Tag: Volkan Oezdemir

Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir Added To UFC London Card On July 23

The upcoming UFC London card has had another bout confirmed, this time featuring light heavyweight contenders Paul Craig and Volkan Oezdemir. After an incredibly successful UK trip earlier this year, the MMA leader is heading back across the Atlantic for another dose of England’s capital on July 23. Joining Tom Aspinall, Molly McCann, and Muhammad…

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The upcoming UFC London card has had another bout confirmed, this time featuring light heavyweight contenders Paul Craig and Volkan Oezdemir.

After an incredibly successful UK trip earlier this year, the MMA leader is heading back across the Atlantic for another dose of England’s capital on July 23. Joining Tom Aspinall, Molly McCann, and Muhammad Mokaev as a returning victor will be Craig.

Per Mirror Fighting, the Scotsman will meet fellow European veteran Oezdemir inside The O2 in London this summer.

When he brings his top-notch Brazilian jiu-jitsu back in front of the UK crowd again, Craig (16-4-1) will be looking to replicate his past three fights in London, which saw him collect a trio of triangle-choke submissions.

As well as one victory in the city under the BAMMA banner in 2015, “Bearjew” has collected a pair of tap-out wins against Magomed Ankalaev and Nikita Krylov. While his triumph over the Dagestani came with one second left on the clock, Craig’s latest success against Krylov came in the opening round after he looked close to being ground-and-pounded to a stoppage loss.

Having now risen to #8 on the light heavyweight ladder courtesy of four consecutive wins, Craig will be looking to continue his ascent towards gold by adding the name of a former title challenger to his résumé.

But looking to spoil the party for Craig’s home crowd will be Oezdemir (17-6). The Swiss 205lber is in desperate need of a victory having been brutally knocked out by Ji?í Procházka and dominated by Ankalaev in his last two outings. His prior result, a split decision win against Aleksandar Raki?, was also highly controversial.

Having slipped to #9 in the rankings, “No Time” is ironically beginning to run out of time if he wants to mount another charge towards the belt. While he’ll be looking to rebound at this year’s second edition of UFC London, Craig will be hoping to further cement his position as a bonafide contender in the division.

The fights currently expected to take place at UFC London on July 23 are as follows:

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes (heavyweight main event)

Darren Till vs. Jack Hermansson (middleweight)

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Nikita Krylov (light heavyweight)

Molly McCann vs. Hannah Goldy (women’s flyweight)

Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir (light heavyweight)

Muhammad Mokaev vs. Charles Johnson (flyweight)

Mandy Böhm vs. Victoria Leonardo (women’s flyweight)

Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC London, Paul Craig or Volkan Oezdemir?

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Jamahal Hill Decides He Wants To “Make An Example” Out Of Oezdemir

UFC light heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill knows he has at least one more doubter to silence as he continues to rise in the rankings. Hill earned arguably the most gruesome knockout of his career against Johnny Walker at UFC Vegas 48. After taking his time to find his rhythm on the feet, he landed a…

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UFC light heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill knows he has at least one more doubter to silence as he continues to rise in the rankings.

Hill earned arguably the most gruesome knockout of his career against Johnny Walker at UFC Vegas 48. After taking his time to find his rhythm on the feet, he landed a big right hand that sent Walker collapsing to the mat halfway through the first round.

Hill has rebounded in a big way since his first UFC loss to Paul Craig at UFC 263. Before his knockout win over Walker, he finished Jimmy Crute in just 48 seconds last December.

Hill used his UFC Vegas 48 post-fight interview to address the doubters of his skillset. After getting word of Hill’s comments, Oezdemir pointed out that he remains a doubter following Hill’s main event win.

During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Hill addressed Oezdemir’s tweet and whether or not he’ll be his next opponent in the cage.

“I’ve already said it, bro, as long as I got the say-so, he’s next,” Hill said. “Just for the simple fact that what I’m here to do, I can’t have people speaking out. If you gonna speak my name, you better be sure. You better be sure. And he spoke it, and I’m going to go out and make an example of him.”

Hill earned a spot amongst the top 10 UFC light heavyweights after his recent wins and could potentially face Oezdemir next. After back-to-back losses to Magomed Ankalaev and Ji?í Procházka, Oezdemir has slipped to No. 8 in the latest light heavyweight rankings.

Hill has proven to not walk away from a challenge or a fight and seems intent on addressing Oezdemir’s questions. If a fight between them ends up happening next, fans can expect quite the hostility in the buildup.

Do you want to see Jamahal Hill vs. Volkan Oezdemir next?

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Volkan Oezdemir To Jamahal Hill: I’m Still Doubting You

Volkan Oezdemir wants Jamahal Hill to know that there is at least one person still doubting him. Heading into and following UFC Vegas 48, Jamahal Hill addressed the doubters he has had along his rise up the light heavyweight ranks. The 30-year-old has gone 4-1 during his UFC run thus far, with three of those…

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Volkan Oezdemir wants Jamahal Hill to know that there is at least one person still doubting him.

Heading into and following UFC Vegas 48, Jamahal Hill addressed the doubters he has had along his rise up the light heavyweight ranks. The 30-year-old has gone 4-1 during his UFC run thus far, with three of those wins coming by way of knockout. Nevertheless, he believes that he has been met with more doubt than praise, and he has been sure to tell everyone so, including in his Octagon interview at UFC Vegas 48.

After knocking out Johnny Walker in the UFC Vegas 48 main event, Hill again got on the microphone to address these doubters.

Hill’s light heavyweight peer Volkano Oezdemir seems to be among those who witnessed Hill’s victory and Octagon interview on Saturday, and he decided to inform the night’s big winner that he still has one notable doubter.

“I’m still doubting,” Oezdemir said in response to a social media post quoting Hill as saying “Stop doubting.”

Jamahal Hill Responds To Oezdemir’s Doubts

Volkan Oezdemir’s message to Hill may very well be his way of letting the rising contender know that he’d be interested in a potential fight against one another. The fight does make sense for Hill rankings-wise since Oezdemir is ranked #8 while Hill is ranked at #12.

After Hill’s victory over Walker (#10), Hill is expected to crack the top 10 this week. Even still, he would need to make a big jump if he is to surpass Oezdemir’s position. And even if he does, the pair will likely be close to one another in the rankings.

Shortly after Oezdemir’s tweet, Hill issues the following response:

“I mean that understandable with the brain damage you took in your last 2 fights!!! (1 against a guy making his debut) My hands will change your life think it’s a game and fuck around and find out!!!”

As Hill alluded to in his response, one reason why he may not have an interest in this fight is because of the contrasting trajectories the fighters are on. Hill has won two straight fights by knockout and three wins out of his last four while Oezdemir has lost two straight fights.

In fact, Hill has expressed that the only fight he is interested in next is against Ji?í Procházka. However, Procházka is currently slated to challenge Glover Teixeira next for the light heavyweight championship.

In any event, Hill’s closing line of “fuck around and find out” could certainly be interpreted as “Sweet Dreams” being willing to make time to try putting Volkan Oezdemir to sleep.

Would you be interested in seeing a fight between Volkan Oezdemir and Jamahal Hill next?

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UFC 267: Three Under-The-Radar Fights

The UFC is headed back to Abu Dhabi, and the stacked UFC 267 event has left some fight gems unearthed. This weekend all eyes are on Fight Island. The UFC will double down on title fights as interim bantamweight gold will be fought for when Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen meet under the bright lights. […]

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The UFC is headed back to Abu Dhabi, and the stacked UFC 267 event has left some fight gems unearthed.

This weekend all eyes are on Fight Island. The UFC will double down on title fights as interim bantamweight gold will be fought for when Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen meet under the bright lights. Spoiled with riches in an exclusive presentation, the main event pits Brazil’s Glover Teixeira, who is adamant that he will not be denied his final title opportunity against Jan B?achowicz.

Three fights, in particular, stand out at UFC 267 that might be flying under the radar. With a pair of title bouts and the return of the surging Khamzat Chimaev, there is plenty to get excited about. The 9-0 viral sensation looks to re-cement his status as one of the scariest prospects at 170-pounds. The Chechnya native will face a tough out when his showdown with China’s Jingliang Li comes full circle.

As the month of October draws to a close, a cold front of violence awaits. Let’s take a closer look at three contests buried on this epic night of fights.

Amanda Ribas vs. Virna Jandiroba

A strawweight battle between Amanda Ribas and Virna Jandiroba will produce a contender among a busy stable of fighters at 115-pounds. The pair of strawweight athletes made their way into the UFC in 2019 but started careers off in different manners.

“Carcará” was tasked with a difficult debut. Jandiroba faced inaugural former champion Carla Esparza but came up short in a unanimous decision defeat. Within a year of losing her UFC debut, Jandiroba met adversity head-on and picked up her first two victories with the promotion.

As a former Invicta champion, Jandiroba made a career with her submission skills. Interestingly, the 33-year-old first started combat when she was a child practicing kung fu. Nevertheless, it was her affinity for grappling sequences that set her name ablaze in the combat sports community.

Amanda Ribas will meet Jandiroba in a 115-pound contest on Saturday. Despite the recent setback against Marina Rodriguez, Amanda Ribas has shown toughness and a tactical tenacity when she fights in the Octagon. A tale of two different debuts, Ribas made waves with her first performance in the UFC. The strawweight debutante finished Emily Whitmire with a rear-naked choke in round two.

Granted, Amanda Ribas is a well-rounded strawweight, it will take a committed effort in the standup department to uproot Jandiroba from her game. Since Jandiroba is more than willing to take the fight to the canvas, one of Ribas’ notable strengths will be nullified once the two touch gloves.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir

A hard-hitting light heavyweight match-up will illuminate a clear path for whoever should emerge with a victory. Oezdemir, having lost his last bout to Ji?í Procházka, will need a statement win if he intends to put himself back on the hunt for gold.

Volkan Oezdemir fighting Ji?í Procházka

Ankalaev seeks his seventh consecutive win after going scorched earth following his dramatic defeat to Paul Craig in 2018. Both light heavyweights are notable strikers with power produced even in their glancing shots. With such a long-standing winning streak, Ankalaev will risk it all when he faces a former title challenger at UFC 267. Though, ahead of the contest, Oezdemir is adamant that it will be Ankalaev looking to avoid the action.

With the frantic nature of his last fight against Procházka, many believe we have yet to see the best “No Time” has to offer. In 2017, Oezdemir earned his moniker after finishing Misha Cirkunov and Jimi Manuwa in under thirty seconds. The Switzerland native has the chance to become the second fighter in history to defeat Ankalaev when they share the cage on Saturday night.

Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura

Alexander Volkov Marcin Tybura
(via Zuffa LLC)

Marcin Tybura has amassed a quiet but revealing winning streak. Having won his last five bouts, the heavyweight has blasted through some legitimate contenders as of late. In fact, Tybura picked up four of his most recent victories in 2020. After scoring back-to-back decision victories against Maxim Grishin and Ben Rothwell, it seemed the 35-year-old was beginning to find his footing at 265-pounds.

Following his ground-and-pound victory against Greg Hardy, the division and fans alike took notice of the heavyweight’s stellar performance. Putting an exclamation point on his claim for a title contender, Tybura polished off Walt Harris in a single round. Once again, it was the heavyweight’s patented ground-and-pound that got the job done.

However, Tybura will have a challenging night when he meets Alexander Volkov at UFC 267. As a former Bellator and M-1 heavyweight champion, “Drago” will put those former accolades on the line informally when he squares up with Tybura this weekend. Despite Volkov losing his last fight, the defeat came at the hands of Ciryl Gane, and the bout showcased a tactical chess match.

While Volkov was unable to effectively land on Gane, he went the distance with the interim heavyweight champion. As a decorated kickboxer with excellent takedown defense, Volkov will be Tybura’s most puzzling UFC test to date. Alexander Volkov’s striking is difficult to prepare for, and with length and reach not often seen in the UFC, Tybura will need to be defensively sound to avoid fight-ending damage.

What fight at UFC 267 is going under the radar for you?

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Oezdemir Expects Ankalaev To “Run Away” During UFC 267 Fight

UFC light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir believes his UFC 267 fight against Magomed Ankalaev will be a cat and mouse affair. Ankalaev has been away from the Octagon for over a year. The Swiss star was last in action at UFC 251 last July. In Abu Dhabi, he welcomed promotional newcomer Ji?í Procházka to the […]

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UFC light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir believes his UFC 267 fight against Magomed Ankalaev will be a cat and mouse affair.

Ankalaev has been away from the Octagon for over a year. The Swiss star was last in action at UFC 251 last July. In Abu Dhabi, he welcomed promotional newcomer Ji?í Procházka to the promotion. Less than a minute into the second round, “No Time” was brutally knocked out by “Denisa.” However, while he fell to his Czech counterpart, Oezdemir was successful in his two prior outings against fellow Europeans Aleksandar Raki? and Ilir Latifi.

With his place in the 205-pound top 10 still secure, Oezdemir will hope to return the win column and begin a pursuit for a second UFC championship opportunity against Ankalaev on October 30. The Russian, who’s ranked at #7 in the division, will ride a six-fight win streak that includes victories over Ion Cu?elaba and Nikita Krylov into his clash with the 32-year-old.

Ahead of the main card opener, Oezdemir spoke with MMA News’ James Lynch. When asked about the matchup, the former kickboxing practitioner suggested Ankalaev suits him better as an opponent than some of his previous foes. He also commented on the changing landscape of the light heavyweight weight class, which has seen him tumble from top of the mountain in terms of size, to bottom of the pile.

“I like him, I like his style, he’s maybe more like a normal type of guy when you compare him to Ji?í or even Raki?. Those guys, even [Dominick] Reyes; some of my last opponents… [have] a different frame and stuff like that, you know, they’re big guys, really tall. And he’s [Ankalaev] pretty much my size.

“The division has changed a lot, now I’m actually one of the shortest guy in the division. I remember when I first came into the UFC, I was already a top 10 since my first fight, since I fought the #6 guy, and I was one of the tallest guys. Now I’m actually one of the shortest guys in the division. Ankalaev is pretty much my size. He’s a little bit bigger, but he’s actually kind of similar.”

Giving his prediction for the fight, Oezdemir suggested Ankalaev will avoid him and attempt to counter-strike. The Swiss contender used the analogy of a cat chasing a mouse to describe how he thinks his 10th UFC outing will play out.

“This fight, I think, is kind of going to be chasing, like a cat chasing the mouse. I think Ankalaev is a guy who’s gonna actually run away a lot. I think he’s going to try to make me miss, make me frustrated. He’s not the kind of guy that actually engages too much; he’s a counter-striker… I think his game is to make me out of my head, to [make me] engage a little too much, or to take me down. This is the stuff I need to watch out [and] stay in my game, stay composed, and obviously I need to bring the power. I think he is somebody who likes to be in his game, in his timing,” Oezdemir told MMA News.

Catch our full exclusive interview with Volkan Oezdemir ahead of UFC 267 below:

Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 267, Volkan Oezdemir or Magomed Ankalaev?

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Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir Official For UFC 267

Ankalaev OezdemirA potentially explosive light heavyweight encounter between Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir is now official. It was announced by the UFC on Sunday that the pair would collide at the upcoming UFC 267 event taking place October 30 in Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev is on six-fight winning streak and is coming off a unanimous decision win […]

Ankalaev Oezdemir

A potentially explosive light heavyweight encounter between Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir is now official.

It was announced by the UFC on Sunday that the pair would collide at the upcoming UFC 267 event taking place October 30 in Abu Dhabi.

Ankalaev is on six-fight winning streak and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Nikita Krylov in February. However, it was a drab affair and he will likely need a definitely victory to stake a claim for the next title shot.

Oezdemir, meanwhile, hasn’t compete since a first knockout loss in his MMA career dealt by Jiri Prochazka when they fought in July last year. The former title challenger was on a two-fight winning streak prior to that setback and will look to climb up the rankings with a win over Ankalaev.

While Prochazka looks to be next in line for a title shot, both men can make a statement on the night, especially as the event is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between current champion Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira.

The co-main event will see a bantamweight title rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan.

What do you think of this fight? Who takes the win?