Oktagon MMA co-founder Novotný makes a feature film in Czechia

Ondřej Novotný, co-founder of the fight promotion Oktagon MMA, has spent ten years building success on powerful stories — and has now decided to carry that drama from the arena into cinemas. At the Forbes Business Fest, he explained why he poured tens of millions of crowns into a feature film, and why, in business, the key for him is programming his own mind exclusively for victory.

The result of that ambition is the film Bojovník (“The Fighter”), set to premiere on August 13. Directors Vojtěch Frič and Tomáš Dianiška had been working on the project since the Covid pandemic, and the road to the screen was filled with difficulties.

“Everyone told us not to do it. For me, that’s always the best recipe: if someone says don’t, I’ll do exactly the opposite. We put money into it and made the film. The budget gradually grew, which only motivated us more,” Novotný admitted.

Novotný himself plays a small role in the film, which also features fighter Karlos Vémola, but he has no plans to pursue an acting career. “Don’t expect any new offers — if there’s one thing I’m genuinely bad at, it’s acting,” he admits with a smile. Distribution will be handled by Bontonfilm, and the entrepreneur, as usual, is confidently upbeat: “I always count on winning. I believe it will all work out, and if not — something will still remain after us.”

Despite his habit of making managerial decisions literally every day, in filmmaking Novotný trusted more experienced professionals, and admits that being in a subordinate position suits him at times. “I like having a boss I can respect. I’m the one deciding almost all the time, so when someone else decides — that’s great,” he added.

At the same time, the businessman doesn’t shy away from responsibility in crisis situations — on the contrary, he seeks out moments of maximum psychological pressure, such as live broadcasts where a single mistake costs hundreds of thousands of crowns. “I love moments when, right here and now, everything either falls apart or turns out fantastic. I like being the one who makes the call in that moment and saves the broadcast,” he said, describing his philosophy of adrenaline.

The central idea Novotný carries into both business and his personal life is “face your fear.” In his view, every day a person faces hundreds of challenges — from business negotiations to everyday family situations — and the key to success is a proactive approach. “The important word in that motto isn’t fear, it’s face — how you meet the challenge. Every day you need to face something head-on,” he stressed.

Related to this is the need to constantly reprogram one’s own thinking toward the positive. “You’ve got this thing in your head that keeps playing out bad scenarios, so you have to actively reprogram it for positivity. I honestly don’t care if someone thinks I’m crazy. What matters is how I set my own mindset,” the Oktagon chief concluded.