Is this Alexander Razic’s rise or Volkan Oezdemir’s rebirth?
If there’s one thing those on social media enjoy more than celebrating a fighter on the rise, it’s tearing them down after they stumble.
Actually, there might be two things: They also love coming back around on a fighter who makes their second run toward the top after they’ve been counted out.
[autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] just might be one of those redemption tales.
Oezdemir (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) earned his “No Time” moniker with consecutive knockouts in under a minute to earn a shot at then-light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 220. But that’s where things went south, as the Swiss competitor lost the first of of what turned into three consecutive fights.
Just as he was about to be relegated to the scrap heap, though, Oezdemir put on a tremendous show with a knockout victory over Ilir Latifi at UFC Montevideo, getting a “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process.
Now, he takes on the unheralded, but dangerous, [autotag]Aleksander Rakic[/autotag], a fight that seems destined to produce a real contender one way or another. The Austrian Rakic (12-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has won four straight, including a 42-second knockout of Jimi Manuwa last time out. Whether we’re watching someone’s rise or someone’s rebirth, this fight should give fans something to ponder.
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