The UFC heads to China next month for the first time in the promotion’s history. It is going to be a milestone in the expansion of the biggest MMA company in the world.
The card is not the most talent-packed card to have ever been assembled, but should be exciting nonetheless.
What should fans in China, and the rest of the world for that matter, expect from the landmark card?
The card will kick off with South Korean prospect Hyun Gyu Lim and David Mitchell. Mitchell is a grappler, while Lim is a boxer with with pretty good grappling skills himself.
In a striker vs. grappler matchup, this fight could go either way in terms of excitement. The fans will get to see a solid prospect in Lim, so that will be a positive thing.
Next up, Takeya Mizugaki and Jeff Hougland will square off in the bantamweight division. This also will be a striker vs. grappler matchup, so again, this could go either way.
Mizugaki has solid takedown defense and good striking. Hougland is a wrestler with good submission skills but green striking. If he can’t get the fight down, Mizugaki will drudge him.
We then will see Riki Fukuda and Tom DeBlass go to war in what again looks like a striker vs. grappler match. Not much needs to be said here, other than DeBlass will be the bigger fighter with better submissions, while Fukuda will be the better striker with upside.
Next, flyweights Yasuhiro Urushitani and John Lineker will square off in what should be a barn burner of a fight.
Lineker has heavy hands and good size for a 125-pounder. Urushitani is a very experienced flyweight who is also a good striker, which will make this an exciting, striking affair.
The main card will kick off with Tiequan Zhang and Jon Tuck in the lightweight division. Zhang is the only Chinese fighter on the card and will definitely be the darling of the crowd.
Tuck was impressive in his elimination-bout loss on The Ultimate Fighter. Zhang has not looked like an elite-level fighter since moving to the UFC, so this fight will be huge for him.
Alex Caceres and newcomer Kyung Ho Kang will meet next in an interesting battle. Caceres is an exciting young fighter who has put on some fun performances, while Kang is a submission fighter looking to make a name for himself.
Bantamweights are usually fun to watch, and this one will be no different. Expect to see fans on their feet during this match.
Next, Takanori Gomi will meet Mac Danzig and Paulo Thiago will fight Dong Hyun Kim. Both fights have the potential to be great.
With Gomi and Danzig, both men are boxers first, which will lead to a great standup war. Depending on how it goes, either man can use their wrestling as well to get the fight down.
With Kim and Thiago, both men are tremendous grapplers with improved striking. Whether the fight stays up or goes down, it should be a fun one.
In the co-main event, Thiago Silva fights Stanislav Nedkov. This one is going to be fun for the fans.
Both men throw heavy leather. Nedkov has bad form but throws bombs, while Silva will throw murderous strikes standing or from top position.
Finally, the main event: Rich Franklin will fight Cung Le in a battle of legends. Hold on to your seats for this one because both men are strikers first.
Le is a flashy striker, while Franklin is more methodical. They will battle to the fans’ excitement and make the first trip to China a memorable one.
Whoever wins, the fans will be the ultimate winner because of this fight.
As for the card as a whole, I think the Chinese fans are in for a treat. Sure, there aren’t a huge number of stars on this card, but these are usually the cards that deliver consistently from top to bottom.
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