Attorney: Administrative error corrected; Volkan Oezdemir case to proceed Jan. 9

Volkan Oezdemir is due in court Jan. 9, when he will plead not guilty to allegedly assaulting a man in a Florida bar.

A rep for Oezdemir attorney Bruce A. Zimet today said a no-bond arrest warrant for the UFC light heavyweight title challenger has been rescinded, allowing the fighter to remain free on a $10,000 bond.

“Mr. Zimet has already commenced preparation of Volkan’s defense and anticipates when all the facts are presented that Volkan will be fully vindicated,” read a statement sent to MMAjunkie.

Oezdemir’s arraignment is set to take place at Broward County Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court with judge Barbara R. Duffy.

Earlier this month, the assault charge against Oezdemir was downgraded from an aggravated battery charge to felony battery, which carries a potential prison sentence of five years instead of 15 years. But the state attorney’s office also requested a no bond capias, an arrest warrant used when a defendant fails to appear in court. Zimet today filed an emergency motion to vacate the warrant and continue Oezdemir’s bond, per online records.

In the statement released today, the attorney’s rep said a Broward County judge agreed to the motion, though MMAjunkie couldn’t immediately verify that claim with a court clerk. Online court records can take time to be processed into the system.

Oezdemir, 28, was arrested Nov. 18 on a charge of aggravated battery. The charge stemmed from an alleged incident on Aug. 12 at Capone’s bar in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The alleged victim, Kevin Cohen, claimed he stepped outside the bar after hearing his friend had been knocked out. Upon asking who had knocked out his friend, he was allegedly struck and knocked out by Oezdemir.

Cohen claimed he lost consciousness for 14 minutes and was treated at a local hospital for concussion symptoms and lacerations on his head. At a hearing, Oezdemir pleaded not guilty to the charge. Zimet told the court that the fighter did not instigate the incident.

The timing of the alleged incident couldn’t have been worse for Oezdemir (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), whose three straight UFC knockouts and online campaign with champ Daniel Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) led to a title shot at UFC 220, which takes place Jan. 20 at TD Garden in Boston.

Despite the pending case, the UFC has not removed Oezdemir from the event. Zimet’s rep today said the lesser charges “will not in any way interfere” with his scheduled fight.

Oezdemir is a native of Switzerland but trains in South Florida with Combat Club, a team that formed in the wake of the general dissolution of the Blackzilians.

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