*Umar Nurmagomedov rains down brutal ground-and-pound onto Deiveson Figueiredo. Credit: MMA Mania.*

The UFC heads to Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China, with a fantastic Fight Night card. There are plenty of top-notch matchups, surging prospects, and excellent local talent looking to score an impressive victory this Saturday. In the co-main event, two dangerous Strawweight strikers will collide when Yan Xiaonan takes on Denise Gomes. In the main event, two top-ten Bantamweights go head-to-head when Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Song Yadong. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Bilal Hasan vs. Nilson Rojas

*Bilal Hasan lands a crushing right hand on Mridul Saikia. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Flyweight Bout

Bilal Hasan: 9-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Nilson Rojas: 9-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Hasan is undefeated and making his UFC debut. He’s an outstanding, flashy striker with heavy hands and a devastating arsenal of kicks. He is a 3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo and uses his kicking game to set up everything, constantly blasting his opponent with quick, heavy kicks from range before closing the distance to let his hands go. Hasan is in perpetual motion and has fantastic range management, rarely absorbing much damage and doing a great job of entering and exiting the pocket from different angles. He regularly switches stances and won’t telegraph any of his attacks, instead remaining composed and picking his shots carefully. Training at Charlie’s Combat Club, he won’t usually take the fight to the mat but has great takedown and submission defense. Hasan has only gone the distance once in his professional career, but he has solid cardio and can comfortably carry his power and speed across three rounds.

*Nilson Rojas poses with his team. Credit: Inka MMA.*

Rojas is undefeated and making his UFC debut. He’s a powerful scrapper who’s always coming forward to do damage. He has excellent boxing and will constantly look to close the distance to unload combinations of heavy, tight hooks inside the pocket. Rojas is very defensively sound, always keeping his guard high and using fantastic head movement to avoid taking damage. He throws everything with knockout intent but remains unpredictable, constantly varying his entry angles, targets, and attacks. Training at Pitbull Martial Arts center, he rarely initiates grappling exchanges but has great takedown defense and balance, making him very tough to bring down to the mat. Rojas has scored the majority of his finishes in the first round, but he has great cardio and can produce a knockout at any time.

Liu Ce vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr.

*Liu Ce celebrates after succesfully defending his K-1 Cruiserweight title. Credit: K-1.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Liu Ce: 3-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Levi Rodrigues Jr.: 5-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Ce has won three of his last four fights and is making his UFC debut. He’s a professional kickboxer and former K-1 champion with devastating power. He’s lengthy and uses his reach well, controlling the center of the cage and forcing his opponent to the outside while constantly battering them with kicks from range, especially to the legs. Ce favors power over volume, regularly unloading single punches, two-punch combinations, or naked kicks, all thrown with knockout intent. He will constantly pressure his opponent and is equally dangerous at range and on the inside, able to produce a finish with both his hands and kicks. Training at Tangshan Buntai Riding Fight Club, he won’t typically bring the fight to the mat, but he has solid throws from the clinch and decent takedown defense. Ce has won all his professional MMA bouts via knockout, along with fourteen of his eighteen kickboxing victories.

*Levi Rodrigues Jr. lands a thudding left hook on Felipe Franco. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Rodrigues has won three of his last five bouts, with one No Contest, and is seeking his first UFC win. He’s a marauding brawler who’s always willing to throw down in the pocket. He heavily favors his hands and tends to headhunt, constantly unloading heavy power shots and looping hooks. He relentlessly pressures his opponent and is always willing to eat a shot to land one. Rodrigues is willing to grapple, has solid takedown defense, and will unload brutal ground-and-pound if he secures top position. Training at Inside Muay Thai, he won’t rely on much footwork, instead staying in front of his opponent and constantly looking to close the distance and throw bombs. Rodrigues has secured three of his five knockout victories in the first round and is most dangerous early on.

Alex Perez vs. #13 Sumudaerji

*Alex Perez blasts Matheus Nicolau with a vicious right hook. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Flyweight Bout

Alex Perez: 26-10-0, 7 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Sumudaerji: 19-7-0, 13 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Perez has won two of his last five outings, with one no contest, and has UFC victories over #14-ranked Flyweight Charles Johnson (20-9-0), Matheus Nicolau (19-6-1), and Jussier Formiga (24-8-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter with brutal leg kicks and solid wrestling. He pushes a heavy pace from bell to bell, regularly blitzing forward to unload lengthy combinations and batter his opponent with straights and uppercuts. Perez varies his shots, constantly opening combinations with different punches from different angles. Training with Team Oyama, he’s averaging over two takedowns per fifteen minutes and has heavy top control. He’ll usually pursue a submission over ground and pound and has dangerous chokes, particularly his anaconda choke. He always leaves everything inside the cage and rarely sees the judges’ scorecards, with twelve of his fifteen UFC fights not going the distance. Perez is dangerous at all times, especially early on, and has earned twelve first-round finishes in his professional career.

*Sumudaerji lands a cracking jab on Jesus Aguilar. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Sumudaerji has won three of his last five outings, with one no contest, and holds UFC victories over #11-ranked Flyweight Kevin Borjas (11-5-0), #12-ranked Flyweight Mitch Raposo (11-3-0), and Malcolm Gordon (14-8-0). He’s a dangerous scrapper with a lethal arsenal of kicks. He’s highly accurate, throwing every shot with knockout intent and typically favoring power over volume. He remains technical throughout, constantly firing his jab before unloading heavy kicks. Sumudaerji has excellent distance management but isn’t the most mobile striker, often standing still in front of his opponents while looking to counterstrike. Training at Enbo Fight Club, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges, but he has solid defensive wrestling and has successfully defended 73% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Sumudaerji always comes out guns blazing, with eleven of his thirteen knockouts coming in round one.

Aoriqileng vs. Kai Asakura

*Aoriqileng drops Cody Gibson with a powerful right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Bantamweight Bout

Aoriqileng: 26-13-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Kai Asakura: 22-6-0, 14 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Aoriqileng has won two of his last five fights, with one no contest, and has UFC wins over Cody Gibson (22-13-0), Johnny Muñoz (12-4-0), and Cameron Else (11-6-0). He’s a slick striker with a Sanda background who’s always dangerous. He’s very explosive, often starting slow and offering little in movement or feints before suddenly coming forward to unload heavy shots. Aoriqileng tends to heat up as the fight continues, steadily increasing his aggression and output while remaining technical throughout. Training at Fight Ready, he’s a solid grappler with heavy ground-and-pound and solid submission defense. He does an excellent job of varying his attacks, never headhunting and constantly mixing up his targets between the head, body, and legs of his opponents. Aoriqileng carries his power throughout the fight and can produce a finish at any time, but he has secured eight of his nine knockout wins in the first round and is especially dangerous early on.

*Kai Asakura tags Cameron Smotherman with a damaging left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Asakura has won three of his last five bouts and holds a UFC victory over Cameron Smotherman (12-7-0). A former Rizin Bantamweight champion, he’s a hard-hitting, scrappy fighter who maintains a high pace at all times. He constantly varies his attacks between the head and body, packs serious power in his hands, and has particularly dangerous knees. Asakura often looks to counterstrike, using his distance management and head movement to catch his opponents with heavy shots as they enter the pocket. He throws everything with power and in combination but won’t get sloppy, instead remaining elusive and technical, never telegraphing his attacks. Training at Japan Top Team, he has excellent takedown defense and scrambles, often finding himself in top position after grappling exchanges. Asakura is at his best when he’s controlling the pace and the center of the cage, but he’s willing to brawl and has a solid chin.

#4 Yan Xiaonan vs. #9 Denise Gomes

*Yan Xiaonan stuns Tabatha Ricci with a left hook. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Women’s Strawweight Bout

Yan Xiaonan: 19-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Denise Gomes: 12-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Xiaonan has won three of her last five outings and has UFC victories over Strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern (17-5-0), #12-ranked Strawweight Tabatha Ricci (12-5-0), and Jéssica Andrade (26-15-0). She’s an excellent technical kickboxer who throws everything in combination. She regularly opens combinations with powerful kicks, especially sidekicks. Xiaonan never telegraphs her strikes, often keeping her hands down and throwing from her hip. She won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, but she has solid top control and ground-and-pound, and has defended 64% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC. She’s proven to be highly durable and has excellent cardio, always comfortable pushing a consistent pace across three rounds. Xiaonan lands, on average, about 70 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and is always coming forward to exchange.

*Denise Gomes blasts Elise Reed with a cracking right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Gomes has won four of her last five fights and has UFC wins over Tecia Pennington (15-8-0), Karolina Kowalkiewicz (16-10-0), and Yazmin Jauregui (11-2-0). She’s a power-punching striker who’s always hunting for a knockout. She relentlessly pressures her opponents, stalking them down, controlling the center of the cage, and regularly punching her way into the pocket. Gomes throws everything with power and is constantly looking to land her right hand, particularly with overhands and hooks. Training with the GAEA Project, she has solid trips and throws from the clinch and smothering top pressure. She’s successfully defended 66% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC and has excellent reversals, often securing top position even when taken down. Gomes tends to heat up as the fight continues, having secured five of her seven knockout victories in the second or third round.

#2 Umar Nurmagomedov vs. #6 Song Yadong

*Umar Nurmagomedov elevates Mario Bautista for a vicious slam. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Bantamweight Bout

Umar Nurmagomedov: 20-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Song Yadong: 23-9-1, 9 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Nurmagomedov has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Bantamweight Mario Bautista (18-3-0), #5-ranked Bantamweight Cory Sandhagen (18-7-0), and #11-ranked Bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo (25-7-1). He’s a technical, well-rounded fighter with big power in his hands and dominant wrestling. He’s constantly switching stances and throwing lead leg attacks, always moving and never staying in one spot for long. Training at the American Kickboxing Academy, Nurmagomedov has fantastic takedowns and top control, often landing takedowns in open space and quickly advancing position. He’s averaging over four takedowns per fifteen minutes and remains patient in top position, always looking for openings to land ground and pound or grab a submission. He has devastating power in his hands and can produce a flash knockout at any moment. Nurmagomedov regularly looks to take his opponent’s back, with six of his seven submissions wins have been via rear-naked choke.

*Song Yadong lands a heavy kick to the head of Deiveson Figueiredo. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Song has won three of his last five outings and holds UFC victories over #11-ranked Bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo (25-7-1), Henry Cejudo (16-6-0), and Ricky Simón (22-7-1). He’s a powerful, technical striker with excellent wrestling and takedown defense. He throws everything with serious power, constantly alternating between battering his opponents’ legs with kicks and unloading vicious power shots with his hands. Training at Team Alpha Male, Song is extremely explosive, closes distance very quickly, and has outstanding footwork. He is very tough to take to the mat and has great chokes that can produce an impressively quick tap from his opponent. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly marching through punches to close the distance and throw his own offense. Song is rarely in a boring fight and has earned seven post-fight bonuses during his UFC tenure.

Best Bets

Kai Asakura by KO/TKO: This is an exciting matchup between two powerful strikers. Although both are dangerous on their feet, I believe Asakura is more technically skilled and much more powerful. Although Asakura struggled upon entering the UFC, both of his initial losses were to ranked opponents, one of whom was the champion, and I don’t believe Aoriqileng has fought someone of Asakura’s caliber. I expect Asakura’s counterstriking to be a major factor, and for him to take advantage of Aoriqileng's aggression and output, using his footwork and head movement to avoid significant damage and land clean shots in return. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with both fighters letting their hands go from the opening bell and taking plenty of risks. As the fight continues, I expect Asakura to get the better of their exchanges, doing damage and forcing Aoriqileng to grow desperate. Once he does, I don’t think it will take long for Asakura to land the knockout blow and secure his second consecutive UFC victory.

Denise Gomes Moneyline: This is an excellent matchup between two top-ten Strawweights. Xiaonan has consistently struggled against grapplers in her UFC career and often relies on her power and pace to control fights, both of which I expect Gomes to exploit. Gomes has the punching power to match Xiaonan on the feet and rarely takes a backward step, often controlling the center of the cage and forcing her opponent to the outside. She’s also shown solid grappling and wrestling in her recent outings, so I expect her to look for takedowns to slow the fight and wear down Xiaonan’s cardio. I expect Gomes to apply pressure from the opening bell, not letting Xiaonan get comfortable on her feet or control the range. As the fight continues, I expect Gomes to land multiple takedowns and do damage on the ground, significantly reducing the threat from Xiaonan. Ultimately, I expect Gomes to be in control throughout and to climb higher in the rankings with another impressive win.

Umar Nurmagomedov by Decision: This is an intriguing matchup between two well-rounded fighters that I’ve been looking forward to. Both are dangerous anywhere the fight goes, but each has a clear advantage: Song has a power advantage, and Nurmagomedov has a grappling advantage. Song is a very solid wrestler in his own right, but as we’ve seen time and again, Dagestani wrestlers seem to be levels ahead of everyone else, and I expect more of the same in this matchup. I believe this fight will get off to an entertaining start, with close striking exchanges and both fighters doing damage before Nurmagomedov inevitably starts pursuing takedowns. I don’t expect it to take long for Nurmagomedov to bring the fight to the mat, and I expect him to do so repeatedly, slowing Song down and making it harder and harder for Song to return to his feet. As the fight continues and Song starts to gas out, I expect Nurmagomedov to take full control, smothering Song with top pressure and ground-and-pound. Nurmagomedov doesn’t produce many finishes, and Song is a very tough out, so I’m confident this fight will last all five rounds, with Nurmagomedov earning a dominant victory.

UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song Preview