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A breathtaking colosseum that once hosted blood-thirsty gladiators now hosts MMA title fights and welcomes glamorous ring girls.
The stunning Pula Arena in Croatia is one of the best-preserved monuments of Ancient Rome having been built almost 2000 years ago between 27 BC and AD 68.
One of the six largest surviving Roman arenas, the side towers of the amphitheatre have been entirely preserved despite standing for just short of two centuries and hosting untold violence.
The exterior wall, which stands at 96ft tall, now welcomes a different kind of event in the form of MMA – put on by the largest promotion in Croatia and the Balkans.
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Fight Nation Championship's FNC 12 card goes down on Saturday September 2, with the main event featuring a heavyweight tile scrap between champion Ivan Vitasovic and challenge Michal Andryszak.
The Croatian and Polish juggernauts will be joined in the limelight by glamorous ring girls wearing gladiator attire, with the venue specially adapted for modern events with thousands of fans set to attend.
Gladiator fighting lasted for over a 1000 years during the peak of the Roman Empire, with volunteers, convicts and slaves pitted against each other as well as wild animals including lions and tigers.
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Now in 2023, hometown favourite Vitasovic has even promised to put on a show worthy of Julius Caesar himself.
He told Daily Star Sport: "The Pula Arena, or the Pula Colosseum as we call it locally, is a venue of such great history and beauty.
"Thousands of years ago gladiators actually fought there. And on Saturday night we – us fighters – will make the very same walk they made.
KSI takes on Tommy Fury at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, October 14th as he hopes to cause an upset. Logan Paul will also be fighting at the event in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd.
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"There is something very special about the idea of that.
"We’ve all seen the movie ‘Gladiator’ where they walk out from the chambers onto the battleground.
"That is what Saturday night will be like. Only this time it is for sport and honour. I look forward to stepping toe to toe with Michal Andryszak, defending my title, and giving everyone a good show worthy of Caesar himself."
Vitasovic has a professional record fo 11-5-1 with five consecutive victories, one of which came against Brit former UFC star Oli Thompson.
Andryszak (25-10) is known for his brutal first-round finishes, winning 11 of his past 15 MMA bouts.
The coastal town of Pula in Croatia will also host fights between Matej Batinic and Gadzhimur Khebdeev, as well as Nikola Joksovic vs Marko Kisic among others.
To watch the fighters square off in the iconic venue at FNC 12 on Saturday evening, click here.
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