Madrid Hosts Pivotal WOW 25 as Champions Look to Cement Their Reign
On December 13th, WOW FC returns to Madrid for its 25th event. The Event delivers a lineup that blends championship stakes with can’t-miss prospect matchups. WOW FC 25 offers a rare combination of elite talent and high-risk, high-reward matchmaking that promises to shape the promotion’s future. Here are the fights to watch:
Umakhan Ibragimov (10-1) vs Brian Hooi (20-12)
In June 2025, Georgia’s Umakhan Ibragimov captured the lightweight championship, finishing Ignacio Capella in round one with a beautiful left hook. Now, he’ll be going for his first title defense against former KSW veteran Brian Hooi. WOW FC will be Hooi’s third different promotion in the past three fights since being released by KSW. He’s still willing to throw down despite all his mileage.
It’s been a struggle to find the surging Umakhan Ibragimov an opponent for December 13th. He was scheduled twice before receiving Hooi as an official opponent. I still expect him to finish this fight in the first two rounds. Ibragimov’s high pace will draw Hooi into a firefight where the Georgian striker will find a counter-shot for the knockout, earning Umakhan his first title defense in blazing fashion.
Nikolay Grozdev (10-2) vs Brett Johns (21-5)
Earlier in Grozdev’s run, he was thwarted by journeyman finisher Jakhongir Jumaev, dropping a major roadblock in the young fighter’s career. Since then, “Slick Nick” Grozdev has impressed with a string of submissions and knockouts. He most notably took out Theo Bashford in a performance of the night showcase on his way to the championship. This is a massive fight for the career of Grozdev. It’s his first defense of the featherweight title and he draws former UFC competitor Brett Johns.
Johns has continued to stay at a high level since his departure from the big show, making stops in Bellator and PFL prior. Following an explosive debut with the promotion in August, pulling off a first-round Suleov Stretch, Johns is fighting for gold in just his second fight.
This is a battle of two very similar styles, and if Grozdev finds a way to finish Brett Johns, it wouldn’t be to anybody’s surprise if he got the call for a potential Contender Series opportunity. Though it’s much safer to lean towards the former top-level fighter in Johns. I predict Johns will take advantage of the grappling and finish Grozdev via ground strikes quickly.
Isai Villamur (6-0) vs Theo Bashford (7-1)
There are few fighters on the regional scene with the explosiveness and violent intent that Villamur brings to the Octagon. He’s on a five fight finishing streak right now with all knockouts. Standing across from Villamur will be WOW FC veteran Theo Bashford. He’s bouncing back from that loss to Nikolay Grozdev, with a head kick knockout back in May 2025 at Brave CF.
This fight should be a competitive one on the feet; both men share physical, wide statures with striking backgrounds and knockout power. Tough fight to pick, but leaning Villamur to be the harder-hitting fighter in the pocket and use his speed to counter Bashford’s aggressiveness.
Pro: Enrique Expositio (4-1) vs Zé Machado (3-0)
This isn’t the first time I’m mentioning Zé Machado, and almost certain it won’t be the last. Machado is a former IMMAF amateur lightweight champion who turned pro back in February 2024. Machado is a thick lightweight with an imposing stature and a fighting style that’s one of the wildest and aggressive approaches I’ve seen. His most recent win over Nathan de Lima is four minutes of pure chaos. Less than 15-seconds into the fight, Machado has de Lima hanging over his shoulder like he’s Merab Dvalishvili at his peak. Throwing his opponent to the floor before finishing his opponent with gruesome shots on the ground. Machado is an all-action fighter who is simply a must-watch. Enrique Expositio has been finished before in the first round and I expect Machado to do the same.
Solid read