The UFC Star Makes a Permanent Move to Sweden!
The former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir will make a permanent move to Sweden to train at Allstars Training Center in Stockholm!
“No Time” Oezdemir entered the UFC with a buzz when in 2017 he lined up three wins, two of which via KO in a total of 70 seconds! Within his debut year, he landed a title fight against Daniel Cormier in January 2018 which, however, ended with a TKO loss in the second round for the Swiss.
Oezdemir has since struggled to find success in the octagon and now has two straight losses against Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev. He is now in full swing preparing for a return to the octagon when he will face Paul Craig during UFC London on July 23rd.
Ahead of the fight, Oezdemir has made the decision to permanently move to Sweden and train with, among others, the Swedish stars Alexander Gustafsson and Khamzat Chimaev!
– I have made a lot of changes now, Oezdemir said in an interview with Blockasset. I am establishing myself in Sweden. Right now I’m moving from my house, so I say goodbye to Switzerland. I’m going to Allstars, I’m going to train with Khamzat, Darren Till, Alexander Gustafsson, all these monsters over there… It’s really good, I’m really happy! I make all the necessary changes. I have this fire inside me, and I need the right team around me and Allstars will be it.
UFC London: Volkan Oezdemir vs Paul Craig
Volkan Oezdemir has been in Stockholm and trained at Allstars before but has also jumped between different gyms in the world. He now hopes that Allstars will be able to give him the stability and the training that he needs to return to his glory days.
Despite the fact that he currently has two straight losses, against the division’s top tier. Prochazka is booked to fight for the title next and Ankalaev is believed to be at most a fight away from the same opportunity. The light heavyweight division is also one of the UFC’s thinnest divisions, something that works to Oezdemir’s advantage.
– What’s really crazy about the UFC and light heavyweight division is that you are always in the top ten, Oezdemir continued. You are always only two wins away… You have to win against (well-known) names of course, but you only have to win in style. So that’s why I’m looking to get a knockout, a win and to put this fire in the octagon, raise my hand and get everyone up from their chairs. This is what brings you closer to the title, because now you get the viewers and you get the numbers!
Oezdemir is ranked ninth in the light heavyweight division while his upcoming opponent “Bearjew” Craig is ranked eighth. Craig has four straight wins and is known for his grappling. “Bearjew” was also booked to take on “The Mauler” Gustafsson in September last year, a fight that was eventually canceled after the UFC Swede injured himself.
Gustafsson and the team at Allstars Training Center are thus familiar with Craig as an opponent. Oezdemir knows that it will be a tough challenge and that the talented Scottish fighter has the ability to turn the fight around when you least expect it!
