Volkan Oezdemir vs. Nikita Krylov set to co-main event UFC on October 17

A Light Heavyweight fight between former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir and Nikita Krylov has been booked as the co-main event for the upcoming UFC on October 17th card.

Officially confirmed by the UFC Europe Twitter handle, Oezdemir and Krylov will meet in Abu Dhabi and compete on UFC Fight Island. The event, of course, takes place at the Flash Forum on Yas Island, which has been the home to all UFC events in Fight Island, ever since the promotion made its first trip to the UAE.

Your #UFCFightIsland6 co-main!@Volkan_Oezdemir vs @KrylovUFC is official! pic.twitter.com/rVJNY0kXGZ

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 24, 2020

Volkan Oezdemir will look to get back to winning ways against Nikita Krylov

Having renewed his UFC contract in April of 2020, Volkan Oezdemir will be returning to the Octagon for the first time since his loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 251. The Swiss fighter was knocked out cold in the second round of the fight and will aim to get back on the win column with a win over the dangerous Nikita Krylov.

No Time! ⏰🇨🇭 @Volkan_Oezdemir closes the prelims on @ESPN.#InAbuDhabi @VisitAbuDhabi #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/1KUvfQC0lr

— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2020

Currently in his second run with the UFC, Nikita Krylov last fought in March when he secured a decisive and dominant win over the talented Johnny Walker, beating the Brazilian via unanimous decision.

While Krylov has suffered losses to the likes of Glover Teixeira and UFC Light Heavyweight Title contender Jan Blachowicz, the Ukrainian fighter has registered a win over former title challenger Ovince Saint Preux.

Come October 17th, Nikita Krylov will aim to put away another former title challenger in Oezdemir.

The UFC Light Heavyweight Division once again seems rejuvenated following the departure of Jon Jones, who is now a heavyweight. This weekend at UFC 253, a new division champion will be crowned, as Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz compete for the vacant title. As for the UFC on October 17th card, the event will be headlined by featherweight contenders Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung.