Daniel Rutkowski: “I Will Get The KSW Belt”
With the massive influx of Polish MMA talent coming to the world stage as of late, Daniel Rutkowski will look to add to that continued list of rising stars. The top-ranked Polish featherweight has captured the championship in FEN and Babilon MMA, two of Poland’s big three MMA organizations. At KSW 68 on March 19, 2022, Rutkowski will have the chance to complete the triple crown of Polish featherweight championships when he faces Salahdine Parnasse for the title. A win over Parnasse would solidify Rutkowski as one of the best featherweights in the world outside of the UFC.
Rise To The Top
Currently 13-2 in his MMA career, Rutkowski turned his career around quickly after beginning 0-2 in his career. After getting his first victory to end out 2016, Rutkowski went on to have quite the 2017. “Rutek” tallied three wins, all by the finish, and a “no contest” due to a low blow. In 2018 Rutkowski signed with Babilon MMA, one of Poland’s top organizations. Continuing to march his way up the ranks, Rutkowski won his first three bouts in the organization (two by knockout.) This run earned him a shot at the Babilon MMA featherweight championship.
May 2019 saw Daniel Rutkowski earn a chance to capture the title with a matchup against Damian Zorcykowski at Babilon MMA 8. In the night’s five-round co-main event, Rutkowski ended the night with a third-round knockout. In October 2019, Rutkowski battled with Adrian Zielinski at Babilon MMA 10 in a “winner take all” as Zielinski was the FEN champion at the time. After 25 minutes of action, Rutkowski earned the unanimous decision and was now the owner of two of Poland’s three major organizational featherweight titles. After defeating Estabili Amato at Babilon MMA 11, Rutkowski decided to venture into the world of professional boxing.
The Move Into Boxing
Still competing at a high level in MMA, Rutkowski decided he would laterally compete in the world of professional boxing as well. Rutkowski contributes much of his striking success thus far at this stage of his career to his boxing training and bouts. “Thanks to boxing and the fact that I fight and compete with boxers, my boxing skills in MMA are at a higher level and can help me now get the knockouts in MMA,” Rutkowski told MyMMANews. 2-3 in his boxing career, his main focus still remains in the world of MMA and his mission to become one of Europe’s top stars. Training out of Cross Fight Radom in Radom, Poland, Rutkowski also trains alongside the likes of KSW middleweight knockout contender Cezary Kesik.
Entering KSW And Championship Push
By May 2021, Daniel Rutkowski had already taken on three boxing bouts. He was finally set for his first MMA performance of the year. That matchup would come at KSW 64, making his debut with the organization. Prior, his last MMA bout came in a rematch with former FEN champion Zielinski at FEN 31 in November 2020. Rutkowski was again victorious via unanimous decision before taking the time to focus on his boxing career.
Rutkowski was not given an easy task in his KSW debut as he was scheduled to face Filip Pejic. Less than two rounds of action was all it took for Rutkowski to show the world he was ready for the bigger stage, knocking out Pejic with a headkick. The powerful left kick also earned him a knockout of the night bonus in his debut. One impressive win is all it took to convince the KSW brass that a new challenger was ready to take on the French sensation in Parnasse.
With the gold in his sight’s, Rutkowski knows how big of an opportunity awaits him. “I will get the KSW belt! It will first of all be a great achievement and will help me be remembered in the history of Polish MMA because no one from Poland has held three belts from the different federations,” stated Rutkowski. So, what can fans expect from this rising Polish star at KSW 68? “For sure fans can expect 25 minutes of hard fighting and a very emotional match because as always, when I go to the cage, I give it my best.”
