Volkan Oezdemir will be making his UFC debut this weekend at UFC Fight Night 104, as he is a late replacement opponent for Ovince St. Preux.
Fighting the #6 ranked light heavyweight in his UFC debut is fine for Oezdemir, who?s looking to make his name known in the UFC.
?The UFC wanted somebody to grab the fight, and I was there for that,? he told MMA Junkie. ?I?m here and I want to be fighting with the best right away. ?OSP? is a proven guy, and I?m here to prove to everyone else that I belong in here. It?s a win-win for sure. I took the fight on short notice, and I?m here. I got the contract, I?m fighting a top six in the world, and I?m here to take his spot. I want to stay there and perform well. I?m the first Swiss guy to sign with the UFC, and I want to represent for my folks and everybody around me.?
A potential victory over the #6 St. Preux could be a huge one for Oezdemir, who thinks the win would move him quickly up the rankings.
?I?m a finisher ? I like to finish fights,? he said. ?I go in there for the kill, and I?m mostly a striker. That?s what I did all my life. But I?m training everything and trying to be complete. I like to mix everything. He?s a good athlete ? he?s tall, strong, long reach. He comes from a sports background with football, but I?m a fighter, and that?s what I?m going to bring. I hope with the win I?m going to be top 10 right away. I?m here to climb the ranks.?
UFC Fight Night 104 takes place on Saturday, February 4 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas with Dennis Bermudez and Chan Sung Jug headlining.