Welterweights
Kenan Song (14-4, -115) vs. Derrick Krantz (23-11, -105): Song has been one of the more pleasant surprises among the UFC’s recent Chinese signings. That is not to say that “The Assassin” has quite the upside of some of his countrymen, but it is a bit of a shock that Song has turned out to be a decent fighter, given that he was oddly signed after two straight losses. He debuted by sparking Bobby Nash in just 15 seconds, and while a follow-up victory over Hector Aldana was a bit of a softball, Song did well to make it a close fight against Alex Morono his last time out. He should have a banger against Krantz, who has been a solid veteran for over a decade and finally got the UFC call as a late replacement in May, putting Vicente Luque in some early trouble before eventually getting finished. This should be a wild sprint, and Krantz figures to be both more aggressive and have more options. Song is perfectly capable of blasting him on a counter, but Krantz should have a stronger grappling game in his back pocket if all else fails. The pick is Krantz via first-round submission.Advertisement
Middleweights
Anthony Hernandez (7-1, -185) vs. Jun Yong Park (9-3, +160): There is not a lot to analyze here, but this should fill its role as one of the better action fights on the card. It is impossible to tell what to make of Hernandez just yet. He mostly ran over opponents on the regional scene -- including in his Dana White’s Contender Series fight against Jordan Wright -- before he landed a UFC contract. However, his debut against Markus Perez was not particularly impressive, as Perez mostly controlled him before scoring a second-round submission. He will look to make good here against a Korean newcomer in Park, who is at his best as a knockout artist even if he has some decent grappling skills. This should be an all-action affair, and it is difficult to delineate who is going to have the advantage. Park has much better technique, as Hernandez tends to start winging once he gets aggressive; however, Hernandez is the much quicker athlete and figures to throw more volume. This probably comes down to a pure test of durability for each man, but in a coinflip of a fight, the pick is to go with the better technique and choose Park via second-round stoppage.Bantamweights
Andre Soukhamthath (13-7, -170) vs. Su Mudaerji (9-3, +145): While the UFC success has not quite been there, Soukhamthath has proven himself to be an entertaining fighter whose tenure has been full of exciting scraps. For as much skill as Soukhamthath has shown in phases, his style is fundamentally flawed. He takes a round or two to get warmed up as a counterpuncher, yet he does not have the cardio to go a strong three rounds, leaving him either stuck in the feeling-out process or too tired to do anything. Soukhamthath can still cause damage in that middle window, however, and he will look to put away Mudaerji, who is looking to rebound from a debut loss. Mudaerji is a reedy prospect who is at his best in scrambles but was unable to do much outside of survive against Louis Smolka in November. If he can survive three rounds here, there is a chance his range and speed allow him to eke out a decision, but given his propensity for grappling and what appears to be a wide strength advantage for Soukhamthath, it seems likely that the latter can shut down most of Mudaerji’s early offense and eventually find a rhythm. The pick is Soukhamthath via second-round stoppage.Light Heavyweights
Khadis Ibragimov (8-0, -275) vs. Da Un Jung (10-2, +235): Jung has looked good on the regional scene. While his level of competition has been somewhat suspect, he has shown some knockout power and a willingness to throw some solid combinations once he gets going, even if he follows an all-offense-little-defense approach. After two late opponent changes, he will meet a fellow newcomer in Ibragimov, who looks to be the toughest test of the bunch. Ibragimov is an interesting talent in his own right, as he comes from a sambo background. While he is not quite the lockdown grappler you would expect, he has a fun array of throws and enough submission skills to pull out an impressive win. There is a chance that Jung absolutely lights up Ibragimov as the more aggressive striker, but his cardio is suspect and the Russian should have a clear advantage once this heads to the mat, even if it may take some time for him to get it there. The pick is Ibragimov via second-round submission.Lightweights
Damir Ismagulov (18-2, -182) vs. Thiago Moises (12-3, +152): This may not be the most exciting fight on the card, but it is still a well-matched affair between lightweight prospects. Ismagulov took the difficult route to becoming the UFC’s first Kazakh fighter, beating a strong slate of opponents in M-1 Global, but he has not been challenged in his two UFC fights to date. Alex Gorgees and Joel Alvarez were overmatched opponents, both on paper and in practice. Ismagulov gets a harder out this time around against Moises. The Brazilian also took a tough path to the Octagon through the Resurrection Fighting Alliance and the Legacy Fighting Alliance, proving to be a patient and well-rounded fighter. However, it was a surprising head kick finish that netted him a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Moises is at his best when he has a wrestling advantage upon which to fall back against his opponents, and at the very least, his grappling skills should make things tough for the reedier Ismagulov. If that aspect of the fight is a wash, Ismagulov should still be able to handle things due to his longer reach, superior speed and willingness to throw. The pick is Ismagulov via decision.Women’s Bantamweights
Karolline Rosa Cavedo (11-3, -110) vs. Lara Fritzen Procopio (6-0, -110): The existence of this fight makes some sense, given that Rosa serves as a training partner for event headliner and strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. She is mildly interesting as a prospect. While she is not much of an explosive athlete, she has a willingness to stay patient on the feet and a fairly impressive top game once she can get an opponent to the mat. She takes on a fellow Brazilian newcomer in Procopio, who became a two-division champion in Shooto Brasil. While there does not appear to be much available of Procopio’s fights against better competition, it looks to be a similar story as Rosa, with Procopio’s best skill being her top game. Neither woman is much of an athlete, so this likely comes down to the first fighter to get on top. Procopio at least appears more willing to press the action and win rounds. The pick is Procopio via decision.Bantamweights
Danaa Batgerel (6-1, -115) vs. Heili Alateng (12-7-1, -105): A fun fight between debuting prospects opens up the event. Alateng is a solid talent who has shown some knockout power against a strong slate of competition during his time on the Asian scene; for instance, a quick 2017 loss to Kai Asakura now looks a lot better in hindsight. He will take on Batgerel, who becomes the first Mongolia native to fight in the UFC. Batgerel is tough and aggressive, which has served him well -- he has a 2013 win over Kai Kara-France -- but Alateng looks like the much quicker and harder hitter in what should be an entertaining brawl. The pick is Alateng via first-round knockout.Related Articles
