MMA: Sam Creasey defeats Aaron Aby to become Oktagon's first English flyweight champion in Birmingham

Sam Creasey now as 19 wins in his MMA career

Sam Creasey is the new Oktagon flyweight champion after outclassing Welshman Aaron Aby at Oktagon 56 on Saturday in Birmingham.

Creasey, 36, is the first Englishman to win an Oktagon belt.

The former Cage Warriors champion won every round, repeatedly tagging Aby with left hands and painful leg kicks.

"The feeling is unmatched," Creasey said of the win. "Pure elation to confirm myself as a world-class athlete."

Creasey improved his record to 19 wins, with five defeats, while Aby slipped to his ninth career loss.

Aby was the man with the most vocal support inside the Resorts World Arena and was aiming to win the title having overcome cystic fibrosis as a child and cancer later in life.

Creasey was full of praise for his opponent, who he also beat in 2021 on points, paying tribute to his resilience inside and outside the cage.

Aby promised himself he would win a MMA title after his health issues.

"I couldn't have lost to a better person," Aby said.

"I haven't won again tonight. I'm not coming away as a world champion. It hurts. It hurts a lot but maybe I am a winner because of all those people up there [in the stands].

"For all those people that support me, that makes me a winner as well."