MMA Preview – Paul Craig vs Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Fight Night 208
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PAUL CRAIG VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR FACTS
When is UFC London? Sunday 23rd July, 2022 - 18:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC London? The O2 Arena, London (UK)
Where can I get tickets for UFC London? Click here to buy tickets for UFC London
What channel is UFC London on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC London? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
PAUL CRAIG VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR LOWDOWN
Not many people touted Paul Craig (16-4-1) as a future title contender and many still do not, however, he is unbeaten in his last six and just racked up his seventh ‘Performance of the Night’. Since getting buried by Alonzo Menifield (2019), he has finished Vinicius Moreira (2019 – submission), Gadzhimurad Antigulov (2020 – submission), Shogun Rua (2020 -TKO) after their draw in 2019, Jamahal Hill (2021 – TKO) and most recently Nikita Krylov (2022 – submission).
Fellow finisher Volkan Oezdemir (17-6) is in contrasting form enduring another slump. He has lost five of his last seven now although they were to some of the very best light heavyweights at the time. Daniel Cormier (2018 – TKO), Anthony Smith (2018 - submission) and Dominick Reyes (2019 - split decision) dunked him dark waters. He bounced back with a vintage knockout over Ilir Latifi (2019) and then a split decision over Aleksandar Rakic (2019) however, he is now coming off a walloping from Jiri Prochazka (2020) and a unanimous decision loss to Ankalaev (2021).
PAUL CRAIG VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR PREDICTION
This is another pairing for Craig where he seemingly seems completely outmatched on the feet and will be seeking one opening to find a submission which he has become an expert in.
The aura of Oezdemir has diluted after his rise to a title shot, but he still has that devastating knockout power. He is particularly dangerous at close range which is where Craig needs to be to find an opportunity for a submission.
The obvious outcomes here is an Oezdemir knockout or a Craig submission. The Scot seems to have a knack of forcing his opponents to make a mistake, so Oezdemir needs to keep the distance at all costs and be ready to uncork his dynamite short punches when Craig enters the pocket looking for a takedown.
Oezdemir has excellent takedown defence and we have a feeling he will defend a few before displaying his superiority on the feet. Craig holds all the value as the underdog especially if the fight descends into chaos.
Prediction: Oezdemir via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Craig via Submission
