UFC’s second visit to London is scheduled for July 23, 2022, inside O2 Arena, and it’s building up to be a very fun card. Earlier today, Eurosport’s Marcel Dorff reported that Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir has been added to the bout list.
Paul Craig will fight Volkan Oezdemir at #UFCLondon on July 23rd. #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN pic.twitter.com/qjLV0CbBwj
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) May 12, 2022
Paul Craig is currently on the best run of his career. After a tumultuous start to his UFC career, Craig is unbeaten in his last six bouts, defeating top contenders like Jamahal Hill and Nikita Krylov to earn a position at No. 8 in Light Heavyweight rankings. The Scottish fighter has earned four performance bonuses on his current win streak, mostly due to his ability to pull out submissions from thin air.
Times have been tougher for Switzerland’s Oezdemir, who hasn’t tasted victory since narrowly defeating Aleksandar Rakic in December 2019. Admittedly, the No. 9-ranked contender has been facing the cream of the crop, losing to elite talents Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev in that time.
Submission master vs. knockout artist — this one’s unlikely to see the final bell.
UFC London will be headlined by a Heavyweight match up between Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall. The care will also feature a Middleweight tilt between Jack Hermansson and Darren Till, as well as a Light Heavyweight bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Nikita Krylov. “The Meatball” Molly McMann will return to action opposite Hannah Goldy after her dramatic win at the first UFC London, and lastly prospect Muhammad Mokaev also fights Charles Johnson at Flyweight.
UFC London is shaping up to be a can’t miss event, with or without Paddy Pimblett.