Volkan Oezdemir looks to get back in the win column after coming up short against Nikita Krylov in Abu Dhabi last year. He was originally scheduled to face Azamat Murzakanov, but Murzakanov was forced to withdraw from the bout. Instead, “No Time” will defend his No. 8 light heavyweight ranking against UFC newcomer Bogdan Guskov.
France’s own Benoit Saint-Denis has a chance to get into the lightweight rankings with a spectacular performance against Thiago Moises this weekend. Saint-Denis is right on the outside edge of the top 15 and this performance could be the one to get a number next to his name.
Things are very interesting in the women’s flyweight division right now. First, there was Blanchfield’s win over former title challenger Taila Santos. Now it’s Manon Fiorot welcoming Rose Namajunas to the division. And then, in a few weeks, Alexa Grasso will rematch Valentina Shevchenko with the belt on the line.
It’s the perfect statement fight for both Fiorot, who wants to prove that she should be next in line to fight the winner of Grasso-Shevchenko 2, and for Namajunas, who wants to announce that she’s going to be just as good up a weight class.
In the main event, former interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane looks to defend his ranking and home turf against Serghei Spivac. It’s a high stakes fight for Gane, who has competed for a belt in three of his last four fights. A win over Spivac keeps him at the top and close to the title.
PARIS FREE FIGHT: Ciryl Gane vs Tai Tuivasa
On the flip side, it’s a massive opportunity for the “Polar Bear.” Spivac has been on a hot streak, finishing Greg Hardy, August Sakai, and Derrick Lewis in his last three bouts. Spivac sits at No. 7 in the rankings, and a dominant showing against Gane could put him on a short list of true heavyweight title contenders.
