Who Is Vlasto Čepo? Meet ‘El Chapo,’ the Serbian-Slovak Knockout Artist in the UFC

Behind the aggressive fighting style is a story shaped by immigration, family, discipline, tough jobs, long training camps and years of believing he could reach MMA’s biggest stage.

That combination helped make Čepo one of the most recognizable fighters to emerge from the Slovak and Serbian MMA scenes.

Vlasto Čepo Fighter Information

Who Is Vlasto Čepo?

Vlasto “El Chapo” Čepo is a Serbian-born professional MMA fighter who built much of his career in Slovakia.

Although he was born in Novi Sad, Čepo moved to Slovakia when he was 12 years old. His parents had remained in Serbia during the conflicts of the 1990s because they had a business there. Eventually, as more relatives moved away, the family decided to leave Serbia as well.

Slovakia then became a major part of Čepo’s life.

As a result, his identity is closely connected to both Serbia and Slovakia. His social media also reflects that connection, while his MMA career has made him popular with fans across both countries.

Where Was Vlasto Čepo Born?

Vlasto Čepo was born in Novi Sad, Serbia.

He attended school in Serbia through roughly the sixth grade before moving to Slovakia with his family.

That move became one of the biggest changes of his childhood.

Suddenly, Čepo had to adapt to a different country and environment. At the same time, combat sports were beginning to play a larger role in his life.

Eventually, Slovakia became the place where he developed from a young boxer into a professional fighter.

Why Did Vlasto Čepo Move From Serbia to Slovakia?

Čepo’s family story is tied to the difficult period Serbia experienced during the 1990s.

According to Čepo, many people around the family moved to Slovakia during that period. His parents initially stayed because they owned a business in Serbia.

However, the family later reached a point where many of their relatives had already left.

Therefore, when Čepo was around 12, they moved to Slovakia as well.

The move eventually shaped both his personal life and fighting career.

Čepo grew up with Serbian roots, yet much of his adult life developed in Slovakia.

Why Did Vlasto Čepo Start Fighting?

One difficult childhood experience helped push Čepo toward combat sports.

After moving to Slovakia, he was involved in a confrontation where he was badly beaten and could not properly defend himself.

Čepo later said that moment stayed with him.

He decided he did not want to feel helpless in that situation again.

Consequently, he began searching for different combat sports and ways to learn how to fight.

At the time, MMA was not as widely available as it is today.

So Čepo trained wherever he could.

Eventually, boxing became the sport that gave him his strongest early base.

Was Vlasto Čepo a Boxer Before MMA?

Yes.

Before becoming known for MMA, Čepo spent roughly 10 years training in boxing.

That background is still easy to see in his fighting style.

Čepo prefers pressure.

He trusts his hands.

Most importantly, he is willing to stand directly in front of opponents and exchange.

His boxing career also produced a major achievement.

In 2018, Čepo became a Slovak professional boxing champion before his MMA career became his main focus.

Therefore, his striking reputation was already well established before many MMA fans knew his name.

How Did Vlasto Čepo Move From Boxing to MMA?

Boxing gave Čepo a strong foundation, but MMA offered something broader.

Instead of depending only on his hands, he needed to understand takedowns, submissions, kicks and cage fighting.

Čepo has admitted that the transition was demanding because MMA requires fighters to become comfortable in several different combat sports.

Still, his boxing transferred well.

Once Čepo began putting the pieces together, his aggressive style became especially effective under MMA rules.

The result was a fighter who could pressure opponents with boxing while gradually adding the other skills needed to survive in the cage.

What Is Vlasto Čepo Known For?

Vlasto Čepo is best known for aggressive striking, knockout power and an almost constant search for the finish.

His boxing background is at the center of that style.

Rather than spending long periods circling and waiting, Čepo often wants to force opponents into uncomfortable exchanges.

That approach helped make him a major attraction during his years with OKTAGON MMA.

The promotion itself described him as a knockout-focused fighter whose bouts regularly became some of the most entertaining contests on its cards.

Therefore, fans rarely watch Čepo expecting a slow tactical fight.

They expect action.

What Is Vlasto Čepo’s Fighting Style?

Čepo is primarily a boxing-heavy pressure fighter.

His orthodox stance gives him a familiar base for powerful punching combinations. However, MMA has forced him to develop beyond traditional boxing.

Because opponents can wrestle, grapple and kick, Čepo has spent years building a wider skill set around his hands.

Still, his natural instinct remains clear.

Move forward.

Create pressure.

Force exchanges.

Then look for the finish.

That aggressive approach has become such a strong part of his image that he has also been described as a chaos-style fighter during his rise.

Who Is Vlasto Čepo’s Coach?

One major coach connected to Čepo’s career is former UFC fighter and Bellator champion Attila Végh.

OKTAGON lists Végh as Čepo’s coach, while Čepo has also trained at Spartakus Fight Gym in Slovakia.

Training around experienced fighters helped Čepo turn his boxing background into a more complete MMA game.

Moreover, Spartakus provided him with an environment where he could prepare alongside other established Slovak fighters.

That included time training with Samuel “Pirát” Krištofič.

Does Vlasto Čepo Train Outside Slovakia?

Yes.

Čepo has regularly used international training camps as part of his preparation.

In particular, he has spoken about traveling to Thailand for fight camps.

That approach allows him to train with different partners and experience styles he may not regularly encounter at home.

He has also spent training periods in Serbia.

For Čepo, traveling is not simply a vacation during camp.

Instead, those trips are part of his attempt to remove distractions and focus entirely on fighting.

How Important Is Discipline to Vlasto Čepo?

Discipline is one of the biggest themes in Čepo’s story.

He has spoken openly about the sacrifices required to become a professional fighter.

At one stage, Čepo said he had gone years without regularly attending clubs or parties because training came first.

His daily schedule can also become intense during fight preparation.

Čepo has described training three times per day, with sessions in the morning, around midday and again later in the day.

Between sessions, recovery and family take priority.

That routine leaves little room for the lifestyle many people associate with professional athletes.

For Čepo, fighting is the lifestyle.

What Jobs Did Vlasto Čepo Have Before Fighting Full-Time?

Čepo did not begin his career with large fight purses or sponsorship deals.

Like many developing fighters, he worked different jobs while paying for training.

He has spoken about doing manual work in a forest with wood and also working in a kebab shop.

Money from those jobs often went directly back into fighting.

Gloves came first.

Then hand wraps.

Training fees and supplements followed.

Whatever remained sometimes went toward another interest of his: tattoos.

Those early jobs show how different his life looked before major MMA events and large crowds became normal.

Why Does Vlasto Čepo Have So Many Tattoos?

Čepo began getting tattoos while still a teenager.

He has said his first came around age 15 or 16, when he had an angel tattooed on his ribs.

After that, the collection grew quickly.

Whenever he had enough money after covering training equipment, supplements and other needs, Čepo sometimes spent the rest on tattoos.

As a result, they gradually became a major part of his appearance and public image.

Who Is Vlasto Čepo’s Partner?

Čepo has been in a long-term relationship with Slovak combat sports athlete Lucia Krajčovič.

Their relationship fittingly began through martial arts.

Čepo first noticed Krajčovič while watching combat sports content online.

Later, the two trained at the same gym.

A photo taken after training eventually gave Čepo a reason to message her, and the conversation developed from there.

Krajčovič has described Čepo as honest, fair and strongly influenced by his Serbian family background.

Combat sports therefore became more than his career.

They also helped bring his family together.

Does Vlasto Čepo Have Children?

Yes.

Family has become an important part of Čepo’s life outside fighting.

He has spoken about spending recovery periods between training sessions with his family and children.

Even years earlier, Čepo had talked about wanting a large family one day.

That makes family one of the more permanent parts of his story.

The cage may change.

Opponents will change.

His record will change.

However, his role as a partner and father is now part of the life behind “El Chapo.”

How Did Vlasto Čepo Become Popular in OKTAGON MMA?

OKTAGON MMA gave Čepo one of the biggest platforms of his career.

His style was almost perfectly suited to the promotion.

He was aggressive.

He had knockout power.

More importantly, fans quickly learned that his fights could end at any moment.

Čepo also won the OKTAGON Underground tournament, which helped raise his profile further.

From there, he became one of the promotion’s recognizable middleweights.

Big crowds, knockout finishes and an outspoken personality helped build a strong following across Slovakia and the surrounding region.

What Makes Vlasto Čepo Popular With Fans?

The easiest answer is that his fights are rarely boring.

However, there is another reason.

Čepo comes across as direct.

He speaks openly about his struggles, his confidence, his family and the sacrifices behind his career.

Meanwhile, his fighting style matches that personality.

There is little hesitation.

Once the cage closes, he normally wants action.

That connection between personality and fighting style has helped make “El Chapo” a memorable figure even before considering wins and losses.

What Is Vlasto Čepo’s Mindset?

Čepo’s mindset is built heavily around discipline and belief.

Years before reaching MMA’s biggest stages, he was already willing to sacrifice a normal social life for training.

At the same time, he believed he could continue climbing.

That confidence was tested by injuries, losses and setbacks.

Still, Čepo kept returning.

Before reaching the UFC level, he spoke about people laughing when he said that was where he intended to go. Eventually, getting there became proof to him that the goal had not been unrealistic.

For Čepo, belief matters.

However, discipline is what turns that belief into something useful.

What Role Does Faith Play in Vlasto Čepo’s Life?

Faith is another visible part of Čepo’s identity.

His Instagram profile describes him as “God’s Soldier” and includes a reference to Philippians 4:13.

That public expression of Christianity fits the way Čepo talks about discipline, family and purpose.

Although fighting is a major part of his life, his public identity goes beyond being only an MMA athlete.

Faith, family, Serbian roots and his life in Slovakia all form part of the picture.

Why Does Vlasto Čepo Stand Out?

Vlasto Čepo stands out because his story has several layers.

He was born in Serbia.

Then he moved to Slovakia as a child.

A bad experience pushed him toward learning how to defend himself.

Boxing became the foundation.

Ten years in that sport eventually produced a professional Slovak championship.

Afterward, MMA became the next challenge.

Along the way, Čepo worked ordinary jobs, paid for his own equipment, trained abroad and gradually built a following.

Then came bigger promotions, packed arenas and the opportunity to test himself at another level.

The record will continue changing.

The foundation of the story will not.

That is what makes “El Chapo” more than another name on a middleweight roster.

Vlasto Čepo Career Update

Current professional record: 14-4
Current division: UFC Middleweight
Latest result: Loss to Gilbert Urbina
Method: TKO, elbows and punches
Round: 1
Time: 1:01
Date: August 1, 2026

Čepo’s UFC debut against Gilbert Urbina ended by first-round TKO.

Before that appearance, Čepo had built his professional record around finishes, with 10 victories by knockout or TKO and four by submission.

Vlasto Čepo FAQs

Who is Vlasto Čepo?

Vlasto “El Chapo” Čepo is a Serbian-born professional MMA fighter who built much of his career in Slovakia and competes at middleweight.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s real name?

His full name is Vlastislav Čepo.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s nickname?

His best-known nickname is “El Chapo.”

When was Vlasto Čepo born?

Vlasto Čepo was born on January 25, 1995.

Where was Vlasto Čepo born?

He was born in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Is Vlasto Čepo Serbian or Slovak?

Čepo was born in Serbia and moved to Slovakia at age 12. As a result, both Serbia and Slovakia are important parts of his identity and fighting career.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s heritage?

Čepo is of Serbian heritage.

How tall is Vlasto Čepo?

Čepo is listed at approximately 6 feet tall, or around 184 cm.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s reach?

His listed reach is approximately 73 inches, or 185 cm.

What weight class does Vlasto Čepo fight in?

Čepo competes at middleweight.

Was Vlasto Čepo a boxer?

Yes. Čepo trained in boxing for around 10 years and became a Slovak professional boxing champion in 2018.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s fighting style?

Čepo is an aggressive, boxing-heavy pressure fighter known for pursuing finishes.

Who is Vlasto Čepo’s coach?

Former Bellator champion Attila Végh has been listed as Čepo’s coach.

Where does Vlasto Čepo train?

Čepo is associated with Spartakus Fight Gym in Slovakia.

Does Vlasto Čepo train in Thailand?

Yes. Čepo has used training camps in Thailand as part of his MMA preparation.

Who is Vlasto Čepo’s partner?

Čepo’s long-term partner is Slovak combat sports athlete Lucia Krajčovič.

Does Vlasto Čepo have children?

Yes. Čepo has spoken publicly about spending his recovery time with his family and children.

What did Vlasto Čepo do before fighting full-time?

Among other jobs, he has spoken about working with wood in a forest and working at a kebab shop while building his combat sports career.

Did Vlasto Čepo win a Slovak boxing title?

Yes. Čepo became a Slovak professional boxing champion in 2018.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s MMA record?

His latest professional record is listed in the fighter information table and career update section above.

What is Vlasto Čepo’s Instagram?

Vlasto Čepo’s official Instagram account is @vlastocepo.