Volkan Oezdemir looking for immediate impact at UFC Fight Night 104 vs. Ovince Saint Preux

HOUSTON – Volkan Oezdemir knows he put himself in a no-lose situation when he took the call from the UFC to step in for a fight with Ovince Saint Preux on short notice.

With Jan Blachowicz out, Saint Preux (19-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC) needed a new light heavyweight opponent, and the folks at Titan FC were good enough to free Oezdemir (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) up from a heavyweight title fight he had been booked for to send him off to the big leagues at UFC Fight Night 104.

When fighters step up on short notice for a debut, they’re typically given a good amount of slack. If they have a bad night in their debut, there’s not usually a real threat of being cut loose after one fight. So Oezdemir knows if things don’t go his way, he’ll almost certainly get a chance to bounce back with a full camp.

But the thing is, he’s not expecting to need to bounce back.

“The UFC wanted somebody to grab the fight, and I was there for that,” he told MMAjunkie. “I’m here and I want to be fighting with the best right away. ‘OSP’ is a proven guy, and I’m here to prove to everyone else that I belong in here.

“It’s a win-win for sure. I took the fight on short notice, and I’m here. I got the contract, I’m fighting a top six in the world, and I’m here to take his spot. I want to stay there and perform well. I’m the first Swiss guy to sign with the UFC, and I want to represent for my folks and everybody around me.”

UFC Fight Night 104 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The card airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass. Oezdemir and Saint Preux fight on the six-bout main card on FS1.

Given he’s a newcomer to UFC fans – the first fighter from Switzerland to sign with the promotion – there may be some wonder about what people can expect.

And the 27-year-old Oezdemir, who has nine of his 12 wins by knockout, said it’s pretty simple. Just look at the resume, lined with opponents who have gone down.

And while an upset of Saint Preux, who is the second biggest favorite on Saturday’s card, would certainly get him some attention, he may not instantly jump up to take his opponent’s spot in the rankings. But regardless, he said his UFC arrival has a purpose, and that’s to get to the top.

“I’m a finisher – I like to finish fights,” he said. “I go in there for the kill, and I’m mostly a striker. That’s what I did all my life. But I’m training everything and trying to be complete. I like to mix everything. He’s a good athlete – he’s tall, strong, long reach. He comes from a sports background with football, but I’m a fighter, and that’s what I’m going to bring.

“I hope with the win I’m going to be top 10 right away. I’m here to climb the ranks.”

For more from Oezdemir ahead of his fight with Saint Preux, including what the Swiss MMA scene is like, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 104, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.