UFC Macau Preview: #8 Volkan Oezdemir vs #10 Carlos Ulberg

New Zealand’s rising MMA star, and part-time model, Carlos Ulberg, will take on long-time vet and one-time title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Macau on Saturday. Ulberg, a former kickboxer and reality show contestant, lost his UFC debut in 2021 but has reeled off six straight wins to earn him the tenth rank in the division entering the biggest fight of his life against Switzerland’s eighth-ranked Oezdemir.

Ulberg’s power is prodigious, as is his precision and variety, creating a truly potent, dynamic offensive attack. In his lone MMA loss, his opponent covered up to survive the early onslaught and knocked out Carlos when he tired. However, Ulberg has since proven he can pace himself better and carry his athleticism longer in fights, such as with his last-minute submission win over Da Un Jung last year.  

Yet Oezdemir brings a better rounded game, as evidenced by his last two wins being by submission and KO, and more experience to the table than any foe Carlos has faced before. Ulberg does have a 75% career takedown defense in the UFC, but has only been faced with four total attempts against poor wrestlers; the only decent wrestler who the Kiwi faced blitzed from the opening bell and got himself knocked out in twelve seconds.

Volkan clearly has something left in the tank at 35-years-old, however Ulberg has proven capable of focusing on a gameplan; if his City Kickboxing coaches direct him to keep the range and pick apart his foe from the outside then he will likely seek to do so. Oezdemir may still find a way to engage the grappling but is not a dangerous submission threat to competent foes, so I believe Ulberg’s athleticism, as well as the basic grappling ability he showed against Da Un Jung, will be enough to get him the victory.

I predict he will get it done via decision, as Carlos will not want to overextend and hunt the knockout, which would risk leaving an opening for grappling or Volkan’s own striking prowess, which is not inconsequential itself.