The historic Campo Pequeno arena in Lisbon hosted the fifth edition of Fighting Championship Events (FCE) on Thursday night. While the massive venue looked noticeably underfilled despite the quality on offer, the fans in attendance witnessed one of the biggest surprises of this years kickboxing season so far.
Fresh off capturing the K-1 middleweight title, Brazil’s Dengue Silva entered the event as one of its marquee attractions. Instead, Moldova’s Artiom Livadari produced the upset of the night, handing the reigning champion a shock defeat and earning the biggest victory of his career.
Usually the physically imposing fighter, Dengue Silva found himself at a slight size disadvantage against former World Games Muay Thai gold medalist Artiom Livadari. Nonetheless Silva repeatedly surged forward with his trademark aggressive combinations, but Livadari remained calm under pressure, timing his counters well and controlling the pace on his way to a statement victory.
Livadari wasted little time setting his sights on an even bigger challenge. Speaking after the fight, he called on K-1 to grant him a title opportunity, saying he is prepared to face Silva again at welterweight or even at cruiserweight if that's what it takes to compete for the belt.
A Platform for Europe’s Top Female Talent
One of the standout aspects of FCE 5 was its strong emphasis on women’s kickboxing. At a time when opportunities for elite female fighters have become more limited following the disappearance of GLORY’s women’s divisions, Fighting Championship Events has positioned itself as a valuable platform for some of Europe’s top talent.
FCE chairman Vartán Haceatrean highlighted that commitment after the event, saying: “In a world where women’s fights are still rare, FCE takes a step forward. Four female fights in one night at FCE 5. I’ll let that speak for itself.”
The card backed up those words. Local favorite Debora Evora earned another victory in front of the Lisbon crowd, while fellow Portuguese fighter Ines Daniela came up short against promising French prospect Lyndsey Thomas. Dutch-Portuguese standout Cheyenne Aldus arguably produced the performance of the night, scoring a spectacular head-kick knockout that highlighted the event.
FCE’s Ambitions Continue to Grow
Beyond the headline upset, FCE 5 reinforced the promotion’s ambitions to become a major player on the European kickboxing scene. With a broadcast partnership through DAZN and a card featuring a healthy mix of established names, local standouts, and rising international talent, Fighting Championship Events continues to build momentum. As the promotion expands its reach through partnerships like DAZN and consistently delivers cards of this caliber, FCE looks increasingly well positioned to grow its audience both in Portugal and abroad.
FCE 5 Results
Artiom Livadari def. Dengue Silva via majority decision
Artem Shvetsov def. Gasham Mammadov via unanimous decision
Denis Tapu def. Stanislav Kazantsev via unanimous decision
Iuri Fernandes def. Modestas Juodpusis via TKO (calf kicks, Round 1)
Haitham El Mazahi def. João Silva via unanimous decision
Debora Evora def. Ollita Dorcas via unanimous decision
Eddy Vinotti def. Vaggelis Soumpakas via TKO (referee stoppage, Round 3)
Cheyenne Aldus def. Ester Viola via KO (head kick, Round 2)
Petru Morari def. Aitor Ibáñez via majority decision
Nikola Cvetkovic def. Dimitri Gulbani via unanimous decision
Tugce Fedakarturk def. Michelle Krumpietz via unanimous decision
Lyndsey Thomas def. Ines Daniela via unanimous decision
