UFC Macau: Song vs Figueiredo – Full Card Analysis

UFC Macau: Song vs Figueiredo – 5.30.2026 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Macau: Song vs Figueiredo. North American viewers will have an early start time to watch these fights from the  Galaxy Arena in China. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick as our records will not reflect confidence in each selection. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few. 

Current Record

• Anthony: 137-65-3 (Last Year 331-183-3, 64%)
• Nick: 134-68-3 (Last Year 326-188-3, 63%)

*Fight odds were last updated from bet365 on 5-29-2026 at 9pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 4:00am EST

Jaqueline Amorim -130 vs Loma Lookboonmee +110

• Anthony: Opening the card is this fight at women’s strawweight between Jaqueline Amorim and Loma Lookboonmee. This matchup will be decided by takedowns and effective grappling by Amorim throughout the fight. The Brazilian is a very talented jiu jitsu practitioner with all of her victories coming thanks to her grappling success. Amorim is not a very big or strong woman but here she faces an opponent in Lookboonmee that is also undersized. We have seen Lookboonmee stay composed and win fights before when taken down by opponents at this level. On the feet, Lookboonmee is going to be much more comfortable than Amorim and scoring at will. The muay thai attacks from Lookboonmee may not be enough to stop a fight but she does tend to rattle her opponents by pouring on the volume and keeping a modest pace. She is a veteran that is still very crafty but no longer at her athletic peak. With such accurate striking I do expect her to win in this bout. Lookboonmee is not a fighter that should be falling into armbars and other submission attempts at this level. She has proven capable of holding her own against opponents on the ground and I expect that she will stay safe here facing Amorim. Loma Lookboonmee by Decision
• Nick: Loma Lookboonmee is known for her advanced Muay-Thai fighting style. She’s a volume striker who throws  at a consistent pace and most of her success comes exchanging in the clinch. She has made major improvements at the UFC level since she made her debut, and she’s only lost close fights against quality level talent. As talented as she is, she is small for the division and it does seem her skills are starting to plateau. Jaqueline Amorim is 10-2 professionally, coming off a hard fought decision loss to Mizuki Inoue. As a former LFA Strawweight Champion Amorim is fairly well-rounded, but her greatest strength is certainly her offensive grappling ability. Eight of her ten professional wins have come via submission. She’s excellent on the mat, but she’s small for the division. Her wrestling entries leave a lot to be desired and while her striking has continued to improve, it’s still far from a strength for her at the UFC level. This fight is quite binary in which Amorim should be able to secure the win if she’s finding takedowns and Lookboonmee should dominate when this fight is on the feet. A low confidence play, but I’ll side with Lookboonmee to mostly keep this fight standing on her way to a narrow victory. Loma Lookboonmee by Decision

Rodrigo Vera -110 vs Kangjie Zhu -110

• Anthony: Next is a matchup at featherweight between Kangjie Zhu and Rodrigo Vera. Zhu was scheduled to face Ramon Taveras but now on three week’s notice Vera is appearing as a late replacement. He is certainly ready to fight at this level after years dominating the Brazil regional scene. Vera was also a scheduled participant on this season of The Ultimate Fighter at bantamweight and yet here he appears fighting at 145 pounds. Timing would suggest Vera has lost a TUF fight in Las Vegas that has yet to air, or he withdrew due to injury. He will struggle to win grappling exchanges in this matchup against Zhu who is much bigger and stronger. I am expecting Zhu to score takedowns throughout this fight and likely win at least one round by holding onto Vera. Neither one of these men have proven themself very capable against upper level competition. Vera is scrappy and he will go hard until the final horn if he can still stand upright. I give him the advantage here on the feet as he will likely land more strikes than Zhu. This fight will play out just as close as the betting odds do suggest. I believe that Zhu will win the favor of the judge’s scorecards here competing in China. Kangjie Zhu by Decision
• Nick: Rodrigo Vera will be making his UFC debut here, with a 21-1-1 professional record at 30 years old. Vera notably trains with the Pitbull Brothers, and most of his professional fights have come for respectable regional promotions in FFC, LFA, and Shooto Brasil. Vera likes to pressure his opponents, but he does most of his striking at range. He has quality footwork and a decent process on the feet, but he really doesn’t carry much one shot power. He has quality cardio and durability and a seemingly high Fight IQ. While he prefers to stand and strike, he has shown a well-rounded game and a willingness to take opponents to the mat if they present opportunities for takedowns. Kangjie Zhu will be making his UFC debut here, with a 21-4 professional record at 30 years old. He breaks into the promotion off a win over Bin Xie in the Road to UFC Tournament Final at Featherweight, which came via decision back in May of 2025. Zhu is an aggressive striker who almost always prefers to stand and trade on the feet. He does a good job mixing kicks into his combinations, he carries true KO power, and his aggressive style makes him a tough out for lower level opponents. His defensive grappling has improved over the past few years, but it’s still a major hole in his game overall. Zhu is the better striker in this match-up, but he doesn’t really throw enough volume to pull away early. Vera should be able to keep things close up, until he can start to find takedowns and pull this out on the scorecards. Zhu is the better athlete, but Vera seems to have the more well-rounded overall game. Rodrigo Vera by Decision

Jingnan Xiong -210 vs Angela Hill +170

• Anthony: Here is a matchup at women’s strawweight between Jingnan Xiong and Angela Hill. The UFC was quick to sign Jingnan Xiong last year after ONE disbanded the division she ruled. Xiong made seven consecutive title defenses as 125 pound champion. She is a well-rounded fighter with experience that can match that of Hill. For this bout Xiong is 38 years old while Angela Hill is 41. The fight here will be competitive but Hill does not land nearly as hard as Xiong with her striking. She is going to be undersized in this fight and struggle to connect with her weapons against Xiong at range. I also believe that Xiong has the advantage here grappling if she does want to pursue takedowns. Hill in her career has defended 72 percent of opponent takedown attempts. This is a classic test with Hill as gatekeeper for a fighter making her name in this division. I give Hill credit as a live underdog in this fight but I would want much higher odds before I would ever consider betting on her. Those bettors that do want action on this fight should play the over rather than betting either side. Jingnan Xiong by Decision
• Nick: Jingnan Xiong will be making her UFC debut here, with a 19-2 professional record at 38 years old. While she enters the promotion late in her career, she has an impressive resume for a debutant as a former ONE FC Flyweight Champion. She is primarily a striker who fights at a torrid and aggressive pace. She puts out a lot of volume on the feet, but given her aggressive style she does take a lot of damage in exchanges. This fight will mark Angela Hill’s 29th with the UFC. Hill is well-rounded, with a powerful muay thai striking base. She is a competent grappler with decent BJJ, but most of her success has come striking both in the clinch as well as in open space. At 41 years old she is one of the older fighters in the division, but she’s proven to be a tough out for the majority of the women on the roster at strawweight. The line is far too wide here. While Xiong’s resume is decent, there is no denying Hill has taken on the much higher level of opponents. That being said, she seems further past her prime than Xiong does. This is one of my least confidence picks on this card. I’ll side with Hill as a value play to edge out a close one. Angela Hill by Decision

Rei Tsuruya -250 vs Luis Gurule +200

• Anthony: Next is a matchup at bantamweight between Rei Tsuruya and Luis Gurule. This is a fight for Gurule just two weeks removed from beating Daniel Barez in Las Vegas. That performance from Gurule was very impressive, landing 149 significant strikes and earning the unanimous decision. Tsuruya will be a similar fight for Gurule stylistically but I think he may be biting off more than he can chew on short notice. Tsuruya has had a full camp to prepare for an opponent and he is much better suited to fight at that high pace here. Gurule was just in a war and I am sure his hands are hurting badly too. These flyweights both comfortably made the limit of 135 pounds which was agreed on short notice. A stoppage here becomes less likely with those extra ten pounds not being taken away. Tsuruya may give up a bit to Gurule in terms of size but I like the idea of seeing at bantamweight. Today I am expecting to see a further improved version of Tsuruya after the longest layoff of his young career. He should dominate Gurule here on short notice. Tsuruya is just 23 years old with a very high ceiling and with his only loss at the hands of the champion Joshua Van. His slick striking and counters will be on display in this fight against a more stationary foe. Rei Tsuruya by Decision
• Nick: Luis Gurule is 32 years old and 11-3 professionally, with five of those wins coming by way of knockout. Primarily a striker, Gurule is quick in and out of breaks with surprising power for his frame. He’s coming off his first win under the UFC banner, a decision over Daniel Barez that he secured just a few weeks ago. He’s making a quick turnaround here, taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for the injured Jesus Aguilar. Rei Tsuruya broke into the UFC following a victory in the final of the Road to UFC tournament at flyweight. Tsuruya is 10-1 professionally, with four of those wins coming via submission and four coming via KO. He’s extremely well-rounded for a 23-year old. He has slick BJJ, he’s excellent in scrambles, and he carries surprising power for his frame. While he can be hittable in exchanges, he does seem to win most of the minutes we see him in the cage. We haven’t seen him tested extensively against top level competition, but he seems to check all of the boxes as a prospect worth keeping an eye on moving forward. In this particular match-up, his advantage in terms of ability on the mat cannot be overstated. Gurule may be competitive early, but Tsuruya should be able to take this fight to the mat both early and often. Once he gets it there, he’s going to be live for a finish. Rei Tsuruya by Round Two Submission

Cody Haddon -350 vs Aoriqileng +275

• Anthony: This is a bantamweight fight between Aoriqileng and Cody Haddon. This will be one of the more thrilling scraps on the prelims and Aoriqileng can be known to really chase brawls. The fans here will love him but I do not think this matchup is particularly good. Haddon earned his contract last year on Dana White’s Contender Series and in his debut he looked fantastic beating Dan Argueta. Haddon fought with great energy in that matchup, dominating the wrestling and landing nearly three times as many strikes. Haddon is a problem because in addition to his very slick boxing he is good in all other areas. Wrestling in this fight against Aoriqileng would be smart given his 58 percent takedown defense. Haddon is also the stronger and more built bantamweight compared to Aoriqileng who is longer and more dangerous on the feet. Haddon’s speed and technique give him a slight edge here standing but Aoriqileng does have the power to hurt Haddon or rock him for the first time. It will be interesting to see how often there are kicks and if Haddon catches any to turn into takedowns. The rightful favorite in this matchup is Haddon and even at -350 I’d like to have action on him. Cody Haddon by Decision
• Nick: Cody Haddon is 8-1 professionally, with five professional wins via KO and two via submission. He’s aggressive offensively, and all but one of his professional wins have come inside the distance. Haddon pushes a serious pace, but it sometimes causes his gas tank to deplete beyond comfort. He looked excellent his last time out against Dan Argueta, in a fight he dominated and won via decision. He has been out of action since that fight, which took place in October of 2024. He had multiple surgeries and had to repair ligament damage in his knee, so it’s somewhat difficult to know exactly which version of him we see here. Aoriqileng is extremely aggressive, but when he faces highly technical strikers he sometimes puts himself in danger overexerting himself and leaving his chin open to counter shots.  He throws a lot of volume, landing more than 4.6 significant strikes per minute. However, he also absorbs more than 5.4 significant strikes per minute. While always dangerous, he’s a kill or be killed type of fighter and his grappling is below average for the division. Aoriqileng is always live to find a timely KO, but I expect he’s outclassed on the feet here. Haddon is the better defensive striker and I expect he can lean on his grappling if he needs to. Cody Haddon by Decision

Meng Ding -130 vs Jose Henrique +110

• Anthony: Here is a welterweight matchup between Meng Ding and Jose Henrique. This fight can be exciting given the style of both men and the near even betting odds. Both appeared in losses on Dana White’s Contender Series and now after stacking wins outside of the promotion they get another chance. Ding is an offensive dynamo with very clear knockout power. The level of competition for Ding has not been very strong but consistently he is using his compact frame to score highlight finishes. In his career Ding has 28 wins by knockout. He has victories via leg kicks, head kicks and liver kicks too. Henrique can win by weathering the early storm from Ding and returning counters with good patience and technique. He is a developing professional at 24 years old but Henrique is also not normally one to take his time establishing his range. These two will meet in the middle of the octagon and Ding likely finds that shot that ends the fight. This matchup is also a step up in competition for Henrique who does not often worry about eating shots from opponents. Strikes from Ding will be enough to get this bout ended inside of the first two rounds. Meng Ding by Round One KO
• Nick: Meng Ding will be making his UFC debut here, entering the promotion with a 35-9 professional record at 31 years old. Deng is primarily a striker. He fights aggressively and generally does a good job keeping pressure on his opponents. He does a good job mixing knees into his combinations and while his grappling is more of a weakness than a strength, he does a decent job controlling position up against the cage. Ding’s greatest strength is his KO power, as 28 of his 35 professional wins have come via KO. He’s taken on a decent level of regional opponents, but there is no denying he’s taking a step up in competition here in his promotional debut. Jose Henrique will also be making his UFC debut here, breaking into the promotion with an 8-1 professional record at 24 years old. Henrique likely would have been in the UFC already, but he’s had visa issues up until this point. He’s long for the division and does a great job striking at range. He can land power from a distance which helps him pick apart shorter opponents, and it seems he’s making dramatic improvements every time we see him in the cage. Where he stands in relation to his UFC peers is tough to gauge in his debut. This is a tough fight to call, but I do expect Meng Ding to be the aggressor here. Henrique likes to fight moving backwards, but he doesn’t have the pin point accuracy to have much success with that style. Meng Ding by Round Three KO

Luis Felipe Dias -175 vs Yi Sak Lee +140

• Anthony: The featured prelim is a middleweight bout between Yi Sak Lee and  Luis Felipe Dias. Bettors have consistently been playing Dias here as these betting odds continue to separate. He is a massive Brazilian that seems to be capable of winning quite a few fights. Dias has strong and heavy hands that he is not hesitant to throw. He will primarily match Lee here in the orthodox stance but Dias can also switch on occasion and set up kicks from the opposite side. His arsenal of weapons and footwork seem far superior than Lee who fights much slower. The Korean fighter is aggressive and capable on offense but he will struggle to attack Dias in this fight early. Lee’s resume is the absolute worst on this card. It is difficult to predict how he will do here since Dias would absolutely kill each one of Lee’s previous opponents. I do not expect to see Lee driving Dias to the mat or successfully converting many takedowns. My prediction is that Lee does fold quickly once touched up by Dias in the pocket. 15 of 16 career victories for Dias have come inside the distance and few have escaped the first round. Luis Felipe Dias by Round One KO
• Nick: Luis Felipe Dias will be making his UFC debut here, coming off an impressive Contender Series win via submission over Donavon Hedrick. He is 16-5 professionally, and 31 years old. Dias is generally well-rounded, with eight of his wins coming via KO and eight coming via submission. Most of his recent success has come on the mat, but he strikes well in the clinch and he has shown flashes of serious KO power. Dias is aggressive and he likes to force his opponents to grapple, but if he doesn’t find early success his cardio is somewhat questionable. Additionally, his footwork is mediocre and he can be hittable in exchanges. Yi Sak Lee will also be making his UFC debut here, with an 8-1 professional record at 26 years old. He is relatively well-rounded with four wins coming via KO and three coming via submission. He has a decent Judo and wrestling base, and he likes to mix elbows into his combinations on the feet. He’s been impressive regionally, but he’s a tough fighter to get a read on as he’s mostly taken on an extremely low level of opponent. I expect both of these fighters to be willing to grapple, but Dias to have the better BJJ. That should eventually present an opportunity for him to find a finish. Luis Felipe Dias by Round Two Submission

Main Card- Starts 7:00am EST

Alex Perez -140 vs Sumudaerji -115

• Anthony: This will be a matchup between flyweights Alex Perez and Sumudaerji. I am going to take Perez in this spot after a few impressive appearances. Perez has been a staple of this division and a very good fighter for a long time. At 34 years old he is still moving very well despite tearing his ACL in a fight against Tatsuro Taira. He has bounced back very nicely and won against Charles Johnson in his most recent fight. Perez is durable and composed when striking with enough offense to normally cause opponents to retreat. He does very well blending his attacks and keeping his foes guessing. Sumudaerji is a striker that tends to stand more square looking to land his strikes as a southpaw. Sumudaerji has a sizable edge in reach but I think to beat Perez you also need to have very strong grappling. Perez has been submitted in many fights before and he does tend to give his back too recklessly. Sumudaerji proved capable of wrestling in his last fight against a one-dimensional opponent but Perez is going to be a much tougher test to wrestle down to the ground. It would also surprise me to see Sumudaerji take such a careful, grappling heavy approach here in front of the Chinese fans. It will likely be a very close decision and Perez should be the slight favorite to get his hand raised. Alex Perez by Decision
• Nick: Sumudaerji is primarily a striker. He keeps a wide and open stance, and his outstanding speed and footwork make him a tough target for any opponent on the counter. His power is solid, but his outstanding volume and counter striking ability are his greatest strengths. As dangerous as he is on the feet, his defensive grappling is a major hole in his game and his cardio and durability seem to be more likely to be weaknesses than they are strengths at this point in his career. Alex Perez has excellent footwork, throws a lot of volume and fights at an excellent pace. Additionally, his calf-kicking ability is as impressive as anyone in this division. He’s a solid grappler that isn’t afraid to shoot for takedowns. He also does a good job staying out of trouble and finding favorable positions in the scramble. As talented as he is, he is certainly past his prime, fighting professionally for nearly 15 years. This fight could certainly go either way, but I do prefer the Perez side. I expect he will mix in his grappling to mostly keep Sumudaerji on his back. He’ll need to be careful when striking at range, but Sumudaerji’s game is mostly one dimensional. Alex Perez by Round Two Submission

Jake Matthews -400 vs Carlston Harris +300

• Anthony: Next is a fight at welterweight with Carlston Harris facing Jake Matthews. Matthews was originally scheduled to face Muslim Salikhov today but now he faces Harris instead on short notice. This appearance for Matthews is his first since losing against Neil Magny last fall. Matthews nearly won that fight via round one choke but ultimately Magny was able to survive and finish Matthews late thanks to his elite grappling. There have been three previous occasions where Matthews lost via round three submission. It is important that Matthews is careful here against a grappler that could submit him. He is also now facing an opponent from across the world he did not know of when preparing for a striker like Salikhov. Handicappers view Matthews as a consistent fighter with great offense but I think it is very hard to warrant a -400 price next to his name. I am going to bet on Harris at this price but I have also lost a lot of money backing this guy before. Harris has strength grappling and very good submission attempts but on the feet he has struggled. Talented welterweights have had no problem touching Harris with their hands and forcing him to quit. This fight should end inside the distance with Matthews winning by knockout or Harris locking up a choke. Carlston Harris by Round Three Submission
• Nick: Jake Matthews has more experience at this level than almost any other 31-year-old in the world.  He’s a well-rounded fighter who has found most of his success on the mat.  He has 15 wins under the UFC banner since he debuted back in 2014, but most of them have come against fighters that are no longer on the roster/with the promotion. His striking continues to improve, but he can be hittable in exchanges. Harris is 38-years old and 4-3 in the UFC, coming off a brutal KO loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio back in January of 2025. He’s well rounded with five professional wins coming via KO and six coming via submission. He’s an explosive athlete for his age, and a potent finisher no matter where his fights go. He does a good job honing in on the weaknesses of his opponents, but his aggressive style can occasionally leave him open to be countered or controlled. Harris is the more potent finisher in this match-up, but Matthews is the much better striker and the more well-rounded fighter overall. The line is wide here, but Matthews is the rightful favorite. He should be able to outland Harris on the feet and lean on his wrestling if he needs to. Harris’ durability and cardio both seem to be declining. Jake Matthews by Round Three KO

Kai Asakura -280 vs Cameron Smotherman +220

• Anthony: This is a matchup at bantamweight between Kai Asakura and Cameron Smotherman. It is notable here that Asakura is moving back up to compete at his natural weight. Asakura was 0-2 competing at flyweight in the UFC but during his time in RIZIN he dominated at 135 pounds. Bantamweight is a necessity for Smotherman who collapsed badly cutting weight in preparation for his last fight. It seems that all went well for Smotherman making the limit this week but I do not want to trust him with my money if it is such a struggle to make it in this class. His length and advantages fighting from the outside get negated against fighters that are bigger and stronger. Asakura can punish Smotherman here with heavy kicks and overhands while getting touched with less poignant strikes. I also favor Asakura in this match given his experience and comfort no matter where this bout goes. Smotherman does not have compelling grappling or wrestling to ground Asakura despite his name. This will largely be a kickboxing fight and Asakura is rightfully going to be -300. I am predicting a big knockout win for Asakura that will reintroduce him to the casual fan. He is one of my most confident picks for today. Kai Asakura by Round One KO
• Nick: Cameron Smotherman is long for the division and a potent finisher both at striking range and on the mat. He is 1-2 in the UFC, most recently falling via decision to a tough out in Ricky Simon. As effectively as he is offensively, he can be tentative at times and his defensive technical abilities can leave a lot to be desired. Asakura is 21-6 professionally, with most of his success coming for a respectable Japanese promotion in RIZIN. Asakura has primarily fought at bantamweight, but he came into the UFC at flyweight and he enters this match-up with an 0-2 record in the promotion. Asakura is primarily a striker with thirteen of his twenty-one professional wins coming via KO. He’s aggressive early in most of his fights, and he pushes a serious pace on his opponents. He does his best work moving forward, but his hyper aggressive style does also mean he can be hittable in lengthy exchanges. He has decent BJJ offensively, but his takedown defense seems to be more of a weakness than a strength, and he has struggled at times to work back to his feet if he is taken down by a wrestler. Asakura is a tough fighter to back as a favorite, but he is my pick in this fight. Smotherman doesn’t really have the cardio to slow him down, and he also lacks the wrestling that usually slows Asakura down. The price is off, but I’m siding with the favorite here. Kai Asakura by Decision

Sergei Pavlovich -650 vs Tallison Teixeira +450

• Anthony: The featured bout is a fight between heavyweights Tallison Teixeira and Sergei Pavlovich. It is very good matchmaking with these two strikers going to work. Pavlovich will look much smaller than Teixeira given his stance but also a listed four-inch discrepancy. Teixeira does use his length well and in this division it does help having an effective jab and long range weapons. Pavlovich does have a sneaky edge in reach here that does play a key factor often winning. The Russian can beat other heavyweights to the punch thanks to his speed and abnormally long arms. At these odds Teixeira can be a tempting underdog selection but that is just because of the volatility at heavyweight. It seems that Pavlovich is far superior everywhere from the tape we have seen. He  is technically very good at boxing and patient when it comes to attacking with his hands. Pavlovich has become more complete, mixing in takedowns as needed and putting the victory as his top priority in each fight. Teixeira has weapons that could hurt Pavlovich but I do think he is going to go to sleep first here. Teixeira will fall down once Pavlovich does unload with fast combinations against the fence. Sergei Pavlovich by Round One KO
• Nick: Sergei Pavlovich is 20-3 professionally with seventeen of his twenty wins coming via KO. In spite of his mixed results recently, there is no denying he’s still one of the more powerful strikers in the world at heavyweight. Pavlovich’s footwork is mediocre at best, but he’s durable, and he generally does a good job forcing his opponents to fight moving backwards. He has been tentative at times in his last few fights, but when he’s at his best he’s extremely aggressive and does a great job overwhelming his competition. Teixeira is 9-1 professionally, with seven of his wins coming via KO. Teixeira is still developing as a prospect at just 26-years old, but he’s already an extremely dangerous striker. Additionally, he is more athletic and explosive than the majority of the heavyweight division. He’s coming off an ugly decision win over Tai Tuivasa, and he’s in a very difficult stylistic match-up here against Pavlovich. Pavlovich can be overly tentative at times, but I expect Teixeira to bring the fight to him. If and when he does, he’s going to be in trouble. Sergei Pavlovich by Round One KO

Zhang Mingyang -250 vs Alonzo Menifield +200

• Anthony: The co-main event is a light heavyweight contest between Alonzo Menifield and Zhang Mingyang. The veteran Menifield will be a perfect test to see what Mingyang can do after a loss. Mingyang was the main event for UFC Shanghai and in that bout he was beaten by Johnny Walker. That loss saw Mingyang badly hurt by leg kicks and stopped what was a twelve fight winning streak. It will be interesting to see what changes he makes to improve after that lesson. He is open to getting kicked given his frame and propensity to always move forward. Menifield is confident and willing to engage with Mingyang here at light heavyweight. China would still be happy to support Mingyang in this division if he can impress once again. Mingyang has earned all 19 of his professional victories in round one. He is patient waiting for his opening but when Mingyang does decide to throw he has been landing with fight-ending power. Menifield may be the more credentialed grappler but on the feet I do not expect him to realize any success. He will struggle to emulate a gameplan like Walker’s that will slow Mingyang’s early offensive attacks. He will lose if he gets outstruck and through his career his striking differential is negative. I am expecting to see a quick finish here but I lost big money on Mingyang back in August, and I do not want to get burned once again. Zhang Mingyang by Round One KO
• Nick: Zhang Mingyang is 19-7 professionally, and prior to his recent loss to Johnny Walker he was on a twelve-fight win streak with all twelve 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 took a lot of legkicks in that recent loss, and he was unable to catch Walker before he was overwhelmed both at range and on the mat. Alonzo Menifield has a massive frame for the division and thirteen of his seventeen professional wins have come via finish within two rounds.  He has not seen much success against quality competition, but he’s shown tremendous power and you can see his fight IQ has improved considerably over the course of his UFC career. What he lacks in consistency and technical ability, he can make up for in athleticism when he’s at his best. This is a volatile match-up between two potent finishers, but I do see Mingyang as the rightful favorite. I expect he’ll be the aggressor here, and Menifield sometimes struggles to find his footing early. Zhang Mingyang by Round One KO

Song Yadong -650 vs Deiveson Figueiredo +450

• Anthony: The main event is a contest between bantamweights Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. Yadong is the card headliner here in China to rebuild his star after losing to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324. Five round fights will favor Yadong who has proven to be a consistent threat to box and push a pace against world class bantamweights. Figueiredo is going to be crafty and touch Yadong at times but overall when standing I think he will get picked apart. Yadong is ten years younger than Figgy but also so much faster with his hands. Tight boxing combinations from Yadong will give Figueiredo fits throughout this entire matchup. At 38 years old it is also very difficult to get behind Figueiredo as a bettor in this fight. His recent performances have not been bad at all but clearly there is a limit to what the former champion can really do. The explosion and size advantage that he had as a flyweight does not really seem evident in these fights at 135 pounds. This is a very favorable matchup for Yadong and I expect him to cruise to a comfortable victory. Figueiredo still has the tools to win as a large betting underdog but here it is hard to see a clear path. In a world where Figueiredo can blanket Yadong with his grappling, I still do not think he can hold him down for a full five rounds. Yadong has also never been submitted before. This is a fight that he should win to stay in title contention. Song Yadong by Round Four KO
• Nick: Song Yadong has serious power in his strikes with nine of his twenty-two professional wins coming by way of knockout.  He’s an effective striker that does a good job mixing in shots to the body to slow the momentum of his opponents. Primarily a striker, we have seen Yadong continue to improve on his grappling ability. These improvements are likely a result of the fact he’s been training out of Team Alpha Male (a camp loaded with talented wrestlers). 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. A former UFC Flyweight Champion, Figueiredo is past his prime. For me, this fight comes down to age more than anything else. Yadong is still in his physical prime. He’s the more active fighter in the cage and he’s more likely to stay competitive for the extent of five rounds. Figueirido may have moments early here, but as this fight wears on I expect Yadong’s youth and athleticism to shine through here. Song Yadong by Round Four KO

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com