Volkan Oezdemir has made quite the name for himself in the UFC's light heavyweight division following back-to-back knockout victories that combine for a total of 70 seconds in total fight time.
As a result Oezdemir earned himself a shot at the 205-pound championship, which is currently held by former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier. Cormier and Oezdemir will go head-to-head in the co-main event of UFC 220 on January 20th next month.
A press conference was held earlier this week with the four fighters involved in the main and co-main events of the card. One topic brought up was that Oezdemir has predicted several times he would finish "DC" in the same fashion he has finished his past few adversaries.
Cormier got the opportunity to respond to these claims during the press conference, calling them absolutely 'crazy' given that he has only lost to one man in his entire mixed martial arts (MMA) career (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“I think it’s crazy,” Cormier said of the prediction. “But I think it’s like the only way that he can win. So like, what else? If it doesn’t happen?
"So many guys go into the fight with the idea that they’re just gonna get me out of there. I’m smaller than everybody. I’m not the bodybuilding guy. I don’t look like those guys.
"So they think they’re gonna get ol’ DC out of there. But what happens after five minutes when I’m still pressing you?
"And I’m throwing you down and I’m pushing your head down and making you gasp for air and I take you down and cover your face, so you can’t breathe. What happens then?
“He’s a tough guy, but they’re all tough, right?” Cormier said. “You don’t expect to fight anybody easy, but I mean, I’ve fought kickboxers before.
"I’ve fought wrestlers, I’ve fought guys with big power. I’ve fought fast guys, big guys. It doesn’t matter. I’ll fight the same way. There’s no secret to how I’m gonna fight.
"I’m gonna go forward, i’m gonna press him and I’m just gonna make him work for 25 minutes.
“If Volkan Oezdemir can do that and beat me, then hats off to him. But I don’t believe that he has it in him to do that. Those guys just don’t work as hard as I do.
"At 38 years old, I’m outworking these 25-year-old dudes, 26-year-old dudes, because that’s all I know since I was a kid.”
What are your thoughts on Cormier's reaction to Oezdemir predicting that he'll knockout "DC" very quickly when they fight? Do you think that Oezdemir has what it takes to become the second-ever man to defeat Cormier in MMA competition? Who do you think will emerge victorious next month in the light heavyweight title shot? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below!
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