The light heavyweight division is in desperate need of fresh, young contenders. This Sunday’s matchup between Switzerland’s Volkan Oezdemir and Latvia’s Misha Cirkunov could very well produce one. It’s an intriguing matchup between rising prospects that should produce fan friendly results.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down the matchup from a betting perspective.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Volkan Oezdemir -420
Misha Cirkunov +335
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -110, under -110
Please note, the UFC odds at updated daily and subject to change.
The Case For Oezdemir
Who is Volkan Oezdemir? The Swiss fighter made his UFC debut on just two weeks notice and shocked the world with an upset over former title challenger Ovince St. Preux. The surprising result vaulted Oezdemir from a complete unknown to No. 5 in the UFC rankings.
On paper, Oezdemir is 13-1 with 9 KOs and 1 SUB, mostly racked up on the European circuit. He had a short 2-fight stint in Bellator, going 1-1 with a loss to Kelly Anundson. Though Anundson is a middling fighter, Oezdemir was able to raise his game big time against OSP.
In his UFC debut, the Team Tavares product showed good athleticism, solid striking skills and the ability to overcome adversity against a noticeably bigger fighter. In the past, Oezdemir was best known for his ability to land timely takedowns and crushing opponents with aggressive GNP.
The Case for Cirkunov
The Latvian has been tabbed as one of division’s best prospects for a year now. Though he is a bit awkward on the feet, he stays poised under fire and excels and applying pressure. It’ll likely be awhile until he is completely comfortable on the feet, but the Xtreme Couture member is skilled enough in other areas that he’s compiled a 4-0 record in the octagon.
Where Cirkunov excels is in the clinch and the ground game, which lets him win without a complete standup game. He is immensely strong, and has yet to meet a UFC opponent he could not keep against the cage. From there, an assortment of judo-based takedowns gives him the ability to take the fight to the mat - where he is strongest.
Once on top, the 30-year old stays heavy and advances positions like a natural. And with seven submissions in 13 career wins, his ability to find and trap limbs is without question. Oezdemir will truly be in trouble if Cirkunov if he stays on the mat too long.
How You Should Bet
It only seems like a matter of time before Cirkunov gets in close and forces this fight into his wheelhouse. Expect the Latvian to control Oezdemir on the ground for the majority of this fight and fish a submission win in the third.
You should also note the low round total at 1.5 rounds, with the over and under at -110. This is a tougher pick, since it’s hard to tell how Oezdemir will react on the ground, but the payout is much better than Cirkunov to win straight up. Use the Latvian’s line as parlay fodder instead of a coin flip bet.
UFC odds pick: Cirkunov to win at -420
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UFC Fight Night 109 - Gustafsson vs. Teixeira takes place on Sunday, May 28 in Stockholm, Sweden. The card airs on FS1 starting 1 p.m. ET.
