MMAmania.com’s ‘Prospect Of The Month:’ Losene Keita

The common goal among most up-and-coming regional (or international) mixed martial arts (MMA) prospects is to one day compete for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Other major promotions such as Bellator MMA, Professional Fighter’s Leagues, and ONE Championship are not far behind. Literally, countless prospects across the globe are all working toward the same career goal, making it difficult to stand out in the sea of competition. As often as possible, MMAmania.com will highlight a different combat sports prospect to keep your eyes on.

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Losene “Black Panther” Keita

Age: 26
Height: 5’9”
Weight class: Featherweight
Record: 12-1
Gym: Lamiro Fight Club

It takes a special fighter to turn down an opportunity to sign with the UFC. A few notable examples that have turned down the world’s leading fight promotion were Jiri Prochazka, Shinya Aoki, and Paddy Pimblett (Prochazka and Pimblett signed a few years later). Top prospect and current Oktagon MMA (OKMMA) Featherweight champion Losene Keita has turned down the UFC three times already and recently re-signed with OKAMMA.

In a recent interview with MMAMania.com, Keita explained why he declined a spot on the UFC roster.

“Oktagon is my home and I am very popular there,” Keita said. “Oktagon is not a small organization like they fill arenas with 20,000 people, Like imagine going into the arena with 20,000 people singing your name, it is crazy, you know. I’m getting paid well also, you know, they treat me well and they give me a lot of opportunities. I know going into the UFC, I would start my career with $12,00/12,00 because I’m a nobody there…PFL gave me a great offer, but I’m still a nobody there but at Oktagon, I’m already the man.”

“So I was like, first clean your own home before trying to clean somebody else’s home. So, it’s like you are home, you are in your comfort zone, and I’m young- I’m 26 years old. I’m walking in the street in Prague and people recognize me, people love me. I was like, you I’m 26 years old, I’m financially stable, all of this. Why throw it away just because of the name of the UFC? UFC is still the dream, but I don’t think I need it now.”

Keita did admit it was a difficult decision to turn the UFC and the PFL down, but truly believes it is the right thing to do at this stage of his career.

It makes complete sense why top promotions like UFC, PFL, and KSW are interested in “Black Panther.” He holds a 67% finish rate with eight knockouts and his only loss is from a foot injury.

He reclaimed the Oktagon MMA Featherweight championship at OKTAGON 50 in Dec. 2023, when he stopped Niko Samsonidse.

Check out highlights:

On top of being an excellent fighter who is a must-watch, he has an inspiring backstory of how he got into MMA.

“I was street fighting a lot and went to prison,” Keita said. “Just to make the story short, I went to prison, and when I was free from prison, one friend said to me come to the gym, come to the gym to train. I didn’t want to because I was like in our family nobody is a fighter. Fighting is not popular in my family. You know, my brothers were playing basketball and at that time I was playing soccer or football. So, then I got into a lot of trouble with the police, and my friends again told me to go to the gym – I said no, and went to the street and I was fighting again. My friend saw me and told me, ‘Bro, you are really talented. come to the gym,’ then I said, ‘Yes, why not?’

Keita would train for only two months before his first amateur fight in 2017 in which he won via first-round knockout. Four years later, he signed with Oktagon MMA, and two years after that he would become a champion … all because he wanted a new way of life after prison.

Keita returns to action on March 2, when he competes in a $1 million tournament.

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