EXCLUSIVE | Shem Rock signs with OKTAGON on a four-fight deal

On Tuesday evening, Shem Rock (8-1) was announced as the newest signing to European MMA promotion OKTAGON. 

Having long been tipped as one of the key fighters to watch out for in the UK, he finally has the opportunity to compete on a big stage in Europe. Speaking exclusively to VMTV, Shem Rock confirmed that he has signed a four-fight deal with the European promotion and that he believes it will take him to where he wants to be. 

The contract also includes a clause should the UFC come knocking. Speaking with VMTV he stated:

“I probably won’t get the top guys in the promotion straight away because I’ve got to show my worth in the first two fights probably but I can see myself in the fourth fight against the number one contender Ivan Buchinger or the champion (Losene Keita)”

Shem’s journey to this point has had so many chapters that it would be better served as a documentary. After an upbringing where crime seemed like the only way out, Shem left the country, wanted for a crime that he did not commit. Fleeing from England and spending a significant part of his life on the run, he found a love for Jiu-Jitsu that gave him something new to focus on.

After he was brought back to Liverpool, spending six months on remand at HMP Liverpool, he was found not guilty in April, 2022. With his name cleared, the future was finally starting to look bright. Training alongside the likes of Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann at Next Gen Liverpool, he has dreams of competing in the UFC. Fighting under the Oktagon banner is a huge step in the right direction.

“Mark my words, by the end of this year I will be champion and that will take me to the UFC. If the UFC comes calling before that, great. If they don’t, I’ll put them on notice when I fuck up this lightweight division or if I have to, I’ll go down to featherweight and take that belt as well.” 

“This is the breakout year”