The former two-time Oktagon king and legend has to work outside of wrestling. I fell to zero during my year-long hiatus, admits Buchinger

Ivan Buchinger is one of the greatest legends of Czechoslovak MMA. He fought almost everywhere he could fight, won several world titles and after joining the Oktagon became the organization’s first two-time champion. But then came the dark ages and now the famous veteran is trying to get back to the top.

Buki is one of the most likeable and best fighters in the Oktagon. But time is relentless and MMA is moving on. Still, the legend of the Slovak MMA scene is more than keeping up with the young, predatory talents.

Not long ago Ivan Buchinger was a two-time Oktagon champion, he even wanted to win a third belt, but unfortunately it never happened. Then came the fight with Losen Keita, which started a dark period.

Buki lost the fight, but worse than that, he got injured in the fight and health woes and various surgeries put him out of action for longer than anyone would have liked. On top of that, he also lost his second title.

“Even during the match I was suffering from a torn ligament in my knee which needed surgery. During the fight, I tore a ligament in my shoulder and couldn’t even lift it, let alone defend myself. I thought about giving up, but changed my mind and woke up after the KO. In retrospect I know I made a mistake,” he says in an interview with Sport.sk.

He returned to action in the summer at Štvanica after a year’s break. Victoriously. But a lot has changed for him in that time. ” I already had to start working in the West Slovak Water Management. During the one-year break I fell to zero with my finances, I also do private and group training.”

He goes to day, night, while training and continuing his wrestling career.

I’m older but better than Dohnal, reports Buchinger

When Ivan Buchinger is done with wrestling, he will continue to work and try to lead a new generation of fighters. But he’s not thinking about the end now. And he can’t. He has a big challenge in Bratislava on Saturday. He’ll be challenged by the predatory and hungry Jakub Dohnal.

“He’s a tough and tenacious fighter. I think we will get the performance of the night. He challenged me because I’m the only original two-time champion. I’m still on top. He has nothing to lose, I have nothing to gain,” he reports in the documentary The Road to the Octagon.

“I’m going to show that I may be older, but I’m a better fighter than him,” the 37-year-old veteran declares with determination.

Source: Sport.sk, Oktagon MMA