Jake Foley of Combat Press recently interviewed undefeated Vladimír Lengál, who takes on Daniel Torres at OKTAGON 54, live from the Ostravar Arena in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Saturday, Mar. 2. See the transcript below.
As always, feel free to comment below or send feedback about the interview to @JFoMMATalk or @CombatPress on Twitter.
JF: Before talking about your upcoming fight, I was wondering what your takeaways are form 2023?
VL: Year 2023 was good. I was troubled by an injury that made me strategically unable to handle the last fight, but that’s my fault. Let’s move on.
JF: Did you think you did enough to get your hand raised against Samuel Bark?
VL: Unfortunately, no. I didn’t even see the match. It was terrible.
JF: Has anything surprised you with the transition from boxing to MMA?
VL: It’s hard, but I’m used to it. Boxing is a different sport.
JF: How does it feel to evolve into a potential world champion after losing your first two MMA bouts?
VL: In the OKTAGON Challenge, he was first without elbows. I had a crush. I took it as an exhibition. I also strategized for points in my first pro fight. I took a lesson from it. I also lost to him 2:1 on points, like with Bark.
JF: There’s a stereotype that MMA fighters don’t have high-level boxing skills. Have you noticed a clear advantage in your fights due to your striking experience?
VL: I can read my opponent’s movement more, but MMA is unpredictable. Boxing is not enough for you. You have to be a complex fighter.
JF: Do you have any plans to box again, or are you solely focused on becoming an MMA world champion?
VL: I want to win the title in OKTAGON, but now it is time to win over Torres.
JF: What are your thoughts on your first opponent, Daniel Torres?
VL: He’s a super favorite. I’m expecting a great fight. We’ll see in that match.
JF: Who do you think are the two most dangerous fighters in the tournament, besides yourself?
VL: Haha. All fighters.
JF: Are there any fighters in the tournament you hope to fight?
VL: I focus only on the first fight.
JF: What would it mean to you to win the tournament and take home the cash prize?
VL: The money is nice – the icing on the cake. For me, now, the primary thing is to fight and win