UFC Fight Night 109 Newcomer Breakdown: Oliver Enkamp

Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Swedish welterweight Oliver Enkamp as he makes his UFC debut against Frenchman Nordine Taleb at UFC Fight Night 109 in Stockholm, Sweden.  

Oliver Enkamp

Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Age: 25
Height: 6-foot
Reach: 77 inches
Weight Class: Welterweight
Camp: Pancrase Gym Sweden
Career Record: 7-0
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: None

Background

A Swedish fighter and teammate of UFC light heavyweight Ilir Latifi, Enkamp has fought all seven of his professional fights in his native Sweden. Five of Enkamp’s seven victories have come inside the distance, including four wins by submission. 

Strengths

• Good footwork and movement
• Capable of landing spinning strikes
• Very good ground-and-pound
• Crafty submission game

Weaknesses

• Lacks one-punch knockout power
• Physical strength will be an issue in this division
• Wrestling, both offensive and defensive, not at UFC level
• Quality of opposition leaves a lot to be desired

Fighter Grade

Offensive Striking: C-
Striking Defense: D
Knockout Power: D
Athleticism / Speed: C-
Footwork: C+
Chin: D+
Offensive Wrestling: D-
Takedown Defense: D-
Submissions: C
Conditioning: D+
Intangibles: D

Overall Grade: D

Matchup with Nordine Taleb

Enkamp makes his UFC debut in his hometown of Stockholm, Sweden when he takes on Taleb. This will be an interesting debut fight for Enkamp, as he will be buoyed by the hometown crowd. Enkamp’s movement on the feet will be critical against the physically stronger fighter. Taleb has proven in his last few fights that he belongs in the UFC and has already faced some quality fighters in the division. Enkamp’s striking defense has real holes, so look for Taleb to exploit that with his jab in this bout. Furthermore, he has a real strength advantage against Enkamp and could do well to push this fight against the cage and control his opponent. For Enkamp to win, he’s going to need a surprise spin kick on the feet or find a way to get the fight to the ground. Enkamp will have an advantage on the ground if he can get it there, but that seems unlikely given Taleb’s strength and experience advantage. Look for Taleb to outpoint Enkamp on the feet and control the action for a decision win. Nordine Taleb opened as a -300 favorite in this fight, and that’s exactly where I lined this bout. I’ll be looking to make a bet on Taleb if he gets any lower than -250. 

UFC Ceiling

Enkamp is a young fighter with some potential. With a reach of 77 inches, he has the length that can cause some fighters trouble in this division. He does need to improve his strength if he’s going to have success in the UFC. From a technical standpoint, he’s good enough to compete in the UFC, but he needs to increase his physicality if he’s going to prevent opponents from pushing him against the cage and taking him to the mat. I think he could use some more seasoning against better opposition before making the jump to UFC. 

Fight Film

Check out Enkamp in some of his most recent fights…

Enkamp vs. Lukasz Bieniek

Enkamp vs. Arne Boekee