Ex-footballer-turned-MMA star leaves opponent battered to seal dream fight at Frankfurt’s 58,000-seat stadium

MMA star Christian Eckerlin battered his opponent on the way to sealing his dream fight at Eintracht Frankfurt's stadium.

Eckerlin played against Germany World Cup winners like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mats Hummels at youth level.

But he left behind a professional football career in the third division at 21 to instead focus on MMA.

Now he is one of Germany's top fighters and secured the biggest win of his career against Miroslav Broz in his home of Frankfurt.

Eckerlin completely dominated Broz in the opening round of the Oktagon 57 main-event.

And in the second, he closed the show with some brutal ground and pound which left Broz drenched in blood.

The roof of the Festhalle Frankfurt almost blew off as the home fans went wild for the footballer-turned-fighter.

And it is just a sign of things to come following the announcement that Eckerlin will feature at Oktagon's October 12 show in an all-German showdown.

He will headline against Christian Jungwirth at Frankfurt's 58,000-seat stadium following his victory over Broz.

Eckerlin never got to play at his beloved Frankfurt as a player - but instead he will get his dream fight there.

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He told SunSport in Frankfurt: "For me, it's a big dream come true.

"I was a soccer player and always wanted to play for Eintracht Frankfurt in the stadium. I think the first game that I saw, I was six.

"My biggest dream was to play for Eintracht and now I get to fight there. This means everything to me."