MMA Preview – Magomed Ankalaev vs Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 267
MAGOMED ANKALAEV VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR FACTS
When is UFC 267? Saturday 30th October, 2021 - 17:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 267? Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 267? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 267
What channel is UFC 267 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC 267? 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!
MAGOMED ANKALAEV VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR LOWDOWN
Magomed Ankalaev (15-1) is the man to watch in the light heavyweight division and he has steadily been climbing the ranks. We all remember his UFC debut where Paul Craig (2018) cinched a triangle in the last second of the fight to steal the win. However, since then he has resumed putting on striking clinics. He knocked out Marcin Prachnio (2018) before earning a unanimous decision over Klison Abreu (2019) and then knocked out Dalcha Lungiambula (2019) with a picture-perfect front kick. He followed it up with a controversial stoppage and then a more convincing knockout over Ion Cutelaba (2020). He returned in February this year for his toughest fight but earnt another classy unanimous decision over Nikita Krylov to make it six in a row.
Volkan Oezdemir’s (17-5) resurgence got brutally halted by Jiri Prochazka in his only fight last year. He got assassinated cold in the second round after bouncing back after three straight losses. He got mauled and TKO’d in his title fight with Daniel Cormier (2018), submitted by Anthony Smith (2018) and then lost a split decision to Dominick Reyes (2019). He responded with a vintage knockout over Ilir Latifi (2019) and then a split decision over Aleksandar Rakic (2019) before the Czech monster crushed his momentum.
MAGOMED ANKALAEV VS VOLKAN OEZDEMIR PREDICTION
This fight has gone completely under the radar and it is the perfect way to kick off the stacked UFC 267 main card. We have two special knockout artists and they size up very similarly physically. Ankalaev is more graceful and dynamic with every strike in the book whereas Oezdemir is a more conventional and compact striker with stunning power in his hands.
Oezdmir hands are incredibly dangerous and needs little wind-up to put people to sleep so he will try get close to Ankalaev and unleash in the pocket. The Russian will be well-aware of this and he will utilize his movement by constantly circling and offloading his arsenal of kicks to strike from range.
Oezdemir is always dangerous in a striking battle, but we feel Ankalaev will soon prove to be the best striker in the division. Oezdemir is worth a small punt considering the odds, but the Dagestani should have the nous to get the job done from his range.
Prediction: Ankalaev via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Oezdemir via KO/TKO
