KSW 41 is the last event of the year but with any season finale it will set up the following year nicely. There are a number of storylines involving either the title or those vying for the title at KSW 41 this Saturday night in Katowice, Poland.
 
First of all we have the two title fights. Borys Mankowski (19-6-1) defends his welterweight title against the hard hitting Roberto Soldic (12-2) in the main event while Kleber Koike Erbst (22-4-1) will defend his recently acquired featherweight strap for the first time when he squares off against old rival Artur Sowinski (18-8).
 
Mankowski has held his title since winning it at KSW 27 in 2014. He has had challenges in all shapes and styles come after the belt since then from the likes of TUF winner Jesse Taylor to UFC vet John Maguire. But this Saturday he faces a new sort of challenge in Roberto Soldic, a 22-year-old with a knack for for first round finishes. Soldic has been dubbed as the next Mirko Cro Cop and enters this contest off the back of six straight finishes, five of which were in the first round.
 
This should be a dangerous test for the champ and if Soldic wins it really opens up the KSW welterweight division.
 
In the other title fight we have a brewing rivalry between Kleber Koike Erbst and, the only man to beat him in over 20 fights since 2009, Artur Sowinski. The pair first met at KSW 33 in 2015 in a ’fight of the night’ contest and on that night it was Sowinski who walked away with the decision and the vacant featherweight title. Since then though the title has changed hands a couple of times and now Erbst is champion.
 
Should Erbst get the win here we could be looking at the greatest trilogy in KSW since Materla vs. Silva.
 
Now onto the vying challengers.
 
There are a number of fights on the KSW 41 card which could help determine who is the next in line for title shots. Every fight is a must win fight but when a chance at the title is on the line it makes any bout that more important.
 
Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (11-3) vs. Michal Andryszak (19-6): This heavyweight fight could determine who is next in line for the vacant heavyweight title. Rodrigues Jr. is the former champ and 25-year-old Andryszak is on a run of five straight first round finishes.

 
Marcin Wrzosek (12-4) vs. Roman Szymanski (10-3): Former champ Wrzosek feels he needs to put in a good performance in this fight in order to get back in the title picture while this fight provides Szymanski the opportunity to get the biggest win of his career and his third straight KSW victory.
 
Grzegorz Szulakowski (8-1) vs. Kamil Szymuszowski (16-4): Both men are on winning streaks in KSW’s lightweight division and both will be determined to put in a good performance and get a great finish if they want to be considered to face Mateusz Gamrot in the future.

 
Damian Janikowski (1-0) vs. Antoni Chmielewski (32-16): In just his second MMA fight ever Janikowski will take on former KSW champion and 13-year veteran Chmielewski. A win here for the Olympic medalist over such an experienced and tough opponent could catapult his name towards the title mix and within a couple of fights from challenging for Khalidov’s 185lbs belt.

 
KSW 41 is available to watch live around the world via online PPV this Saturday on www.KSWTV.com.