Ivan Buchinger will return to Bratislava on October 4, 2025, to face Irish contender Richie Smullen for the vacant OKTAGON lightweight championship at Tipos Arena. The bout headlines OKTAGON 77 in Bratislava, a card that features two €1 million Tipsport Gamechanger semifinal matchups and a lineup of regional contenders.
Ivan Buchinger vs. Richie Smullen
The 39-year-old Buchinger enters this meeting as the first-ever OKTAGON double champion. A veteran of more than 55 professional contests, he holds a 45-10 record with 27 submission victories and 12 knockout wins, reflecting an 86 percent finishing rate. Over the past year, Buchinger has recorded back-to-back stoppages, submitting Vladimír Lengál in the second round at OKTAGON 72 and earning a TKO over Hafeni Nafuta at OKTAGON 63, both before the midway point of round two.