Paweł Pawlak Record, stats and next fight

Analysis

Paweł Pawlak has ruled the KSW middleweight division since 2023, a title won after a career that began in amateur MMA in Łódź fifteen years earlier. The Pole holds a professional record of 26 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw, with four title defenses, including one against Mamed Khalidov.

Background

Born February 8, 1989 in Łódź, Paweł Pawlak made his professional debut in May 2010 with the Gracie Barra Łódź club, with a stoppage win over Tomasz Krauze. He went on to notch around ten wins on the Polish circuit, notably with Fighters Arena and XCage, before joining the UFC in 2014. There he made his debut with a points loss to Peter Sobotta, then beat Sheldon Westcott by decision in 2015, before losing to Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites. Released by the American organization, he went back to building his record in Polish promotions such as Fight Exclusive Night and Babilon MMA, where in November 2020 he won the vacant middleweight title against Adrian Błeszyński, after an earlier draw against the same opponent that February. He defended that belt once, against Sergey Guzev in April 2021, before signing with KSW.

KSW Career

Pawlak made his KSW debut in September 2021 with a points win over Damian Janikowski, earning the Fight of the Night bonus. He followed with two more wins, against Cezary Kęsik and then Tom Breese, before winning the vacant middleweight title in June 2023 by beating Tomasz Romanowski by TKO in the fifth round of KSW 83. He defended his belt against Michał Materla in December 2023, then against Damian Janikowski a second time in July 2024. In December 2025, he retained his title by submission over Laïd Zerhouni, a win that earned the Submission of the Night bonus. His most notable defense came in April 2026, when he beat Mamed Khalidov by TKO in the fourth round of KSW 117, his most recent fight.

Fighting Style

Paweł Pawlak builds most of his wins on ground-and-pound: the majority of his twelve wins by KO or TKO have come from flurries of elbows landed once the opponent is on the ground. He rounds out that arsenal with a submission game inherited from his time at Gracie Barra, which has earned him four submission wins, including one by kneebar over Zerhouni. His consistency in decisions, ten points wins over the course of his career, shows an ability to manage a fight over its full length against opponents he cannot finish.

Record

• Professional record of 26 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw
• 12 wins by KO or TKO
• 4 wins by submission
• 10 wins by decision
• KSW middleweight champion since June 2023, four title defenses
• Former Babilon MMA middleweight champion, from November 2020 until signing with KSW, one title defense
• Fight of the Night bonus against Damian Janikowski at KSW 63 and against Rafał Lewoń at Babilon MMA 5
• Submission of the Night bonus against Laïd Zerhouni at KSW 113

Fighter Profile

• Full name: Paweł Pawlak
• Nickname: Plastinho
• Born: February 8, 1989 in Łódź, Poland
• Nationality: Polish
• Height: 6’0″ (183 cm)
• Reach: 6’1″ (185 cm)
• Division: middleweight
• Team: Octopus Łódź
• Coach: not disclosed
• Base: Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ground-and-pound

Sources

• en.wikipedia.org