Losene Keita – Oktagon double champ sets sights on UFC
Losene Keita talks to MMA Junkie’s Nolan King about his desire to bring his talents to UFC after claiming belts in two divisions with OKTAGON MMA.
Losene Keita saw and conquered – and now he’s out for world domination.
The current OKTAGON lightweight and featherweight champion, Keita (16-1) thinks it’s finally time to test his hand in the UFC after becoming one of Europe’s emerging star talents.
“I already slapped everybody in Europe,” Keita told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Every time I’m sitting in front of the TV, I’m watching a featherweight, (and) it’s not what it used to be before. It used to be a fun weight class. We need a big star. We need someone who can sleep people. We need some fun fighters. Imagine being in front of the TV, watching these kind of fights. I’m like, ‘How are they in the UFC? How?’ For me, my job is now to make featherweight great again in the UFC. I think it’s time to go to the UFC. I’m the guy the UFC really needs.”
Keita, 27, is known for his fighting abilities and highlight-reel knockouts but also his mic skills and electric walkouts. He does it all, one of the most highly touted fighters outside the UFC. His only career loss was due to injury, and he’s notched 10 knockout victories in 16 fights.
While he’s still under contract with OKTAGON and could fight for the organization next, Keita said his agreement with the promotion includes a UFC-out clause. He hopes to activate that sometime in the immediate future.
“I’m able to leave,” Keita said. “I have a clause where I can leave for the UFC whenever I want.”
What about Keita?
The UFC recently signed a large wave of free-agent talent, ranging from veteran PFL fighters like Ante Delija, to KSW champions like Robert Ruchala and Jakub Wiklacz, to OKTAGON contender Shem Rock. Delija was left scratching his head as to why he was not included.
“How can they sign these guys?” Keita said. “You look back and see what I’ve done and who (I’ve fought) and look at my highlights with everything. I’m like, OK, the big fish is not there yet. So how can you make something great if the big fish is not there yet? No disrespect to all those guys.”
There’s nothing more Keita would like than for UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby to send a contract his way. However, Keita doesn’t see it as a favor when he thinks about what the UFC would get in return. Business would be mutually beneficial for all.
Born in Guinea, Keita immigrated to Belgium at age 11 and eventually found himself living a troubling lifestyle. At one point, he was in prison, but shortly after his release, he found mixed martial arts and his life was changed forever.
Not only does Keita serve as an example of getting on the straight and narrow, he’s built a large following in sections of Europe that the UFC does not often visit. From Belgium to Germany to Czechia, Keita has captivated audiences in massive arenas across Northwestern and Central Europe.
“I’ve fought in OKTAGON, in Czech Republic where there is no one (who is) Black there and how I became one of the fan favorites there,” Keita said. “People didn’t even speak English there, and I speak English. Imagine me going to America and speaking English to this guy and selling myself by being myself.”
UFC, ‘it’s time’
In his ideal world, Keita would debut at the UFC Fight Night event Sept. 6 at Accor Arena in Paris. There are already names on the tip of his tongue. Understatedly, Keita isn’t impressed with the promotion’s division and thinks he could make an impact in short order.
“If the UFC called me now to fight Dan Ige, I’d accept it and take it with both hands,” Keita said. “If the UFC called me now to fight Josh Emmett, I’d take it with both hands. If the UFC called me now to fight any of these guys in the top 15, I would take it with both hands. Zero hesitation. I’ve been watching these guys, and that’s the only thing I do. I watch this guy and I watch this guy and I’m like, ‘How do these guys have this much hype? How are they doing this kind of stuff?’ I really think I can beat a lot of these guys. For me, I don’t care. It can be a wrestler. It can be a striker. It can be Superman. It can be somebody who flies. My only goal is to be a champ.”
All he needs is a chance, as he explained while also utilizing the signature line of UFC announcer Bruce Buffer.
“It’s time,” Keita said. “Let’s make featherweight great again. I can do both weights actually. I even fought in welterweight before. I fought in lightweight, featherweight. Let’s just make fun. Let me knock out people on the biggest platform.”
