Two years ago, kickboxer Maikel Astur (29) made a sharp turn in his career and began competing in MMA — a field where he has enjoyed major success, but also endured many injuries. The rising MMA star aims to earn a UFC contract next year, but is currently focused on preparing for Evecon Raju 18, which takes place on 20 September at Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn.
Maikel was interviewed by Lenel Karu in mid-August.
He remembers attending an early Raju event long before his MMA career began.
“I knew the fighters, but I wasn’t really familiar with the sport. Raju became meaningful to me once it returned after a break and I started competing there myself,” Astur recalls.
The Growth of Estonian MMA: “If you want it enough, the right people will appear”
Years ago, there weren’t many MMA athletes in Estonia, but according to Astur, the situation is very different today — and those who keep the sport alive deserve more recognition.
“Everything is possible when there is willpower. People complain too early that there are no opportunities, no clubs, no opponents. But once you truly want it, the right people will start gathering around you. Sure, we may not have countless MMA athletes or clubs, but we have excellent wrestling, grappling, and striking,” Astur explains.
“I was just in a training camp in Tartu, then Pärnu, and in August I’m going to Poland. You can’t just train in your own gym and wait. People want to quit too easily and won’t push through,” he adds.
Fatherhood Brought Maturity
Astur has always looked up to the world’s elite fighters. One of the most important figures in his journey, however, is his brother Mairo, who supports him both personally and athletically. Mairo is now his main coach and advisor. “He is the reason I ever got into fighting sports,” Astur says.
Photo: Mairo Astur and Maikel Astur
“I’ve had many great kickboxing coaches, but right now alongside my brother I work with Marek Merisalu, boxing coach Sergey Mennik, striking coach Ringo Tipp, and strength coach Raul Jerva. My good friend Rivo Saks is also one of my biggest supporters,” he adds.
Astur became a father nearly a year ago, and his partner plays an important role in supporting him. “I’m not the easiest person to deal with — I’m quite egoistic at times, and fighters sometimes need to be that way. So I’m very grateful to have a supportive partner who understands my goals and who has taken on a big role in raising our child,” Astur reflects.
Photo (Andres Mets): Maikel Astur daughter
He emphasizes that he competes only for himself: “In theory, I don’t have to enter the cage in September — I could earn money in other ways. But I want to fight, and I know exactly why I’m doing this.”
Injury Battles: “I’ve been literally an unlucky soldier”
Astur transitioned to MMA after a long kickboxing career, finishing with 25 wins, 9 losses, and one draw across 35 professional bouts.
“When I told my brother I wanted my MMA debut to be a pro fight, not amateur, he was surprised. Raigo Kutsar and Kristjan Tõniste were also shocked when I told them I’d debut as a pro in November. But I knew I had the experience and the fire from kickboxing to step into the cage,” Astur recalls.
Although undefeated in Estonia with four consecutive MMA wins, injuries have constantly tested him. “I’ve been literally an unlucky soldier. Even doctors sometimes couldn’t explain why certain things happened to me. Not all injuries came from MMA — some were just stupid accidents,” he says.
Four months before his 2023 debut, he tore his left knee meniscus. After surgery and quick recovery, he won his debut — but then suffered a retina tear at Raju 15 in Tartu.
Next came another fight in September, but months earlier he shattered his right thumb and needed surgery again. In September he broke the thumb again, and once more in February. Several surgeries in such a short time, but now he is finally healed.
“The injury I got in February was really tough. I genuinely asked myself: why do I even do this if something constantly happens? It hasn’t been easy to come out of this, but my partner is right — I can do this sport exactly as long as I have the strength to keep going.”
Astur notes that MMA is a brutally difficult sport that requires knowing how to fall and how to prepare your body — very different from kickboxing.
Mental Strength: “Are you trying to win because you want it — or because you fear losing?”
Mental preparation plays a huge role. Astur has seen technically skilled fighters freeze inside the cage — and far less experienced fighters succeed through pure confidence and will.
“My sports psychologist has helped me a lot — we’ve worked together for three years. I was always programmed to think: win or nothing. But the real question is why you want to win. Are you stepping into the cage because you want victory — or because you fear losing? At one point, it was the latter,” Astur admits.
Countdown to 20 September — Astur vs. Oskar “Shrek” Herczyk
Evecon Raju 18 takes place on 20 September in Tallinn, where Astur plans to deliver his best performance yet. His opponent will be Poland’s Oskar “Shrek” Herczyk.
Astur focuses on himself, not the opponent: “Of course I want to win and give the audience a full experience. I won’t hide that the KO I scored at the last Raju gives me confidence.”
In February at Raju 17, Astur knocked out Romanian Damian Zaharia with a liver shot in the last second of Round 1. Despite being relatively new to MMA, Astur’s long kickboxing career has given him valuable experience. His biggest goal: join the world’s #1 league — the UFC. “People criticize big goals because Estonians often think small. But this is my goal for next year — and to get there, I need big wins and visibility. Even if I don’t make it, I’ll always remember the journey I took chasing the UFC,” he says.
Currently recovered from his injuries, he aims for stable training: “For the last three weeks I’ve trained hard — camp in Tartu, then Poland in August, then back here. There’s a lot of work to do.”
See Maikel Astur Live at Evecon Raju 18 – 20 September, Tondiraba Ice Hall
Fight card: https://mmaraju.com/
Tickets: https://mmaraju.com/tickets/
Livestream: https://mmaraju.com/watch-live/
To learn more about Maikel, listen to his episode on the “Üks Kaks Maks” podcast, recorded right after his previous victory.