The 67 kg UTMA kickboxing tournament for the championship title is finally reaching its climax with a blockbuster final. Fighting for the belt in arguably the most active and stacked weight class at UTMA 19 will be Martynas Danius (2-1, 2 KOs UTMA) and Khyzer Hayat (2-0, 1 KO UTMA).
As a reminder, this is the 67 kg UTMA kickboxing tournament final-a five-round title fight for the UTMA 67 kg kickboxing championship belt.
The fight will take place on September 26th at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas. The main event of the UTMA 19 card features a heavyweight clash between Sergejus Maslobojevas and Dominykas Dirkstys.
Tickets are selling fast on kakava.lt, and the PPV live stream can be purchased at UTMA.lt.
Danius kicked off his UTMA career with a loss to Vitas Karosas at UTMA RISING 1, but he arrives at UTMA 19 riding a wave of momentum following back-to-back knockout victories.
In the 67 kg kickboxing tournament semifinals at UTMA 12, Danius knocked out Deividas Danyla in the opening round, and at UTMA 13, he secured a second-round TKO victory over Matas Pultaražinskas in a Muay Thai contest fought with MMA gloves.
Meanwhile, Hayat has made two appearances in the UTMA ring. In his promotional debut at UTMA 8, Hayat defeated Deividas Danyla, and at UTMA 13, he finished Vitas Karosas via second-round TKO in the 67 kg tournament semifinals.
By the time UTMA 19 rolls around, nearly a full year will have passed since either fighter last competed under the UTMA banner.
“Heading into the fight with Hayat after a layoff like this, I’m going to be different – I’m coming back older, wiser, more mature. He’s aged a bit too. I’m joking, of course, but I’ve been training and staying in shape throughout the year. Ate well too, put on some size. It’s going to be really interesting. We still have a long camp ahead – seven weeks of work,” Danius said with a laugh.
Hayat also emphasized that his preparation for this title bout never wavered.
“My preparation never stopped. During this period, I was also focused on another personal project I had to take care of, but my fight career and training have always remained the top priority. For months, I’ve been specifically preparing for this fight, working hard to reach the highest level possible. You’re going to see the best version of Khyzer yet – a better fighter than the one you saw last year,” Hayat asserted.
Having crossed paths at UTMA 13, both finalists have had plenty of time to study tape and break down each other’s games. So, what have they picked up?
“I’ve seen that he can be tactical when he needs to be, but he can also mix it up if the fight demands it. He adapts well to his opponent. Were they on the same level? His fight with Deividas was pretty close – now it’s my turn. To put it simply: the last of the Mohicans is coming to knock him out. Sure, he has more titles. Where am I better? Hard to say. I’m just going in there to take him down. I want to land on him, see how he reacts, see how he handles getting hit cleanly. After that, we’ll see who’s better and who’s worse; I don’t see any insurmountable advantages,” Danius analyzed.
“Danius is a great fighter with an impressive record and a successful career. I’ve watched his previous fights and I know he has his strengths and will be a tough opponent. But at the end of the day, we both have two arms and two legs, and we’ll have to prove in the ring who’s better. One of my biggest strengths is my aggressive style and my broad skill set. I like pressing the action, forcing my pace, and keeping opponents constantly reacting to me. I have multiple ways to steer the fight where I want it and I know how to adapt to any situation,” Hayat explained.
Hayat has previously held professional world titles in other organizations, and Danius has also fought for professional championships before. Both fighters, however, made it clear that this opportunity holds special weight.
“It’s not my first title fight, but bouts like this only come around once every five years or so. You grind, you climb that mountain, maybe you lose a title fight somewhere along the way, and you start climbing again. Now I’ve reached the peak, and it’s time to stay there. Battles like this are rare and thrilling – five rounds await, which changes the dynamic completely. Like I said, I want to connect cleanly – once, maybe twice – and once I land, we’ll see how everything changes,” Danius said.
“I know what it means to fight for a belt and win a title at the highest level. But this UTMA title is especially important to me. The tournament has drawn significant international attention and gathered top-tier competition, including fighters from major promotions worldwide. Just making it to the final against elite domestic competition in Lithuania means a lot. Now I have the chance to take that final step and claim the belt. It means much more to me than just adding another trophy – it’s another platform to show what I’m capable of, to compete at the highest level outside of Spain, and to prove the quality of fighters we have back home,” Hayat reflected.
For Danius, camp for this title fight brings an added layer of personal emotion: his family is preparing for a new arrival as they await the birth of a child.
“There’s definitely pressure. But that’s life – it’s unpredictable, and just like in a fight, things change fast. We’re stepping on the gas, aiming for a successful and happy finish across the board,” Danius concluded.
This fight takes place on September 26th at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas. The main event of UTMA 19 features a heavyweight collision between Sergejus Maslobojevas and Dominykas Dirkstys.
Tickets are selling fast on kakava.lt, and the PPV stream is available on UTMA.lt.
