMA 19 will feature Sergejus Maslobojevas vs. Dominykas Dirkstys.
Tickets are selling fast on kakava.lt, and the PPV live stream is available at UTMA.lt.
