Will Fleury is a crazy guy, bizarre beard and direct way included. The Irish stand out. Above all, he convinces sporty, winning a title at Oktagon MMA in December. 2025 could get even better – he faces his greatest challenge in Stuttgart to date.
The Irish MMA fighter Will Fleury has had the best year of his career: first he won in front of 58,000 spectators at the record event in Frankfurt, at the end of the year he won the title in a half-heavy weight against Karlos Vemola in a five-round spectacle.
Now a second title is supposed to be in heavyweight. His opponent at Oktagon 68 in Stuttgart (on March 8th from 5:30 p.m. RTL+*) is the local hero Lazar Todev. Potatoes play an important role for success in a higher weight class.
“It went really well,” Fleury looks back in an interview with NTV/RTL. “But I put a lot of work in to get to this level. Even if I am satisfied and grateful for everything in the past year, I can achieve more in my career.”
Fleury already has the title in the light heavyweight up to 93 kilograms, for the duel with Todev a few more kilos. A maximum of 120 kilos may have a heavyweight.
Video: Oktagon 86 – MMA spectacle live on RTL+
The Irish does not grab it as much, because the pounds would have to go down again for a defense of the title in its original weight class. In order to be able to keep up with Todev in terms of weight, the balance must be right. The 35-year-old trusts the power of the potatoes.
“I eat around two kilos of potatoes every day. You can eat large quantities without giving up a lot of weight. There are not so many calories in it for the size of a potato – and yet they are nutritious. But because I train a lot, I have to eat enormous quantities to keep my weight at all.”
Now Todev is not a big heavyweight, but the way to the double champion is not easier for Fleury. “He is the best opponent that I have had in my career so far. Not many heavy boys can move like him. He has a very good boxing when it comes to power, timing and precision. An open exchange of blows is hardly possible with him because he moves a lot.
Video: MMA reporter arranges Stuttgart spectacle
It becomes a duel of different combat styles. The Irish champion wants to try to impose his style on Todev. “He likes technically clean battles, but I can also make it dirty – wrestling, clinch, grapple. I have the endurance to show that over five laps,” says Fleury.
He knows that such a combat style is not really celebrated by the audience and that it is safely boosted against Todev. “20,000 fans in Prague broke me, it will be no different in Stuttgart. But that’s good energy because the fans are interested. When they come to see how I am beaten – that’s okay. But when I win, I deserve their respect.
Will Fleury’s wish: a home game!
If he secured the double cage gold, the Irishman would historically work up into the absolute elite of the MMA organization and get a little closer to his dream. As a double champion, he wants to experience an octagon event in his hometown Dublin. “I would like to create a legacy as a fighter at Oktagon. If I succeed, they may owe me that they will come to my home and organize there for the Irish fans.”
But even with other fights in Germany, the IRE can live well in the future. His first experience of German countries were not particularly positive. “In Castrop-Rauxel, the last fight I lost was still during the Corona pandemic. It was like in a ghost town, then of course the hall was empty. And I also lost-never again in Germany, I said to myself afterwards.”
But with the upswing of sport in Germany and the event in Frankfurt, his opinion has changed. After his victory against Pavol Langer, many fans came and wanted to have a photo or autograph. “But in a respectful way. I didn’t know that from Ireland. I liked that and I would like to be a star in Germany,” says Fleury.
Because many talents develop here and if I had these aspiring MMA fighters at some point in the Main Event as an opponent, “that would be fantastic,” said Fleury. “This creates stories that fans captivate. And that’s exactly what we want.”
Michael Bauer, ntv.de
*We work with affiliate links in this post. If you buy a product via these links, we will receive a commission from the provider. There are no additional costs for them. Of course, where and when you buy a product is up to you.