UFC Macau Full Card Analysis & Predictions

UFC Macau: Yan vs Figueiredo – 11.23.2024 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Macau: Yan vs Figueiredo. The event is live from China and broadcasting here early Saturday morning stateside. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.

Current Record

Anthony: 295-177-0 (Last Year 307-199-6, 61%)
Nick: 290-182-0 (Last Year 324-182-6, 64%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 11-22-2024 at 1pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 3:00am EST

Maheshate -200 vs Nikolas Motta +160

Anthony: The event begins at lightweight with Nikolas Motta facing Maheshate. Motta is coming off a knockout win in his last fight against Tom Nolan. Motta was a +275 underdog in that spot but his hands were enough to score that KO in just over one minute. He has crippling power for a lightweight but Motta is also undersized and a bit slow. We often see Motta engaging with opponents in the pocket and eating just as many shots as he throws. The negative striking differential is keeping me off of Motta in this fight. Maheshate has his own defensive woes but he is much longer and more consistent than Motta. Maheshate can match Motta’s power and if this fight gets into rounds two and three I trust him to sustain the higher output. He does well putting together long combinations and attacking his opponents to the body. I think there is some value here on Maheshate even as the moderate betting favorite. This is going to be an uphill battle for Motta if he cannot find a knockdown in round one. Maheshate by Round Two KO
Nick: Maheshate is only 24-years old, but he already seems to be further along in his development than most of the prospects we see coming out of China. He throws powerful strikes and seems to be a competent grappler, but he really hasn’t found much success yet at the UFC level. He’s coming off a career best win over Gabriel Benitez, but Benitez’s career is on a downturn and he’s close to retirement. Nikolas Motta is a fairly technical striker who uses all of his limbs well. He doesn’t carry much one-shot power, but he does a good job extending his combinations as a means to hurt his opponents on the feet. He’s dangerous offensively, but his striking defense has hardly been a strength against upper-level competition. He is 2-2-1 in the UFC, with both losses coming via KO. This is an extremely volatile match-up, as both fighters have serious power and questionable durability. I slightly prefer Maheshate given his slightly better defense. Either way, I expect someone goes to sleep during the early firefight. Maheshate by Round One KO

Xiao Long -150 vs Quang Le +125

Anthony: Next is a fight at bantamweight between Xiao Long and Quang Le. Long is the slight betting favorite in this matchup but I think we are in for a very even fight. Le made his promotional debut in August, fighting Chris Gutierrez on less than a week’s notice. That matchup saw Le showcase his grit and even win a few minutes against a much more polished opponent. I think going to a decision with Gutierrez raised his stock tremendously. In his two prior fights, Le won by first round knockout in LFA. While Long has also shared the cage with some solid competition we have yet to see him really pushed against a heavy handed striker. Long did come up short in his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series against Christian Quinonez. He does not seem to fair well when opponents are marching forward and landing unanswered strikes against him. Le can also score timely takedowns in this matchup if his hands cannot catch up to Long’s. I will take a shot on him here as the slight betting underdog. This seems likely to be a fight that goes to the judge’s scorecards. Quang Le by Decision
Nick: Xiao Long is 26-9 professionally, with four wins coming via KO and nine coming via submission. He’s just 26 years old, so he continues to show massive improvements everywhere from fight to fight. He’s coming off a narrow decision loss to Chang Ho Lee, but he gave a decent showing of himself in that spot. Long pushes a serious pace, is more than willing to engage in a firefight, and his speed and athleticism seem to be solid enough to carry him to wins over lower level opponents. He’s a competent grappler, but he seems most comfortable to stand and trade on the feet. Quang Le is 8-1 professionally, with his two most recent victories coming via KO. He fell via decision in his last fight, but that loss came via decision against a high level opponent in Chris Gutierrez on short notice. A massive underdog against Gutierrez, Le was competitive in all three rounds and gave a good showing of himself against a former ranked opponent. Le has primarily fought for a highly regarded regional promotion in LFA. He’s 33 years-old, fighting out of Vietnam. He’s primarily a striker with excellent power for the division, but he’s hittable in exchanges and often sacrifices defense to close distance and swing for the fences. This is a relatively low level match-up, and it’s tough to back either fighter with any soft of confidence here. I slightly prefer Le given his value as the underdog. I expect he can lean on his grappling here to edge this on the scorecards. I was impressed by Le in his short notice debut. Quang Le by Decision

Lone’er Kavanagh -350 vs Jose Ochoa +275

Anthony: This is a bout at flyweight between Jose Ochoa and Lone’er Kavanagh. Both men are a perfect 7-0 entering the clash here today. Ochoa is likely getting this opportunity in the UFC due to issues the promotion has had booking opponents to face Kavanagh. There seems to be a very bright future ahead of Kavanagh here at 125 pounds. He is quick and light on his feet, landing precise attacks on his opponents with exceptional kickboxing and muay thai. Kavanaugh won Dana White’s Contender Series this August, scoring a highlight reel knockout against An Tuan Ho. Ochoa is a durable opponent no doubt but it will be interesting to see how he holds up against Kavanagh’s best shots. Normally Ochoa thrives moving forward and landing on opponents with his own boxing but that path to victory does not seem so easy here in a matchup with Kavanagh. I expect Lone’er to have much better timing than Ochoa and land counters that hurt him as he looks to move in. Kavanagh has a great chance of scoring another win by knockout here today. Lone’er Kavanagh by Round Three KO
Nick: Lone’er Kavanagh will be making his UFC debut here, coming off an impressive KO win on Contender Series over a decent prospect in An Tuan Ho. Kavanagh is 7-0 professionally, with five of those wins coming via KO. Kavanagh is 25-years old, and he’s already well developed for his age. He’s primarily fought for a respectable regional promotion via Cage Warriors. He’s a competent grappler, but a dangerous and aggressive striker. He fights well in the pocket and his power for a flyweight makes him a prospect worth keeping an eye on. Jose Ochoa will also be making his UFC debut here, entering the promotion as a 7-0 prospect. He has been out of action since November of 2023, but at 23-years old it’s safe to expect he made considerable improvements in his extended time away from the cage. He most recently secured a win via submission over Juscelino Pantoja in LFA. In spite of his recent submission win, he profiles as a striker as it seems he is most content to stand and trade on the feet. The line feels wide here, but I do expect Kavanagh can get it done. His power on the feet is unlike anything Ochoa has dealt with to this point in his career. Lone’er Kavanagh by Round Two KO

Carlos Hernandez -185 vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel +150

Anthony: Here is another flyweight matchup between Carlos Hernandez and Nyamjargal Tumendemberel. After winning both appearances on Road to UFC this will be the promotional debut here for Tumendemberel today. The undefeated fighter has good technique and big power for a flyweight. Tumendemberel is very aggressive, pursuing heavy boxing and muay thai attacks at close range. He fights with the confidence of an undefeated fighter and the early part of this fight will likely be in his control. Hernandez is a more experienced cage fighter and more well suited for a longer bout. Hernandez is consistent with his offensive output and good at out-scrambling his opponents. While Hernandez has yet to score more than two takedowns in a fight, he could rely on his offensive grappling to edge out this match with Tumendemberel. The Mongolian is very active in the bottom position and I think regardless of outcome we should be in for a near even fight. Tumendemberel is the betting underdog here and I think he is the value side. He has better finishing equity than Hernandez and one way or another I expect his win streak to continue. Hernandez has lost both his appearances this year. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel by Round Two KO
Nick: Carlos Herndandez is primarily a striker. He has excellent footwork, a high guard, and he throws very tight combinations in which he works well behind heavy kicks. His defensive grappling continues to improve, and he’s done fairly well at the UFC level securing a 2-3 record since he made his debut. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel will be making his UFC debut here, after a quick submission win over Peter Danesoe at a Road to the UFC show that took place back in August of 2023. Tumendemberel is 26 years old and 8-0 professionally. He’s primarily a grappler with five of his eight professional wins coming via submission, but he really hasn’t been tested against top-level competition. Tumendemberel is quick and athletic, and has finishing ability both on the mat and on the feet. On the feet, Tumendemberel throws powerful hooks but they are mostly telegraphed and predictable. Tumendemberel is the more potent finisher here, but I expect Hernandez can lean on his fundamentals on his way to another decision win. Carlos Hernandez by Decision

Xiaocan Feng -400 vs Ming Shi +300

Anthony: This fight decides the Road to the UFC women’s strawweight tournament with Ming Shi facing Xiaocan Feng. I am not very confident picking this bout as each woman is rather low-level in terms of skill. Feng has put together a more complete resume but a lot of her fights came under the questionable WLF MMA banner. She had several early losses since turning professional and it is tough to really view Feng as UFC caliber. Both ladies will likely want to engage grappling here as neither is a very effective striker. Feng’s boxing has come a long way over the years but she continues to struggle when it comes to landing meaningful shots. She often presents a good visual fight to the judge’s despite inflicting little to no damage on her opponents. Feng could be hunting for submissions here upon engaging Shi on the mat. I’m not going to bet her as a -400 favorite here. Xiaocan Feng by Decision
Nick: This matchup decides the 2024 Road to UFC Tournament Championship at women’s strawweight. Xiaocan Feng is 22 years old and 10-2 professionally. She is currently on an eight-fight win streak, most recently securing a solid decision win over a decent opponent in Miki Motono. Four of Feng’s professional wins have come via KO and one has come via submission. Primarily a striker, she fights moving forward behind consistent volume. She mixes kicks into her combinations, and while her grappling is a weakness it does seem to be an aspect of her game that has continued to improve. Her cardio has been suspect at times, but it should improve as she enters her athletic prime. Ming Shi is 30 years old and 16-5 professionally. She’s primarily a grappler with a catch wrestling background, and six of her sixteen professional wins have come via submission. Xiacan Feng is the much quicker and more athletic fighter in this match-up. Her skills seem more developed than Shi, especially on the feet. Xiaocan Feng by Decision

Dong Hoon Choi -115 vs Kiru Sahota -115

Anthony: This fight decides the Road to the UFC flyweight tournament with Kiru Sahota facing Dong Hoon Choi. I am expecting a very close bout here today. Both of Choi’s appearances on Road to UFC were decided by split decision. He is a skilled athlete with good defensive awareness standing, but not the most potent offensive attacks. Normally Choi fights moving backwards and content landing counters against his opponents. Sahota represents the Manchester Top Team and boasts the better boxing in this matchup. I expect Sahota to take the early lead here with his punches and kicks. Choi does not strike with equal volume so he will be more reliant on his bigger shots landing. Choi is also a serviceable wrestler with good jiu jitsu. He could find himself in top position against Sahota here en route to an easy win. While Sahota has showcased decent scrambling abilities, I do not think his BJJ can really match up with Choi’s. A few timely takedowns or submission attempts could end up edging out this decision for Choi. It seems very likely that this fight will go the full three round distance. Dong Hoon Choi by Decision
Nick: This matchup represents the 2024 Road to UFC Tournament Championship at flyweight. Doo Hoon Choi is 25 years old and 8-0 professionally, with three of those wins coming via KO. Choi comes into this match-up off back-to-back split decision wins. He’s decent everywhere, but tends to fight to the level of his opponent. Primarily a striker, Choi is athletic and aggressive, but his aggressive style often leads to him taking damage in exchanges. Kiru Sahota is 29 years old and 12-2 professionally. Six of those wins have come via KO and two have come via submission. He’s very tall for the division with a long and wiry frame. He struggles at times to keep his opponents at range, and he’s had issues defending takedowns in spite of the fact he’s only taken on a mostly low level of competition. This is a low level match-up, which makes it a tough fight to call. I slightly prefer Sahota as the underdog. He has a six-inch reach advantage here, and Choi doesn’t seem likely to proactively grapple. Kiru Sahota by Decision

Su Young You -185 vs Baergeng Jieleyisi +150

Anthony: The prelims conclude with the Road to the UFC bantamweight tournament as Baergeng Jieleyisi fights Su Young You. Neither fighter was the most dominant over the course of this past year’s tournament, but Jieleyisi does seem like the more aggressive and powerful striker. He benefits from a five-inch reach advantage that should prove helpful in this particular matchup. Su Young You will struggle to close distance anywhere as effectively as Jieleyisi. However, the Korean is a much more complete martial artist with better overall grappling than Jieleyisi. It is also quite jarring when you compare the level of competition between these two men. Jieleyisi has a 19-5 record but a lot of his opponents are extremely low-level. Su Young You has fought much stiffer tests in his come up on the regional scene. I think he is the tougher and more experienced athlete, giving him the edge in this matchup. He is the rightful betting favorite. Su Young You by Decision
Nick: This matchup will decide the 2024 Road to UFC Tournament Championship at bantamweight. Su Young You is 28-years old and 13-3 professionally. Primarily a grappler, he generally looks to pressure his opponents with a chain wrestling style that allows him to control position for the majority of fifteen minutes. He’s not terrible on the feet, but he really doesn’t throw much volume. Baergeng Jieleyisi is primarily a grappler, but he struggles at times to find entries for takedowns. His striking continues to improve, but he mostly just uses it as a means to set up his grappling. Jieleyisi is 19-5 professionally and 28 years old. This is another low confidence play as it is a relatively low level match-up. I’ll take a shot on the underdog as he’s been taking on the better level of the regional opponent. Additionally, he’ll be the much bigger fighter here and he should have a power advantage on the feet. Baergeng Jieleyisi by Decision

Main Card- Starts 6:00am EST

Mingyang Zhang -350 vs Ozzy Diaz +275

Anthony: The main card begins at light heavyweight with Mingyang Zhang facing off against Ozzy Diaz. Fans should be in for a very good scrap here between two brawlers. Diaz fights out of Los Angeles and comes off two straight KOs in LFA. He fought on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 but lost that bout against Joe Pyfer. Zhang has now won ten fights in a row by first round knockout. These two are going to stand and trade inside the center of the octagon and only one will likely remain before the first horn sounds. Not only do both throw with high volume and power, but each has huge holes in their striking defense. Zhang has fought far worse competition than Diaz but his style is efficient and aggressive. He does not measure as long as Diaz but he uses his length to great effect when fighting. I am confident in picking Zhang to win this matchup but it is certainly one of the event’s most volatile fights. Rather than bet Zhang on his moneyline I suggest betting props targeting that early win by knockout. Mingyang Zhang by Round One KO
Nick: Zhang is 17-6 professionally, on a ten-fight win streak, with all ten of those wins coming via first round finish. He’s dangerous offensively, but his open stance leaves him there to be countered in exchanges. He’s coming off a solid win over Brendson Ribeiro that awarded him a performance bonus back at UFC 298, so he carries a lot of momentum into this match-up where he’ll be fighting against his home crowd. Ozzy Diaz will be making his UFC debut here, with a 9-2 professional record at 33 years old. He’s getting a late jump into the promotion at 33 years old, but he’s taken on a solid level of regional competition having primarily fought for LFA. Diaz is primarily a striker, with seven of his professional wins having come via KO. He fights out of a solid camp via Kings MMA. The line is far too wide here as this is a volatile match-up between powerful and aggressive strikers. That being said, I do prefer Mingyang as the cleaner striker both offensively and defensively. It’s also tough to back Diaz here as this is his promotional debut. Mingyang Zhang by Round One KO

Carlos Ulberg -240 vs Volkan Oezdemir +190

Anthony: Next is a matchup between ranked light heavyweights Carlos Ulberg and Volkan Oezdemir. I think extremely highly of Ulberg who has now won five straight fights via finish. His last win came against Alonzo Menifield, scoring a flawless knockout in just twelve seconds. He tends to benefit from height and reach edges as is the case here. Oezdemir is much slower than Ulberg and less effective at covering space quickly. Ulberg throws much higher volume than Oezdemir while also boasting far better accuracy. Ulberg connected on 59 percent of his significant strike attempts. The one equal between these two athletes is the devastating power. Oezdemir has a fine chance in this matchup but only via knockout in round one. Ulberg is the far more technically skilled striker and better overall given his aggression and general pace. He is bigger and fights with far more diverse attacks including low kicks and elbows. Oezemir could find some success against Ulberg in the clinch but at kickboxing range this is an easy fight to predict. I am confident in Ulberg getting another win here and continuing his climb toward a title shot. Carlos Ulberg by Round One KO
Nick: Carlos Ulberg does a good job mixing in feints to trap his opponents. He’s a decorated kickboxer with knockout power in all of his limbs, but he sometimes leaves himself open to take damage in exchanges. He trains with City Kickboxing along with former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya under Head Coach Eugene Bareman. He’s coming off six consecutive wins under the UFC banner, with each of the last five coming via KO. Volkan Oezdemir is an extremely powerful striker, who has been in there against a who’s who at 205 lbs. He’s faced an extremely high level of competition, but his career does seem to be on a bit of a downturn as his power isn’t quite as devastating as it was when he entered the UFC. He managed to turn back the clock his last time out with an impressive knockout of Johnny Walker, but in spite of his strengths – Walker’s chin is widely regarded as one of the worst in the division. This is a volatile match-up between two dangerous strikers, but I do see Ulberg as the rightful favorite. He’s the more defensively sound fighter in this match-up, he uses his range well, and as dangerous Oezdemir is he’s certainly hittable. Carlos Ulberg by Round Two KO

Wang Cong -900 vs Gabriella Fernandes +600

Anthony: This is a women’s flyweight fight between Wang Cong and Gabriella Fernandes. Cong is undefeated with a very promising future ahead. Take note of her placement on this card as the UFC really seems to have big plans promoting her in China. She has also now steamed to a -900 facing the Brazilian. Cong is elite in regards to her kickboxing and offensive striking as a whole. We see her utilize her length very well, measuring entries against her opponents. She is extremely light on her feet and quick to the point of attack. Fernandes hasn’t shown any sort of sophistication in her own offensive striking. She will likely be relying on her grappling as she faces the local favorite. While Fernandes jiu jitsu gives her a chance on the mat it must be noted how high-level Cong is. She is good at defending takedowns and threatening with submissions of her own. This is going to be one-way traffic as the two southpaws go head to head. Cong will be hunting for another knockout here as she outclasses Fernandes. Wang Cong by Decision
Nick: Cong is 32-years old and 6-2 professionally. She’s getting a late start to her MMA career, but she’s been kickboxing for years and she’s quite athletic for a debutante. Wang is fairly well-rounded, but it’s certainly at striking range where she finds most of her success. She puts out a ton of volume on the feet, and while she doesn’t carry much power her speed and precision give her finishing upside against lower level opponents. She’s coming off a highlight reel KO win over Victoria Leonardo in her UFC debut, and the UFC seems to be getting behind her in terms of marketing given her skills on the feet and popularity in China. Gabriella Fernandes is primarily a striker, but most of her success has come on the mat as her two of her three most recent wins have come via submission. She is 1-2 in the UFC, most recently securing a win over a low level opponent in Carli Judice. Fernandes should have a grappling advantage here, but I don’t expect she’ll find much success taking Wang Cong down. The price feels a bit ridiculous, but I do see the favorite adding to her highlight reel. Wang Cong by Round Two KO

Muslim Salikhov -185 vs Song Kenan +150

Anthony: The featured bout is a matchup at welterweight between Song Kenan and Muslim Salikhov. This is a bit of a homecoming for Salikhov who is known as the King of Kung Fu. He began his professional career largely fighting here in China. This will likely be a close matchup fought at striking range. Kenan is confident in his own boxing and a higher volume striker than Salikhov. He will be a step quicker in this fight and likely land his offense much more consistently. Salikhov can win this fight by landing big shots as is always his intention. He has unorthodox attacks that could certainly stun Kenan but I am not expecting him to win convincingly without a knockout. Kenan does have his defensive woes but he lands 4.57 significant strikes per minute compared to Salikhov at 3.32. He should work the body of Salikhov and put together the more complete combination attacks. He seems like good value here as the betting underdog. If Salikhov does not find an early knockout this bout will likely go to the scorecards. Kenan should clearly win a lot of minutes here facing the 40 year old. Song Kenan by Decision
Nick: Muslim Salikhov is an excellent striker with a solid chin and a lot of power behind his shots. He’s a former kickboxer and fairly one-dimensional, but he’s good enough on the feet to hang with almost anyone in the division. He throws a wide-range of diverse strikes, including a lot of spinning attacks and high kicks. He recently changed camps to the American Top Team to focus more on his wrestling. He’s still dangerous offensively, but there is no denying that he has been slowing down at 40-years old, as one of the older fighters in the division. Song Kenan has Knockout power, but he doesn’t throw much in terms of volume. Nine of his twenty-two wins have come via KO. He has been more aggressive across his last few fights, but he’s shown mixed results. This is another volatile match-up, but I do see Salikhov as the rightful favorite. He’s the more powerful and aggressive striker, and he’s much better defensively. Muslim Salikhov by Decision

Yan Xiaonan -185 vs Tabatha Ricci +150

Anthony: The co-main event is a women’s strawweight matchup between Tabatha Ricci and Yan Xiaonan. We should be in for a good clash here as the striker Xiaonan is tested once again facing a skilled grappler. Xiaonan is coming off a loss in her last fight against Zhang Weili at UFC 300. She took quite a beating in that matchup but it was largely the wrestling that did her in. Xiaonan defends 62 percent of opponent takedowns and will need to keep space with Ricci in order to win this fight. Ricci is a talented jiu jitsu practitioner but her wrestling and takedown entries still need some work. I think she will be eating a lot of clean strikes from Xiaonan as she looks to close the distance here. Ricci has impressed me winning six of her last seven fights but overall her grappling is getting past rather lackluster opponents. None of her wins have come against very sound wrestlers. Especially as a co-headliner here in China, Xiaonan should find a way to win this matchup. Her striking is much more effective than Ricci’s and I think we see her give the judges plenty to score. I expect Xiaonan to get the nod here in a fight likely to go to the scorecards. Yan Xiaonan by Decision
Nick: Yan Xiaonan is a gifted striker who can fight at a fast and effective pace. She’s coming off a decision loss for the title to Weili Zhang, a fight in which she had her moments as a considerable underdog. Prior to that, she had secured back-to-back wins over Jessica Andrade and Mackenzie Dern. Xianon has a solid understanding of footwork, she’s strong in the clinch and while her takedown defense isn’t great, it has come a long way over her last few appearances. She’s the much more experienced fighter in this match-up. Tabatha Ricci has solid cardio and can fight at a very fast pace. She’s well-rounded, but her BJJ and offensive grappling ability is certainly her most refined skill. Her wrestling and striking continue to show considerable improvement in each of her fights. As a result of her recent success, it seems the UFC is starting to put their marketing machine behind her. Ricci is the better grappler in this match-up, but Xiaonan is the far better striker and her takedown defense has continued to improve. Additionally, Ricci hasn’t been tested against an opponent anywhere near the level of Xiaonan. I’m comfortable backing the favorite here in front of her home crowd. I expect she can mostly keep this fight standing on her way to a convincing win. Yan Xiaonan by Decision

Petr Yan -300 vs Deiveson Figueiredo +240

Anthony: The main event is a bantamweight fight between former champions Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo. This fight should be significant in deciding who may challenge next for the 135 pound title. Since moving to bantamweight, Figueiredo has looked great. His cardio is vastly improved and Figueiredo seems more confident moving forward and stalking his prey. While Figueiredo has the advantage of power over Yan he is not nearly as sound when comparing their technical skills. Yan has some of the best boxing in the UFC, throwing in combination and sniping opponents with his superb timing. Yan lands 5.14 significant strikes per minute with a rate connecting at over 53 percent. He switches stances seamlessly and manages his pace incredibly well over the course of five rounds. Figueiredo would be a much more live underdog had this bout been scheduled for just three rounds. Going the full distance with Yan will be a tall task for Figueiredo who simply cannot oblige him at kickboxing range. Although Figueiredo has looked excellent while implementing his grappling, I do not think he can outgrapple Yan for a full five rounds. Yan has superb takedown defense and much better cardio than Figueiredo. Unless Figgy can find the finish here early it is going to be Petr’s night. I expect him to win by late finish or via decision. Figueiredo’s output will decline significantly in rounds three, four and five. Petr Yan by Round Four KO
Nick: Petr Yan, a former UFC bantamweight champion, is a sniper on the feet. He eats some shots to set up bigger ones, but his combinations are what make him so dangerous. He does an excellent job weathering early pressure from his opponents as he processes their timing and habits. He takes in this information and then uses it to trap his opponents and exploit them with his own devastating offense. Petr Yan is one of the more dangerous and pure strikers in the division. He throws powerful leg kicks, a snappy jab, and he does an excellent job stringing together lengthy combinations. His defensive grappling is better than average, and he’s coming off a solid decision win over Song Yadong. When he’s at his best, Deiveson Figueiredo is aggressive to the point that his opponents struggle to get into a rhythm against him. He pushes a ridiculous pace and does a good job circling away from danger in striking exchanges. He’s a competent grappler with dangerous BJJ, but he’s certainly most content to stand and trade on the feet. Figueiredo is coming off three straight wins at bantamweight, as a former UFC flyweight champion. He has the skills to keep this fight close early, but I do expect Yan to pull away in the later rounds. Yan always starts slow, and Figueiredo has faded late in fights on more than one occasion. As dangerous as Figueiredo is, Yan is the better technical striker, a more defensively sound grappler, and this is a rare match-up in which he’ll also have a size advantage. The line does feel wide here, but I do expect Yan can get this done convincingly in spite of a slow start. Petr Yan by Decision

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com