Andreas Michailidis Apologizes for OKTAGON 67 Loss After Thumb Injury

Andreas Michailidis, who once faced Alex Pereira in a memorable UFC debut for the Brazilian, has expressed his regret after a disappointing loss at OKTAGON 67. The Greek fighter, a former UFC competitor, had been in solid form since his move to European promotion OKTAGON, where he had mixed results in his previous bouts.

Michailidis had been preparing for the middleweight Tipsport Gamechanger tournament and entered the fight with high expectations. Despite getting off to a strong start in the opening round, his plans were disrupted by a thumb injury that would have lasting consequences. The injury severely hindered his ability to defend, particularly after being stunned by a blow during the first round. The fight ended with Michailidis falling to a submission via guillotine choke at the hands of South Africa's Mark Hulme, a notable figure in the MMA world and a training partner of Dricus Du Plessis.

In an emotional post on Instagram following the loss, Michailidis apologized to his fans, explaining that the thumb injury clouded his focus, ultimately affecting his defense during the fight. “Everything started well at first and was going according to our strategy until I broke my thumb during an exchange. Once I realized what happened, it affected my mind, and I couldn’t defend against the guillotine choke,” he said. Michailidis, who has a 3-3 record with OKTAGON so far, promised to heal his hand and return stronger for his next challenge.

While this defeat may have stung, Michailidis remains determined to bounce back. His resolve shows the true nature of a fighter, as he is committed to returning to the cage stronger than ever. Fans are eager to see how the former UFC veteran will recover and make a more formidable run in OKTAGON in the future.