This weekend UFC heads to Paris for only the second time in its history, as Ciryl Gane takes on Serghei Spivac in the main event. The French fighter, Gane, is looking to redeem himself after his loss against Jon Jones at UFC 285 in March. His opponent Spivac, has been on a three-fight winning streak, making Gane’s task all the more daunting. The UFC Paris card also sees Rose Namajunas make her debut at flyweight as she takes on Manon Fiorot, who ranks second in the division.
A win for Namajunas is likely to put her in contention for the title quite early, given her opponent’s ranking. Apart from these two fights, we also have an interesting fight in the light heavyweight division between Volkan Oezdemir and Bogdan Guskov. Oezdemir, a UFC veteran, will fend off a challenge from UFC newcomer Guskov, who gained popularity for his performances in the Russian MMA scene.
Your #UFCParis card is set! 🇫🇷
We kick off at 5:30pm BST / 6:30pm CEST this Saturday!! pic.twitter.com/LKmlJ2lHy0
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 31, 2023
Interestingly, Guskov had to take this fight on short notice given that Ozdemir’s scheduled opponent, Azamat Murzakanov, pulled out of the fight a month ago. The Uzbek fighter will relish the opportunity to showcase his talent in the UFC as he hopes to make a successful debut.
UFC Paris Volkan Oezdemir vs. Bogdan Guskov Stats
Stats | Volkan Oezdemir | Bogdan Guskov |
---|---|---|
Wins | 18 | 14 |
Losses | 7 | 2 |
Height | 6′ 2″ | 6′ 3″ |
Division | Light heavyweight | Light heavyweight |
Reach | 75.2″ | NA |
Age | 33 | 30 |
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Bogdan Guskov: Fight breakdown and prediction
Considering Guskov is making his debut in the UFC, there are sure to be some nerves. Fortunately for him, he is coming into this fight on the back of a four-fight winning streak comprising four first-round knockouts. Another devastating statistic is the fact that Guskov, who has had 14 wins in mixed martial arts, has never relied on judges to settle matters. He has 12 knockouts and 2 submissions, making him a formidable opponent for the UFC veteran, Oezdemir.
Volkan Oezdemir (18-7, 6-6 UFC) never really recovered from his failed attempt to dethrone Daniel Cormier from the light heavyweight throne in 2018. “No Time” has managed a mere three wins in eight fights since his attempted coup, as the 33-year-old sits just above the top ten of the division.
Bogdan Guskov is fighting Volkan Oezdemir this week. This guy’s power is terrifying #ufc pic.twitter.com/uTRbu6g44i
— Weasle (@ThaWeasle) September 1, 2023
If the fight is to be a striking contest, Guskov might appear to have an advantage considering his record, but it is important to note that most of his wins came against opponents who might not be on the level of UFC fighters. on the other hand, Oezdemir has been in the ring with some of the best fighters in the world like Cormier, who was a 2 division champion.
All in all, it is not going to be an easy outing for either fighter, but the scales might just tip in the favor of Oezdemir, given his experience in the UFC. But the important thing is, who do you think wins the fight? Let us know in the comments down below.