Volkan Oezdemir and Johnny Walker will face off on Saturday's main card of UFC on ABC 6 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Check out a quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker UFC on ABC 6 Preview
Ozdemir (19-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) will be looking to keep the momentum going after scoring an early finish in his last bout. “No Time” Ozdemir handily defeated Bogdan Guskov via first-round submission last September. Ozdemir will be looking to resume back-to-back wins for the first time since 2019. …Walker (21-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) was last beaten by knockout. In January, Walker was stopped in the second round by Magomed Ankalaev, ending a three-fight winning streak that included a no-contest against Ankalaev in October of last year.
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker UFC on ABC 6 Expert Picks, Predictions
Given that all bouts below 185 pounds have been relegated to prelims, it seems like UFC matchmakers are blatantly taking advantage of Joe Silva's tried-and-true tactic of starting main cards with lightweight or featherweight bouts.
Still, a light heavyweight bout between Oezdemir and Walker is sure to be a bizarre one for as long as it lasts.
Walker, whose inconsistency has left him somewhat like a “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” character, has been steadily steering towards a more conservative course since partnering with SBG Ireland.
At the same time, it's good to see Walker trying to hone his fundamentals and develop his process, but it's hard to get too excited when there's no doubt about the Brazilian's staying power.
So I'm half-heartedly backing Oezdemir to win on the scorecards in a fight that got increasingly bizarre as it drew to a close.
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker UFC on ABC 6 odds
Oddsmakers and the public believe this is a fight to be won or lost, with Walker being a slight favorite at -110 and Oezdemir being a -106 favorite, according to FanDuel.
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker UFC on ABC 6 start time, how to watch
Oezdemir and Walker are scheduled to take to the Octagon at approximately 3:10 PM ET to open the main card, which will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on ESPN+.
For more on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC on ABC 6 event hub.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie.
