Anthony Smith will continue his march toward the light heavyweight crown when he tangles with former title contender Volkan Oezdemir at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 138 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, courtesy of the brand-new Moncton Events Centre in New Brunswick, Canada, on Sat., Oct. 27, 2018.
Those of you hoping for a five-round war might be disappointed, as “Lionheart” is predicting a second-round finish. But not just for “No Time,” as Smith is convinced the entire division will yield to his power-punching prowess.
“I think that it’s another brutal finish, I really do,” Smith told Submission Radio. “I think that our styles match up perfectly for me. Volkan’s not shooting takedowns, it’s just not happening. Not that he’s not able to, but just his style and his mentality. So, with the threat of a takedown completely off the table, I don’t think that there’s anyone at 205 that’s gonna win a striking battle with me.”
Oezdemir (15-2) has not competed since his technical knockout loss to Daniel Cormier at the UFC 220 pay-per-view (PPV) event last August. “No Time” was previously attached to a Mauricio Rua showdown, but since-resolved legals issues gave him pause.
As for Smith (30-13), he took over for Oezdemir and capitalized on the opportunity, smashing “Shogun” and elevating his status at 205 pounds. While his calls for a title shot fell on deaf ears, no question a big win in Moncton will have him knocking on the door.
To see who else is fighting at UFC Moncton click here.