Volkan Oezdemir vows to make a statement against Alonzo Menifield at UFC Qatar, eyes Jamahal Hill next

Volkan Oezdemir is finally making his return to the Octagon after over a year away.

Nearly a year to the date, Oezdemir is set to return at UFC Qatar when he takes on Alonzo Menifield. He’s coming off a decision loss to Carlos Ulberg, and after the loss, Oezdemir said it was always part of the plan to take some time off, as his girlfriend was pregnant and he was going to be a dad.

“I’ve been a bit busy after my fight. I moved back to Switzerland,” Oezdemir said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I bought an apartment here because my wife was pregnant. So we moved back closer to family. I also opened a new gym, my own place. There was a lot of stuff I had to focus on, and I didn’t want to go back to fighting too quickly. If you focus on too many things, you don’t do anything 100 percent, and the baby was a big priority for me. Now, I’m cleared to focus on fighting again.”

Once Oezdemir was ready to return, he was hopeful to face Jan Blachowicz as he felt like it made sense for European MMA. However, he didn’t get his wish and instead will take on Menifield at UFC Qatar.

“I was really hoping to fight Blachowicz,” Oezdemir said. “It’s something that needs to be done for the European fans, for the people around me. I think that is very good, a very exciting one as well. The UFC decided differently, so I took on Alonzo Menifield. …

“He’s been at the gates of the top-15 for a long time, but has never really pushed through it. He wants to test himself against me, and that’s not a smart idea. I will gladly show him that.”

Volkan Oezdemir plans to make a statement at UFC Qatar

As Oezdemir said, his plan is to show Menifield there are levels to this sport and division, and he is above him.

Oezdemir knows Menifield has some knockout power, but other than that, the Swiss fighter is confident he will get his hand raised and by stoppage.

“He’s a little bit slow, but he is powerful,” Oezdemir added. “I don’t think he’s more special than anybody else; he’s a good opponent. But I think this fight will play out in my favor.”

If Oezdemir gets his hand raised, he believes he will be closing in on a title shot. And, if he had his way, he would be facing Jamahal Hill next time out.

“The goal is always the same: to be a champion,” Oezdemir concluded. “For me, I have to get on a winning streak, two or three fights in a row, some impressive wins. I’m still in the top-10. I just need some good names under my belt. … Of course, Jamahal Hill is someone I really want to fight. I’ve been wanting to fight him for a long time; the UFC knows that.”