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LAS VEGAS — Saturday’s UFC Combat Night time foremost occasion is a lightweight heavyweight bout between onetime title challenger Thiago Santos and rising contender Magomed Ankalaev.
There’s a whole lot of intrigue round this 205-pound matchup, because the division is vast open in the intervening time. Santos (22-9) is rebuilding from a tough stretch in 2020 and 2021, through which he went 0-Three and handled a severe knee damage. Nevertheless, the Brazilian is again within the win column as he defeated Johnny Walker in October.
Ankalaev (16-1), in the meantime, is without doubt one of the hottest contenders within the division, having received seven in a row. Some name the Russian a future champion, however that is arguably his hardest check so far and his first look in a five-round battle.
Past Saturday’s headliner, nonetheless, there’s a lot to be careful for on this foremost card. It is filled with promising prospects who may attain a UFC title battle within the subsequent a number of years. This is a better take a look at three of the highest names to control this weekend, outdoors of the principle occasion.
Song Yadong, bantamweight
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Track Yadong stuns Julio Arce with a head kick after which finishes him off with robust punches within the second spherical.
Saturday’s opponent: Marlon Moraes
UFC profession to date: Track, 24, is the youngest of the three prospects highlighted right here however has probably the most UFC expertise by far. Combating out of Workforce Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, Track (18-5-1, 1 NC) made his UFC debut in 2017 at age 19. He already holds a UFC document of 7-1-1, and he has compiled that document in opposition to good competitors. On the time of his fights in opposition to them, his opponents held a mixed document of 129-35-4.
Track is No. 14 within the UFC’s 135-pound rankings. Saturday’s battle in opposition to the No. 10-ranked Moraes (23-9-1) may mark a degree of no return. Moraes has misplaced his previous three however nonetheless carries a whole lot of respect as a former WSOF champion and UFC title challenger. If Track wins, he’ll doubtless transfer into the highest 10 and be taking a look at nothing however top-tier fights for the foreseeable future.
Potential future fights to search for: Cannot go flawed with any of the highest names, however some matchups that leap off the web page: Ricky Simon, Sean O’Malley, Rob Font, TJ Dillashaw.
Urijah Faber, coach, on what makes Track totally different: One of many coolest issues about Track is I bear in mind when he got here [to Team Alpha Male] the primary time, he was 19 or so and wasn’t signed to the UFC. I used to be strolling into wrestling follow and I watched him with one of many lower-level guys and mentioned, “Man, his wrestling is fairly good.” I wished to go along with him, and I spotted he had a methods to go however he was proficient in wrestling and his standup was actually good. And I came upon he is an adolescent who got here right here from China by himself, did not communicate a lick of English and simply jumped proper in with the professionals.
When he was a child, he went to a type of conventional Chinese language colleges, the place they’d do eight hours a day of conventional martial arts. He was a man who traveled to seminars. He had the help of his household and he was simply placing himself in locations the place he may study. A part of the explanation he would not have a greater, extra protected document is he was both mendacity about his age or having his dad and mom signal one thing so he may compete when he was 16 years previous.
He likes to field, loves the candy science, however he additionally has that conventional background the place they really spar and compete from a younger age. So, he is been doing that since he was a child. He can keep within the pocket, and he could be elusive from the skin. He has spinning kicks, aspect kicks. He is educated throughout. He could be Muay Thai, boxing, conventional martial arts. And now he is turning into an excellent well-rounded wrestler and jiu-jitsu participant.
His all-in mentality is particular. Lots of people are good at preventing. Lots of people have presents. Not everyone is all-in. He moved out of his consolation zone. He hasn’t been house in over two years. I by no means have to fret about him — if I do not see him at follow, I do know he is doing one thing as a result of he is all the time doing one thing. That is a champion’s mentality.
Sodiq Yusuff, featherweight
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Arnold Allen stuns Sodiq Yusuff a number of occasions to cruise to a unanimous determination victory.
Saturday’s opponent: Alex Caceres
UFC profession to date: Yusuff (11-2) earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2018 and has gone 4-1. He’s coming off his first Octagon loss, by determination in opposition to Arnold Allen final April. If there’s such a factor as a top quality loss in MMA, that was it. Allen has received eight in a row and is ranked No. 7 within the division. Yusuff misplaced to Allen by one spherical, 29-28 — and really out-struck him within the bout (79-26).
On account of that loss, Yusuff is flying underneath the radar. He additionally missed the second half of final yr because of COVID-19 signs. He fights No. 15-ranked Caceres (19-12) in a bout that, even when Yusuff wins, doubtless wouldn’t catapult him into the highest 10. At 28, although, Yusuff is a little bit of a sleeper at 145 kilos. The good cash is not bailing on his potential primarily based on one loss.
Potential future fights to search for: Yusuff has a enjoyable model. He is fan-friendly. Some potential good matchups: Shane Burgos, Edson Barboza, Josh Emmett, Arnold Allen rematch, just about all the high 10.
Yusuff, on what makes him totally different: Ever since I used to be a child, I wished to be within the UFC. As quickly as I graduated [high school], I went into full-time coaching with Lloyd Irvin. He moved me into the fighter home and has type of molded me from the start. I have been coaching like a professional since day one, three classes a day. So, despite the fact that my years educated is not so long as most, my hours on the mat are equal to guys who’ve been coaching all their lives.
In my final battle, technique-wise, I acquired hit with a punch I could not see coming and a head kick, after I was too boxing-focused. And people two issues value me two rounds. I noticed somebody on-line say, “He’ll be actually damage when he sees he misplaced due to two strikes.” As a result of I out-landed him each spherical, however he did what he was presupposed to do and walked away with two huge hits. That third spherical was additionally the primary time I discovered myself within the place the place profitable the spherical did not matter. I wanted a end, however that by no means clicked in my head. Combating is so psychological, and I did not make the adjustment I wanted to.
The psychological recreation is certainly one thing I am engaged on. And it isn’t self-belief; I am speaking about pondering in a battle and methods to strategy rounds. Individuals do not even know I grapple. That is one of many psychological hurdles I would like to beat. My crew is huge in jiu-jitsu. I moved into the fighter home as a white belt, and I used to be coaching with black belt world champions. So, I acquired actually good at getting jacked up [laughs]. It acquired to some extent the place I grew to become too defensive. My coach has labored with me on that, like, “Hey, you are adequate to faucet these guys. Search for offense.”
After I take a look at guys like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, I actually do assume my energy is sufficient to cease both of them. The largest problem is psychological. I really feel they’re so seasoned, and that is one of many issues I hate about not being as energetic final yr. I need to battle as a lot as potential this yr.
Terrance McKinney, light-weight
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Terrance McKinney’s UFC debut is one to recollect, knocking out Matt Frevola simply seven seconds into their battle at UFC 263.
Saturday’s opponent: Drew Dober
UFC profession to date: It is too early to actually gauge McKinney’s potential — however he has been excellent to this point. In 2019, he got here up brief in opposition to Sean Woodson on Dana White’s Contender Sequence (Woodson has since gone 3-1 within the UFC), however McKinney (12-3) nonetheless broke into the promotion final yr and impressed in a short-notice battle in opposition to Matt Frevola — McKinney received by seven-second knockout. Since then, he has adopted with a first-round end of Fares Ziam.
Eleven of McKinney’s 12 wins have ended inside the primary spherical. This weekend’s bout in opposition to Dober (23-11) is an enormous step up in competitors, and the UFC acknowledged that by providing McKinney, 27, a brand new contract previous to this weekend. A win in opposition to a seasoned veteran corresponding to Dober would throw McKinney right into a severe quick observe within the division.
Potential future fights to search for: There are limitless prospects for McKinney so early in his profession. A couple of probably enjoyable ones that stand out: Uros Medic, Jordan Leavitt, Bobby Green.
McKinney, on what makes him totally different: What units me aside is my wrestling pedigree. Myself, Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan in all probability have the most effective wrestling within the division. You see how effectively these two are doing, it is solely a matter of time earlier than I catch up. I used to be ranked No. 1 within the nation in junior faculty and I may have gone to the Olympics in Greco-Roman, however could not elevate sufficient cash. God had a unique plan for me.
I give up wrestling earlier than I graduated from Notre Dame School [Ohio] to pursue preventing. I actually imagine I can dangle with anybody within the high 10 proper now. I heard about this battle final Friday after Drew’s opponent needed to pull out. The chance offered itself, and God has now paved the way in which for me to interrupt into the highest 10 earlier than the tip of this yr, similar to I wished. Drew is as sturdy as they arrive, so I am able to go to struggle.
One other factor that units me aside is my willingness to return ahead and take dangers. Lots of people aren’t good at preventing backward, and while you’re backing up, you are inclined to make huge, exaggerated actions to cease the opposite’s ahead momentum. That is the place we are able to see the takedown or the clear counterstrike.
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