Losene Keita wants to make a statement in his upcoming assignment against long-term rival Mate Sanikidze. The interim Oktagon MMA 145-pound champ (11-0, 4-0 Oktagon MMA) is a few days away from his biggest fight of his career to date, a unification bout with lineal titleholder Sanikidze that will headline Oktagon 45 on July 29. The pair were scheduled to meet in April, but a shoulder injury to Sanikidze prevented that clash from happening. Keita has also ruled over the lightweight division since June 2022, when he crushed Ivan Buchinger in the opening frame of their bout. There is bad blood between “Black Panther” and Sanikidze, as Keita believes his opponent avoided him in April. Still, he wants to finish his foe in a dominant fashion and prove to everyone he’s the best in his weight class. Keita feels happy with the way he’s treated by Oktagon MMA, so much so that he refused an Ultimate Fighting Championship offer last year before the promotion’s Paris event last September. “Oktag