One of Estonia’s most beloved mixed martial artists, Kristjan Tõniste (4–2), returns to the cage to face experienced Brazilian Cristiano Cruz (17–13) at the Evecon Raju 19 fight night.
A comeback without taking the easy road
After the unexpected loss at RAJU 18 — widely seen within the Estonian MMA community as an unfortunate “work accident” — Tõniste has not chosen an easy path back to the top. Instead, he steps in against an opponent with 30 professional fights on his record.
Experience vs determination
Brazilian Cristiano Santos da Cruz is known as a dangerous and durable striker. While he has a strong foundation in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), he is primarily a technical counter-striker who prefers to keep the fight at distance. Cruz has recently competed actively in Finland, where he recorded one win and two losses.
For Tõniste’s team, Cruz’s recent bouts in Finland provide valuable material. “I have a very clear picture of Cruz. The fact that he has recently fought in Finland against a southpaw as well gives me good input and confidence heading into the cage,” commented Kristjan Tõniste.
Ground game as the key factor
According to Evecon Raju head promoter Ott Tõnissaar, this matchup highlights Tõniste’s character:
“After a painful loss, fighters usually tend to take a slightly easier opponent to rebuild confidence. Kristjan made the opposite choice — he accepted a significantly tougher challenge than his previous opponent. This is one of the most important fights of Kristjan’s career,” said Tõnissaar.
“Cruz is an extremely dangerous striker and, as a BJJ brown belt, very experienced on the ground. At the same time, I believe Kristjan has the edge in pure wrestling. The key will be maintaining discipline and imposing his own game. A submission win over such a high-level specialist would send a clear message — Tõniste is back, he believes in himself, and he is once again moving steadily on a winning path,” Tõnissaar added.
Event information
Evecon Raju 19 will take place on 11 April 2026 at Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn, featuring multiple international professional bouts and appearances by Estonia’s top amateur fighters.