In 2023, we saw the beginning of Deniz Ilbay`s Oktagon MMA tenure. The talented boxer made the transition to MMA in 2021, where he rattled off 4 wins, before Oktagon picked him up.
His Oktagon tenure started with a 3rd round TKO over Marco Novak in September 2023 in the Frankfurt Festhalle. Following that fight, he got the oppurtunity to fight in his home city of Cologne. Unfortunately, that was where he suffered his first loss in MMA. Ilbay was submitted in the first round by Corey Fry.
8 months later, Deniz Ilbay bounced back in Prague, against Denis Tripsansky, with a 2nd round knockout. “El Pistolero” followed that win with a statement infront of Deutsche Bank Park in October of 2024. A thunderous KO win over Michael Deiga-Scheck.
At the beginning of 2025, Deniz Ilbay faces his toughest test to date, but with that, comes the opportunity to propel himself into the mix at 145. Ilbay takes on the #7 ranked featherweight, Vladimir Lengal. Lengal has finished all of his wins via KO. If he wins, he does so in emphatic fashion. Lengal’s latest win comes over Ilbay’s former foe, Corey Fry.
Many are touting this fight as a potential fight of the year candidate. Even though UFC Saudi Arabia will be on at the same time, make sure not to miss Oktagon 66, and especially not this fight, which serves as the 2nd fight on the main card, which should start around 9pm local time, 3pm Eastern time.
