At Oktagon 72, we saw Slovak Legend Ivan Buchinger return to the cage, with an excellent performance. Buchinger welcomed sharpshooter Vlado Lengal to the Oktagon MMA Lightweight division, and Buchinger used his experience and fight IQ to outwork Lengal in an absolute brawl. Buchinger finished the fight with a rear-naked choke in the second round.
Ivan Buchinger still competing with the big dogs
“Buki” Ivan Buchinger won his 45th professional fight this past weekend, making it 4 wins in his last 5 fights, with 2 wins in a row. After facing the early pressure of Lengal, he stayed composed and took over the fight.
When he sensed Lengal was tired, Buchinger stepped on the gas pedal. When he finished Lengal with the 2nd round choke, the entire stadium erupted. Buchinger isn’t just taking on any fighter in the Lightweight division; however, he is taking on some of the top prospects and top-ranked fighters. He has faced the likes of Hafeni Nafuka, Lom-Ali Eskiev, Rony Paradeiser twice and Losene Keita in his time competing in Oktagon MMA. The former two-weight class Champion isn’t done yet.
With his win on Saturday night, he now finds himself ranked at #3. He is poised for a big fight, potentially against the likes of Max Coga or Agy Sadari. Buchinger is already a legend, however, winning the Oktagon MMA Lightweight title again could really cement his legacy as one of the greatest European fighters of all time.
Ivan Buchinger has established himself as one of the most accomplished European fighters outside the UFC, boasting a career record of 45 wins and 10 losses with a remarkable 85% finish rate. He began competing professionally in 2008 and quickly rose through the ranks, capturing titles in Cage Warriors, M-1 Global, XFN, and Oktagon MMA across featherweight and lightweight divisions.
How long has “Buki” been fighting in MMA? Remember when Conor McGregor became the Cage Warriors Double Champ? Buchinger was the one he fought back in 2012, and he is still competing at the top of the European scene, almost 13 years later.
