Bilal Ciloglu: Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

Who is Bilal Ciloglu?

Bilal Ciloglu is a judoka from Turkey, and a well known rising star on the international lightweight judo circuit. In addition to medaling in both the European Championships and World Championships during his short career, he’s also competed in the Olympics to proudly represent his home country through practicing the art that he loves.

Who is Bilal Ciloglu?

Bilal Ciloglu is a judoka from Turkey, and a well known rising star on the international lightweight judo circuit. In addition to medaling in both the European Championships and World Championships during his short career, he’s also competed in the Olympics to proudly represent his home country through practicing the art that he loves.

What this article covers:

• Who is Bilal Ciloglu?
• How Old is Bilal Ciloglu?
• How Much Does Bilal Ciloglu Weigh?
• Bilal Ciloglu Fight List
• Bilal Ciloglu's Best Fight of All Time
• Bilal Ciloglu Record
• Is Bilal Ciloglu Retired?

Ciloglu was born in June of 1998, in Sivas, Turkey. He began his judo journey at the age of 6, training under his father's guidance who was also a judoka. Bilal quickly developed his skills in the sport and began competing in national tournaments at the age of 11.

In 2015, Bilal won the gold medal in the 66 kg category at the European Cadet Championships held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The following year, he took home the bronze medal at the European Junior Championships held in Oberwart, Austria.

Tiny Woman's Guide To The Guard by Ann Kneib

Shortly after this victory,In 2017, Bilal made waves again and won the silver medal at the World Junior Championships held in Zagreb, Croatia. He went on to win the bronze medal at the European U23 Championships held in Podgorica, Montenegro that same year, cementing himself among the top talents in Europe.

Bilal continued to make a name for himself in the judo world, winning the gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships held in Nassau, Bahamas, and the gold medal at the International Judo Federation Grand Prix in Agadir, Morocco. These two victories further proved that Bilal was ready to challenge at the highest levels.

In 2019, Bilal won the gold medal at the International Judo Federation Grand Prix in Perth, Australia, and the bronze medal at the International Judo Federation Grand Prix in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He then went on to win the gold medal at the International Judo Federation Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Finally, after a youth spent in competition Bilal had the chance to represent Turkey in the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. He made it to the final 16 in the 73 kg weight category. He lost in the second round to the eventual gold medalist, a now-retired judoka named Ono who had several world titles and Olympic medals to his credit.

Again in 2021, Bilal showed his skills and won the bronze medal at the Judo World Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. Throughout this time, he’s been known for his dynamic throwing techniques and his ability to execute precise and effective combinations, Bilal Ciloglu is considered one of the most promising young talents in the world of judo.

The Best of Shohei Ono by Judo Fanatics in Partnership With the IJF

How Old is Bilal Ciloglu? 

At the time of writing in 2023, Bilal Ciloglu is 24 years old. He was born on June 16, 1998 in Sivas, Turkey.

Bilal Ciloglu Family

Not much has been published about Bilal Ciloglu’s family in the Western media. He’s a rising star in the Middle East and European judo scenes, but that doesn’t translate to many interviews in English; at least not yet!

How Much is Bilal Ciloglu Worth?

Bilal Ciloglu’s net worth is not public information, but he is a young, up and coming judoka with a bright future ahead of him. His first Olympic showing was in 2020 and we expect more from him in the future; possibly as soon as next year in 2024!

How Tall is Bilal Ciloglu?

Bilal Ciloglu’s height isn’t known. Height is not typically a publicly disclosed or relevant statistic in judo tournaments. The focus is more on an athlete's weight class and belt level.

How Much Does Bilal Ciloglu Weigh? 

Bilal Ciloglu is a lightweight judoka, according to the IJF (International Judo Federation). That weight class is capped at 73 kg and under, which is about 160 pounds. He began his career as a half lightweight, which is limited to 66 kg, or about 145 pounds. He’s experienced more success at the heavier weight limit.

Bilal Ciloglu Fight List

Bilal Ciloglu has competed in many international competitions, and there’s no running list of every match he’s ever fought. Instead of a match by match breakdown, we can take a look at his results in judo competition:

• 2015 European Cadet Championships Sofia - Gold Medal (66 kg)
• 2015 European Junior Championships Oberwart - Bronze Medal (66 kg)
• 2017 World Juniors Championships Zagreb - Silver Medal (73 kg)
• 2017 European U23 Championships Podgorica - Bronze Medal (73 kg)
• 2018 World Juniors Championships Nassau - Gold Medal (73 kg)
• 2018 International Judo Federation Grand Prix Agadir - Gold Medal (73 kg)
• 2018 European Championships Tel Aviv - Bronze Medal (73 kg)
• 2019 International Judo Federation Grand Prix Perth - Gold Medal (73 kg)
• 2019 International Judo Federation Grand Prix Tashkent - Bronze Medal (73 kg)
• 2019 International Judo Federation Grand Slam Abu Dhabi - Gold Medal (73 kg)
• 2020 Olympic Summer Games Tokyo (Representing Turkey) - Final 16 (73 kg)
• 2021 Judo World Championships Budapest - Bronze (73 kg)

Bilal Ciloglu's Best Fight of All Time

It’s always hard to choose one moment as the best fight of all time, but his first tournament win as a Cadet in 2015 set the course for the rest of his career. At the time, Bilal was a teenager still looking to prove his mettle on the international scene. With this gold medal, he proved to both himself and to everyone else that he is on the lightweight judo scene to stay!

His olympic victory in 2020 against Eyal Siman also must’ve ranked up there with one of his best moments. Although he didn’t progress past the next round, he did earn a victory at the Olympics; that’s always impressive.

Who Did Bilal Ciloglu Lose To?

Bilal lost his second round fight in the Olympics to the man who would eventually storm through every other round and claim gold, Shohei Ono. Ono is one of the most decorated judokas in Japan, and it’s unfortunate for anyone to have to face him so early in an Olympic tournament. Still, Bilal showed up and worked his hardest to win the match. There’s no shame in losing to a multi-time Olympic gold medalist.

Bilal Ciloglu Record

Bilal Ciloglu has 197 head to head judo matches as a professional, which is approaching the level of grind that wrestlers go through. In that time, he’s wracked up an impressive 139-58 record, winning his matches at nearly  2:1 ratio. Although his record isn’t flawless, Cigolu routinely ties up with the best judokas on planet earth to test himself at the highest levels. The craziest part? He’s only 24! Bilal is bound to continue to improve on these records as he ages.

Bilal Ciloglu Injuries

Judo is brutal on the body and so it’s likely hat Bilal has experienced many small injuries, even by the age of 24. Still, he hasn’t publicly withdrawn from any matches during his time as a professional, so he’s stayed relatively healthy. Like any combat athlete, it’s important for Ciloglu to follow a regimented strength and conditioning program in order to stay in top shape for Olympic competition. 

Is Bilal Ciloglu Retired?

Bilal Ciloglu is nowhere near retired. With several impressive international medals under his black belt already, the young 24 year old has many more years to build his legacy on the mat. We’re betting that he’d like another shot at legend Shohei Ono before his time is done, although that may be difficult considering Ono’s early retirement from the sport in December 2022.

In addition to the brutal training he subjects himself to in order to grow as an athlete and as an Olympian, Bilal also films content with us here at BJJ Fanatics. It’s important for those of us who have internalized the passive, easy style of jiu jitsu to remember that there’s a vicious stand-up game to be learned as well!

"Effective Hybrid Judo Throws" is our instructional offering from Bilal. In this series, Ciloglu shares his expertise and unique approach to Judo throws, combining traditional techniques with modern, hybrid variations. The volume is broken down into multiple chapters, each focused on a different aspect of judo throws, such as grip fighting, movement, and combinations. The videos are filmed in high quality, with clear and concise instructions from Ciloglu, and in-depth demonstrations of each technique.

Whether you are a beginner looking to improve your Judo skills or an advanced practitioner seeking new techniques, "Effective Hybrid Judo Throws" provides a comprehensive and practical guide to enhance your throwing abilities. With Ciloglu's expert guidance, you will learn how to execute throws with maximum efficiency and effectiveness, taking your Judo game to the next level. Don’t miss a chance to check out this Olympic level instruction today!

If you enjoyed this piece, check out these topics:

• Malcolm Gwilliam
• Marcio Stambowsky Age
• How Old Is Daniel Woirin?
• Ann Kneib Weight
• Corey Guitard Weight
• Daniel De Groot Weight