Li Jingliang is ready to prove to the world he is in his best shape.
The UFC 267 event on Saturday will be featuring an exciting welterweight matchup between Li Jingliang and Khamzat Chimaev. Both men are looking to make their way up the rankings …
Li Jingliang is ready to prove to the world he is in his best shape.
The UFC 267 event on Saturday will be featuring an exciting welterweight matchup between Li Jingliang and Khamzat Chimaev. Both men are looking to make their way up the rankings and closer to a title shot. Leading up to fight week most of the spotlight has been on Chimaev since he is returning from a long layoff, but Jingliang thinks his time is now and he is looking for the finish.
Jingliang has been in the UFC since 2014. In his time there he has racked up 10 wins. Most recently he defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio in January. At 33 years old Jingliang knows that he is in the best shape of his life.
“I have matured relatively later than other people and in China, there is a saying that a man only reaches his top after he turns 30,” Jingliang said. “So right now is my time to shine. From five years ago, I feel mentally, physically better for my experiences and with experience, there has been a big evolution.”
Jingliang will have his hands full with Chimaev who is undefeated in his nine professional fights so far. He burst on the UFC scene last year when he turned out three impressive finishes. Chimaev has yet to make it out of the second round in any fight he has been in. He also stated that he was coming in hungry and threatened to “eat” Jingliang on a recent episode of UFC Embedded.
We’ve got you covered with our staff picks for UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira! It all goes down in Abu Dhabi tomorrow with UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira, which will NOT be on pay-per-view but rather a special feature presentation streaming on ESPN+. Make sure you are well-rested and ready to bet, watch, scream, and […]
We’ve got you covered with our staff picks for UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira!
It all goes down in Abu Dhabi tomorrow with UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira, which will NOT be on pay-per-view but rather a special feature presentation streaming on ESPN+. Make sure you are well-rested and ready to bet, watch, scream, and shout as this early event kicks off at 10:30 AM ET (prelims), with the main card scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.
There will be two title fights waiting for you and a stacked fight card from top to bottom, capped off with Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira competing for the light heavyweight championship. In the co-main event, Petr Yan will look to return bantamweight gold to his waist, interim or otherwise, as he goes up against the electric Cory Sandhagen.
Also on tap for tomorrow night is the man often considered to be “The Next Khabib,” Islam Makhachev, who will face Dan Hooker. The Russian invasion will also include appearances from Magomed Ankalaev and Alexander Volkov competing on the main card. And who can forget the highly anticipated return of “Borz,” Khmazat Chimaev, who will look to come back with a smesh when he takes on UFC vet Li Jingliang.
You can check out the full UFC 267 main card below!
UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira Main Card
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Jan Blachowicz (c) vs. Glover Teixeira
UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship Bout: Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen
Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker
Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura
Li Jingliang vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir
UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 267 updates. Staff members Andrew Ravens, Doug Murray, and Harvey Leonard have provided predictions for the main card. And based on the consistency of the picks, there seems to be a lot of safe bets to be made according to these three staffers! Check out their picks below!
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir
Magomed Ankalaev, Volkan Oezdemir
Andrew Ravens: Volkan could be in for a rough night at the office when he steps into the Octagon against Ankalaev, who has looked exceptional aside from his promotional debut that he lost. Ankalaev seems to get better and better every outing while Volkvan has flattened at his spot. Ankalaev walks away with the decision win. (Prediction: Magomed Ankalaev)
Doug Murray: Ankalaev can extend his winning streak to seven with a win against Oezdemir. The former title challenger took a devastating loss when he fell at the hands of Ji?í Procházka. Since Oezdemir’s last fight ended by getting finished, his approach will likely be toned down when he meets Ankalaev. With that in mind, Ankalaev’s pressure and high kicks will be difficult for Oezdemir to dodge for 15 minutes. (Prediction: Magomed Ankalaev)
Harvey Leonard: As good as Oezdemir was at the start of his UFC career, he’s certainly not at his best anymore. I think his victory over Aleksandar Raki? has perhaps disguised that slightly. The result was controversial, and it seemed pretty clear he should have lost. With more competent judging, the Swiss contender would be sitting with five losses in his last six. At that point, a reset against lower-ranked opposition (similar to Dan Hooker last month) is needed. Magomed Ankalaev certainly isn’t that. With the Dagestani’s superior accuracy on the feet and Oezdemir’s inferior defense, I see Ankalaev extending his streak to seven. (Prediction: Magomed Ankalaev)
Consensus: 3-0 Ankalaev
Li Jingliang vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Li Jingliang and Khamzat Chimaev
Andrew Ravens: Here’s a chance for Chimaev to get another knockout highlight reel, and I see it happening. Li is a good fighter but does have moments where he simply doesn’t show up as expected. If that happens, then Chimaev is going to get a bonus at his expense. Chimaev stops him in the second round. (Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev)
Doug Murray: Mystery shrouds this welterweight showdown. Since Chimaev was forced to the sidelines after contracting COVID-19, his massive audience awaits his return to Fight Island. With three wins and three finishes in the UFC, Chimaev’s speed and ability to predict opponents as they grapple make his style a nightmare to deal with. While Li is a powerful 170-pound fighter, Chimaev’s speed and takedowns will set the tone for this fight early. (Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev)
Harvey Leonard: Whenever a fighter reveals they didn’t know who their opponent was before a booking, I’m wary to side with them. I can picture the clip of Chimaev at media day being brought up after a defeat. However, I do think the edge lies with “Borz.” He may have been away for over a year, but the quality he trains with at the Allstar gym in Stockholm shouldn’t make that an issue.
Whilst “The Leech” possesses the KO power to finish anyone, his shortcomings on the ground were evident in his loss to Neil Magny. We saw how brutal Chimaev can be when he gets his opponents down, and whilst he hasn’t faced a talent like Jingliang, I’d expect his pressure wrestling to be too much. (Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev)
Consensus: 3-0 Chimaev
Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura
(via Zuffa LLC)
Andrew Ravens: Volkov is looking to rebound after losing his previous fight against Cyril Gane while Tybura has been on fire as he’s won five straight. I see Volkov being really fired up to get a win here and prove that yes, he can fight with the best of the best. I don’t see Tybura at that level and predict Volkov can back that up with a TKO win. (Prediction: Alexander Volkov)
Doug Murray: A battle of two titans, don’t look now, but Tybura has amassed a five-fight winning streak with the promotion. Tybura is finally synergizing his standup with his strength on the canvas. The heavyweight showed his path to victory in his last fight. With damaging ground and pound, Tybura will need to get “Drago” to the mat to drastically increase his odds for success. Volkov has shown a stellar takedown defense as a former champion in Bellator, and his striking will be overwhelming if the fight makes it to the third round. (Prediction: Alexander Volkov)
Harvey Leonard: Tybura is on a pretty devastating win streak, but he’s not come close to facing an opponent with the skill of Volkov during it. The only times he’s faced heavyweights similar to his level on the feet, he was finished by Derrick Lewis and Augusto Sakai. The Pole’s threat is power, but given that Volkov has only been finished by Lewis in the UFC, I can’t see a scenario where he gets taken out by Tybura.
Volkov’s striking is up there with the best in the division, and through The Russian’s reach and speed advantage, I’d expect “Drago” to put it on full display. I’d fancy a Volkov finish, but if it goes to the scorecards, Tybura will struggle to outpoint him. (Prediction: Alexander Volkov)
Consensus: 3-0 Volkov
Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker
Islam Makhachev, Dan Hooker (Image Credits: Mike Lawrie/Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
Andrew Ravens: There are levels to this game, and it looks like Islam is on his way to the top tier. That’s not to say Hooker is not a real challenge as he’s a really good fighter. Islam has been running through people, but Hooker is his first real test, and he’s gonna have to put out his best to get past Hooker. I do think that happens with Islam getting the decision win. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Doug Murray: Burn the boats. Dan Hooker is coming to Fight Island after just competing on Sept. 25, “The Hangman” is becoming somewhat of a hardcore fight fan’s dream. The wrestling skills of Hooker appear to be evolving rapidly, and he showed as much in his fight against Nasrat Haqparast. With a style geared toward volume, Hooker poses some real challenges to Makhachev. The heir to Khabib Nurmagomedov has looked impressive in the cage. And with a short camp for Hooker, Makhachev’s pressure will likely get the best of Hooker. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Harvey Leonard: As much as I’d love for Hooker’s attitude to be rewarded with a victory, it’s hard to bet against the imposing game of Makhachev. Whilst I don’t buy into the idea that it’s as one-sided as the likes of Khabib would like us to believe, I do think “The Hangman” could struggle to implement his game if the Dagestani imposes his own early. Hooker’s route to victory is clearly keeping the fight on the feet. If he can’t, Makhachev could force a submission, but I think a controlling decision is more likely. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Consensus: 3-0 Makhachev
Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen, Petr Yan (Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Andrew Ravens: In my eyes, Yan is still champion and not Aljamain Sterling. We all know why Yan isn’t technically the champion right now and to his credit, instead of waiting for Sterling, he’s trying to stay active. In such a deep division, there are no easy tests and this inserts Sandhagen, who has a real chance to win this fight. I think Yan is the better fighter, but this will be a close, back-and-forth, and fun fight. (Prediction: Petr Yan)
Doug Murray: After going the distance with TJ Dillashaw, Sandhagen’s style is so fan-friendly that it was no surprise he got the call after hearing the champion was injured. I think Sandhagen’s kick-heavy style will be to his detriment against a disciplined boxer like Petr Yan. Yan is able to connect at will when opponents tire and relies heavily on a boxing repertoire that should carry him to the win. (Prediction: Petr Yan)
Harvey Leonard: This is arguably a better fight on paper than the original Yan vs. Sterling rematch. The contrast between the Russian’s tight boxing and forward pressure and Sandhagen’s kickboxing and elusive movement should make for a barnburner. Whilst Sandhagen is always capable of a highlight-reel KO and Yan is always looking for a brutal finish, I expect this one to go the distance.
If “The Sandman” can stay at range and catch Yan when he attempts to move in, perhaps even with a knee as the Russian ducks low with his shots, he is capable of outpointing “No Mercy.” But whilst I expect him to have some success doing so, I believe Yan will have the better of the exchanges, especially in the later rounds. (Prediction: Petr Yan)
Consensus: 3-0 Yan
Jan Blachowicz vs. Glover Teixeira
Jan Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira
Andrew Ravens: Some casuals may overlook Glover in this fight, but the hardcore fans know how dangerous Glover can be. However, I see this to be a one-sided beatdown by Jan. In the current division, I don’t see anyone beating Jan right now, and I add Glover to that list. Glover has a puncher’s chance early and won’t be put away, but I have Jan getting his hand raised after a decision win. (Prediction: Jan Blachowicz)
Doug Murray: The light heavyweight titleholder made his name as a Polish champion in KSW. B?achowicz is well versed in maintaining a fight’s geography. As a powerful counter puncher and reactive wrestler, the 38-year-old has all of the tools to deal with Teixeira. While the Brazilian challenger may have the edge in power on the feet, B?achowicz will be too much for a UFC legend that appears to be slowing despite stringing a massive streak together. (Prediction: Jan Blachowicz)
Harvey Leonard: After the bad blood in last weekend’s main event, it’s a nice change of pace to have two headliners respecting each other. As much of a feel-good story as it would be for Teixeira to become the UFC’s second post-40 champion, I believe he’ll fall short. Of course, he does boast incredible Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills, and if the fight does hit the mat, he has what it takes to submit the champion.
However, on the feet, Blachowicz will have a speed and power advantage, which will not only help him control the exchanges and possibly find a finish but will also aid him in resisting Teixeira’s attempts to take him down and keep him there. The 42-year-old can never be counted out, but “and new” would surprise me. (Prediction: Jan Blachowicz)
Consensus: 3-0 Blachowicz
That’ll do it for our unanimous staff picks! What do you think? Are these fights as clear-cut as our three staffers seem to think? Or do you see some upsets brewing? Feel free to drop your own picks in the comments section, and you can check out the UFC 267 undercard below.
UFC 267 Undercard
PRELIMINARY CARD
Amanda Ribas vs. Virna Jandiroba (Women’s Strawweight)
Ricardo Ramos vs. Zubaira Tukhugov (Featherweight)
Albert Duraev vs. Roman Kopylov (Middleweight)
Shamil Gamzatov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (Light Heavyweight)
Makwan Amirkhani vs. Lerone Murphy (Featherweight)
Hu Yaozong vs. Alen Amedovski (Middleweight)
Magomed Mustafaev vs. Damir Ismagulov (Lightweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Allan Nascimento (Flyweight)
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 267!
It was natural to think that someday we would be seeing fighters in the UFC who were inspired by Conor McGregor, but few may have expected to hear that Khamzat Chimaev is one of them. Born in Chechnya and fighting out of Sweeden, Chimaev burst into the UFC scene in 2020, with three devastating wins […]
It was natural to think that someday we would be seeing fighters in the UFC who were inspired by Conor McGregor, but few may have expected to hear that Khamzat Chimaev is one of them.
Born in Chechnya and fighting out of Sweeden, Chimaev burst into the UFC scene in 2020, with three devastating wins in two months, across two divisions, all while absorbing two strikes. This opened the door to a big opportunity for a fight with number two ranked welterweight Leon Edwards, but a severe case of COVID-19 kept him from fighting since his dramatic intro into the promotion.
Now, he’s set to return a year later against Li Jingliang at UFC 267 this weekend. Ahead of the fight, he spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto about what initially brought him into the sport. Here, he explained that after being unable to continue his wrestling and sambo career, he was working to help support his large family. This is when he saw Conor McGregor’s rise to stardom and realized he could do just that.
“I was going home to a not so nice apartment. I have a big family, like mom, and my brothers and sisters, we lived in some apartment. Every morning before work I would go out running and I would see the big house, nice house, nice apartments, and I was feeling bad for my mother,” Chimaev said.
“I was always thinking ‘How am I going to get this money and get something for my mother so that she can be happy,’ you know? …
“I was watching (McGregor) fight, I was watching him fight Aldo… I was looking at that like ‘If these guys make so much money, like millions and this stuff, why can’t I? I am fighter, I am warrior, I have something inside, and I felt that when I was born. All the time I feel like something special inside of me, and (I wanted to) find some way to take this out and show the people.”
While this type of story of coming from poverty is not new in MMA, it is interesting to think that Khamzat Chimae’s decision to get into the sport was influenced by Conor McGregor. Now, he is one of the most hyped prospects the sport has ever seen, and it will be exciting to see how he looks in his return this weekend.
Check out the full interview with Khamzat Chimaev below:
UFC welterweight Li Jingliang is confident of becoming the first blemish on the record of the returning Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 267. Jingliang was last in action at UFC Fight Island 7. The event, which took place in January earlier this year, saw the Chinese contender spoil the return of Santiago Ponzinibbio. The Argentine, who’d […]
UFC welterweight Li Jingliang is confident of becoming the first blemish on the record of the returning Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 267.
Jingliang was last in action at UFC Fight Island 7. The event, which took place in January earlier this year, saw the Chinese contender spoil the return of Santiago Ponzinibbio. The Argentine, who’d previously only lost three times in 30 fights, was brutally knocked out by “The Leech” inside the opening round.
The victory marked an impressive rebound performance for Jingliang. The 33-year-old had lost to Neil Magny last March. His defeat against “The Haitian Sensation” is one of only two losses in his last 10 UFC appearances.
Having secured a Performance of the Night bonus in his last fight, as well as the #11 spot in the welterweight rankings, Jingliang will be looking to jump into the top 10 in his next outing.
PHOTO: UFC.COM
Despite being up against one of 2020’s most hyped fighters, Jingliang is confident he can add another win to his record when he meets Chimaev this Saturday.
Speaking with SCMP MMA, “The Leech” discussed his upcoming matchup with “The Chechen Wolf.” Despite the 27-year-old’s dominance across his three UFC fights so far, Jingliang believes he will stop Chimaev on October 30.
“Khamzat is the new star of the UFC and we’ve all watched his past three fights. Everyone loves him. But I know exactly what I have to do and I will stop him.
“Khamzat is very impressive and everyone loves him,” Li continued. “But I have 100 percent confidence in myself. After I defeat him I can sit down with Dana White, and have a cup of Chinese tea and then we can talk about the future.” (h/t South China Morning Post)
And perhaps his post-fight conversation with the UFC president will cover the promotion’s potential return to his home country of China. With a victory over Chimaev, Jingliang will no doubt set up a big fight for himself in the months after, something which he hopes will go down in front of his own fans.
“Of course this is the dream; to bring the UFC back to China. Everyone wants that, not just the UFC. The Chinese fans have been waiting a long time now for a Chinese card and I want to be there fighting for them, for all my fans.”
Chimaev announced his arrival on MMA’s biggest stage on Fight Island last year. He destroyed John Phillips and Rhys McKee in the space of 10 days. A brutal knockout of Gerald Meerschaert two months later showed that he has power on the feet as well as dominant control on the ground.
Having missed the last 12 months due to a rough battle with COVID-19, which nearly saw him retire from the sport, the Chechen-born Swede will look to pick up from where he left off when he faces Jingliang at UFC 267.
Who do you think will have their hand raised in Abu Dhabi? Li Jingliang or Khamzat Chimaev?
Santiago Ponzinibbio was understandably gutted with his result against Li Jingliang. Ponzinibbio was competing for the first time in over two years when he faced Jingliang on the main card of UFC Fight Island 7 yesterday. And while he was looking to make a statement in his comeback, it was Jingliang who did just that […]
Santiago Ponzinibbio was understandably gutted with his result against Li Jingliang.
Ponzinibbio was competing for the first time in over two years when he faced Jingliang on the main card of UFC Fight Island 7 yesterday.
And while he was looking to make a statement in his comeback, it was Jingliang who did just that as he knocked Ponzinibbio out cold in the first round to earn arguably the biggest win of his career.
Ponzinibbio released a statement on social media soon after.
“I have no words to describe the sadness I feel,” Ponzinibbio wrote on Instagram. “I wanted to return giving a victory, you deserve it for so much support. I worked very hard for this event, a whole year of preparation but this sport is like that, there is a part out of control, a blow that comes in and everything ends.
“I want to thank all the messages and the love of always! All my life I forged it on adversity, this time it will be no different. I’m coming back stronger than ever.”
It’s a big blow for Ponzinibbio who was not only looking to return to the rankings, but also potentially title contention as his seven-fight winning streak came to an end.
He will now have to embark on another winning run if he is to realize his dream of becoming UFC welterweight champion.
Well, it’s not the Octagon return surging Argentine finisher, Santigao ‘Gente Boa’ Ponzinibbio had in mind. Upsetting the odds, Tacheng native, Li Jingliang is back in the winner’s enclosure via a shocking opening round one-punch knockout win over the streaking contender. Dropping a unanimous decision defeat to common-opposition, ‘The Haitian Sensation’ Neil Magny at UFC […]
Dropping a unanimous decision defeat to common-opposition, ‘The Haitian Sensation’ Neil Magny at UFC 248, Jingliang saw his eye-catching three-fight run stopped.
Matching with the 34-year-old La Plata native, Ponzinibbio on short-notice replacing Muslim Salikhov, Jingliang dealt with the wild style of the returning Argentine in the early goings, before launching a massive left-hook counter, dropping Ponzinibbio out cold.
It’s now four wins in five for the Chinese finisher, adding Ponzinibbio to prior victories over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, fellow UFC Fight Island 7 feature, David Zawada, and Daichi Abe.
Below, check out Jingliang’s massive KO victory to snap the seven fight rise of Ponzinibbio.
(@BigMarcel24) 
Santiago Ponzinibbio was understandably gutted with his result against Li Jingliang. Ponzinibbio was competing for the first time in over two years when he faced Jingliang on the main card of UFC Fight Island 7 yesterday. And while he was looking to make a statement in his comeback, it was Jingliang who did just that […]
Well, it’s not the Octagon return surging Argentine finisher, Santigao ‘Gente Boa’ Ponzinibbio had in mind. Upsetting the odds, Tacheng native, Li Jingliang is back in the winner’s enclosure via a shocking opening round one-punch knockout win over the streaking contender. Dropping a unanimous decision defeat to common-opposition, ‘The Haitian Sensation’ Neil Magny at UFC […]
LEECH LEECH LEECH!!! 