Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Aleksandar Rakic and Volkan Oezdemir faced each other in a Light Heavyweight contest today (Sat., Dec. 21, 2019) at UFC Fight Night 165, which took place inside Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea. Following a back-and-forth battle,
Rakic opened with a big hook early. The Austrian flurried forward and partially landed a jump knee, then he threatened the neck with a guillotine choke. After his foe’s wild start, Oezdemir slowed the fight down in the clinch with a takedown attempt. Back in the center, Oezdemir chopped at the lead leg. Rakic landed a hard body kick, Oezdemir swung wide with his counter attempt. Two-punch combo landed for Rakic. Oezdemir connected on a right hand counter. Cross scored for Rakic, the taller and longer man. Another right connected for him as Oezdemir pushed forward. Big exchange saw both power punchers land. Moments later, Rakic switched it up with a single leg takedown and tripped his foe to the mat. Oezdemir worked back to his feet pretty quickly, landed a left hook on the break. Rakic landed a good combination but ate a left hook in the process. Hard low kick scored from Oezdemir. One more low kick from the Swiss athlete before the end of a furious opening round.
Oezdemir dug into the lead leg early in the second, attacking his foe’s wide stance. Rakic stuck his foe with a 1-2, ate another low kick. Another 1-2 from Rakic, but he ate a left hook afterward. Oezdemir attacked the leg again. Big left body kick landed for Rakic. Rakic caught a low kick, landed a brief takedown, and clubbed his foe in the ensuing scramble back to his feet. Rakic landed a decent right hand on the break of the clinch. Smart counter right hand landed for Rakic, but Oezdemir stuffed his next takedown attempt. Good right hand-uppercut combo landed from Rakic. Oezdemir ripped the body well, scored another hard low kick. Rakic returned the favor with a low kick of his own, but his lead leg featured some really unpleasant, strange swelling on the upper calf by the end of the round.
Uppercut-hook combination opened the final round for Rakic. Oezdemir continued pressuring forward, but he absorbed two left hooks from Rakic, who grabbed a clinch afterward and jammed his foe into the fence. Both men landed on the break. Good low kick scored for Oezdemir. Hard jab landed for the Austrian. Rakic feinted a level change and landed an uppercut. Oezdemir stuffed a takedown attempt. Good jab from Oezdemir, who ate a left hook when he attempted to step forward. Oezdemir lunged in with a left hook that landed. Strong jab landed for Rakic. Oezdemir landed some decent uppercuts in the clinch, which prompted Rakic to bite down and rip off a combination. 1-2 from Rakic scored. Rakic landed a jab and ducked into a double leg takedown. He seemed to have it, but Oezdemir managed to pull him up into the clinch instead. Left hook landed on the break from Rakic just before the bell.
Once more, Oezdemir faced off with a top Light Heavyweight prospect, and the end result was a war. Both men had their moments, but ultimately the judges valued Oezdemir’s low kicks and forward pressure over Rakic’s rangy sniper punches.
Result: Volkan Oezdemir defeats Aleksandar Rakic via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For complete UFC Fight Night 165: “Edgar vs. Jung” results and play-by-play, click HERE!