Max Holzer beat Deniz Ilbay with a rear-naked choke at 2:18 of round four during OKTAGON 69 in Dortmund, Germany, on April 5, 2025. The fight happened at Westfalenhalle, marking the promotion’s first event there. Holzer, 23, stayed undefeated at 11-0, earning his ninth stoppage win.
After Ilbay tapped, Holzer, nicknamed “Stifler” from American Pie, kissed his head and humped him while he was down. Ilbay, a former boxer, jumped up and chased him across the cage. He landed a punch that sent Holzer tumbling out the open door onto the floor below.
Fans filled the arena, and video showed Holzer landing unhurt, flexing for the crowd. Ilbay’s father rushed toward the cage, shouting, but security stopped him. Both fighters were separated backstage for medical checks to avoid more trouble.
Holzer dominated with grappling throughout the fight. Ilbay landed big punches in round two but couldn’t stop the ground game. His record dropped to 8-2 after the loss, ending a three-fight win streak. Their tension had built online and at press events, with Holzer targeting Ilbay to test his perfect record.
Post-Fight Fallout
Ilbay ignored the ref to throw the punch after Holzer’s celebration. Security swarmed in to break it up. Holzer said Ilbay’s corner provoked him during the fight, sparking his actions.
He wasn’t the first to pull this—Israel Adesanya humped Paulo Costa after winning at UFC 253 in 2020, with referee Jason Herzog stepping in.
Max Holzer SUB4 Deniz Ilbay #OKTAGON69 pic.twitter.com/0LGLOMhehl
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) April 5, 2025
At the press conference, Holzer offered a handshake and apologized. Ilbay refused, still upset over the disrespect. Posts on X called it a top MMA moment of 2025, with fans debating who went too far.
