UFC 220 co-main-event breakdown: Oddsmakers correct with Daniel Cormier vs. Volkan Oezdemir?

MMAjunkie Radio co-host and MMAjunkie contributor Dan Tom provides an in-depth breakdown of all of UFC 220’s main-card bouts. Today, we look at the co-main event.

UFC 220 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card, which includes two title fights, airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Also see:

• UFC 220 main-event breakdown: Can Stipe Miocic upset Francis Ngannou to set title record?

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Daniel Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC)

Daniel Cormier

Staple info:

• Height: 5’11” Age: 38 Weight: 205 lbs. Reach: 72?
• Last fight: No-contest against Jon Jones (July 29, 2017)
• Camp: American Kickboxing Academy (San Jose, CA)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ UFC light-heavyweight champion
+ Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner
+ 2x U.S. Olympian (wrestling captain)
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ 8 KO victories
+ 4 submission wins
+ 7 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Pressure-fighting approach
^ Forces high work rate
+ Dangerous overhands and uppercuts
+ Deceptive distance closer
^ Slips and rips way inside
+ Strong clinch game
^ Effective dirty boxer
+ Diverse takedown game
^ Favors high-crotch single
+ Transitions intelligently on top

Volkan Oezdemir (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

Volkan Oezdemir

Staple info:

• Height: 6’1? Age:280 Weight: 205 lbs. Reach: 75?
• Last fight: Knockout win over Jimi Manuwa (July 29, 2017)
• Camp: Hard Knocks 365 (Florida)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ Kickboxing accolades (5-0 as pro)
+ 10 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 11 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Solid muay Thai technique
^ Seldom out of position
+ Accurate left hook
+ Hard leg kicks
^ Often punctuates combos
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Strikes well off the breaks
+ Underrated wrestling/grappling
^ Good offensive and defensive fundamentals

Summary:

The co-main event in Boston features another title affair as Daniel Cormier attempts to defend the light-heavyweight championship against Volkan Oezdemir.

Coming off of a crushing defeat to Jon Jones, Cormier – through a crazy turn of events – would end up back on the throne of the 205-pound division after a failed drug test from Jones. Now looking to reestablish his status of champion, Cormier will be jumping right back in the octagon to fend off another young lion.

Storming the UFC scene in 2017, Oezdemir would earn himself three wins en route to his fast climb up the ranks. Seemingly unshakable in focus, the Swiss-born fighter will get his shot to make a huge statement with a win here.

Starting off on the feet, we have a battle between two pressure fighters who aren’t afraid to step into the fire.

Hailing from the American Kickboxing Academy, Cormier embodies a similar style on the feet to stablemate Cain Velasquez. Stalking forward with feints, fakes and measuring jabs, Cormier will slip and rip his way inside.

Often punctuating his presence with hooks up high, the champion has no issues finishing down low with leg kicks. In fact, I feel that Cormier has an underrated kicking ability, and I would not be surprised to see him compete in that department with his counterpart.

Nevertheless, the on-paper edge should still reside with the challenger.

A well-trained muay Thai practitioner who’s trained both in Thailand and the Netherlands, Oezdemir implements a bit of both styles into his MMA game. Moving well with his punches and seldom throwing himself out of position, the eight-year pro will punctuate his combinations with crushing kicks that often follow his patented left hook.

Despite typically maintaining a technical and measured approach, Oezdemir has also shown that he is not afraid to stand his ground and return with force when he needs to. And when Oezdemir gets his opponents near the fence, he will get even more aggressive, throwing kicks and combos with impunity.

If things begin to get heated on the feet, I fully suspect Cormier to exercise his advantages on the ground.

A former captain of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team, grappling – to say the least – has come second nature to Cormier.

From his high-crotch hikes to his slick trips in close, Cormier is a formidable force for anyone inside of the clinch. The champion also has good reactionary takedowns, which will likely come in handy against his aggressive counterpart.

Oezdemir, who has yet to have a chance to display much on the ground inside of the octagon, has shown that he possesses competent defensive and offensive wrestling abilities in other organizations.

From topside, the sturdy base and balance Oezdemir displays as a striker seem to translate well to the floor, and the 28-year-old holds a solid mount, striking and transitioning well along the way.

When taken down, Oezdemir still appears to offer good answers defensively. Demonstrating the wrestling improvements he has made state-side, Oezdemir will immediately turtle or tripod up to his base, fighting hands while making his way to a standing position.

That said, turtling can come at the cost of front-headlocks or back takes. And although those threats are fewer and far between at light heavyweight, Oezdemir will be up against one of most relentless transitional grapplers north of 205 pounds.

Even fellow Olympian Dan Henderson had difficulty in keeping Cormier off of him, and he was privy to a plethora of positional rides that were ruthless and wearing. If Oezdemir allows Cormier to get that far into his groove, then it will likely be a long night for the man from Switzerland.

The oddsmakers and public seem firm in their opinion, listing Cormier -320 and Oezdemir +260 as of this writing.

Although I hate to pick against Oezdemir – a fighter who has a pension for proving people wrong – I have to agree with the oddsmakers above. Cormier may be coming off of a brutal defeat, but he is still one of the sports most proven fighters pound-for-pound.

Ultimately, I believe that Cormier will enact a similar strategy to the one he used in his fight with Oezdemir’s stablemate Anthony Johnson. I see the champion weathering the early storm and sucking Oezdemir into his world, steadily cooking the Swiss fighter underneath him for a fourth-round finish.

Official pick: Cormier inside the distance

For more on UFC 220, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.