Volkan Oezdemir will return to action in March, where the former light heavyweight title challenger will face Dominick Reyes at UFC London.
Former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir will look to get his career back on track in London in just a few month’s time. As first reported by BJPenn.com, Oezdemir has been targeted for a key light heavyweight match-up with Dominick Reyes at UFC London in March. The promotion’s first trip to the U.K. in 2019, the card is expected to air on ESPN+.
Oezdemir (15-3) last fought at UFC Moncton in October. ‘No Time’ faced Anthony Smith in the chilly province of New Brunswick, coming up short and ending up finished in the third round via a rear-naked choke. The Smith bout was his first fight back after losing to Daniel Cormier in a failed title bid to start 2018. The Swiss 29-year old will no doubt hope to start 2019 on a better note.
Dominick Reyes (10-0) is currently on a run reminiscent of Volkan Oezdemir’s own in 2017. He has won four straight in the UFC against increasingly stronger competition. Most recently, he earned a unanimous decision win over Ovince St. Preux at UFC 229 in September. A victory over Oezdemir, another former title challenger, should thrust him into the mix for title contention in the razor thin light heavyweight division. Currently, new champ Jon Jones, Anthony Smith, and Corey Anderson represent the top names in the weight class, with Shogun Rua a dark horse candidate for a title shot.
Reyes, however, with his perfect record, could jump past several of those names for a shot at Jones in the right circumstances.
UFC London, numerically UFC Fight Night 147, takes place March 16 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
