*Song Yadong cracks Julio Arce with a vicious head kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

The UFC heads to the Galaxy Arena in Cotai, Macau, with a stacked Fight Night card. From top to bottom, there are plenty of exciting matchups and talented fighters looking to make their names on the biggest stage in MMA. In the co-main event, two power-punching Light Heavyweights collide when Zhang Mingyang meets Alonzo Menifield. In the main event, two top-ten Bantamweights go toe-to-toe when the always-dangerous Song Yadong takes on former Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#11 Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji

*Alex Perez blasts Charles Johnson with a thudding left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

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 fights and has UFC victories over #14-ranked Flyweight Charles Johnson (19-8-0), Matheus Nicolau (19-6-1), and Jussier Formiga (24-8-0). He is 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 eleven of his fourteen 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 tags Kevin Borjas with a stiff jab. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Sumudaerji has won three of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Malcolm Gordon (14-8-0), Kevin Borjas (10-5-0), and Mitch Raposo (10-3-0). He’s a dangerous scrapper with a lethal arsenal of kicks. He’s highly accurate, throwing every shot with knockout intent, 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 72% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Sumudaerji always comes out guns blazing, with eleven of his thirteen knockouts coming in round one.

Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris

*Jake Matthews lands a cracking left hook on Francisco Prado. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Welterweight Bout

Jake Matthews: 22-8-0, 5 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Carlston Harris: 19-7-0, 5 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Matthews has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Chidi Njokuani (25-12-0), Li Jingliang (19-9-0), and Francisco Prado (12-5-0). He’s a well-rounded veteran with excellent boxing and a dangerous submission game. He won’t get sloppy with his striking, always throwing tight, straight shots and staying defensively sound. Training at Nexus, Matthews throws everything in combination and mixes in kicks and body shots effectively. He’s averaging over one takedown per fifteen minutes and is very active on the mat, advancing position quickly and pursuing a finish at all times. He has secured all of his submission victories via choke, with seven of the nine being rear-naked chokes. Matthews has solid cardio and can sustain a strong pace across three rounds, but is dangerous anywhere the fight goes and can produce a finish at any time.

*Carlston Harris submits Jeremiah Wells with a vicious anaconda choke. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Harris has won two of his last five fights and has secured UFC victories over Impa Kasanganay (20-6-0), Jeremiah Wells (13-4-1), and Jared Gooden (23-12-0). He’s an efficient kickboxer with impressive punching power and devastating kicks. Along with his power, he’s exceptionally fast on his feet and with his strikes, always remaining unpredictable and elusive while pursuing a finish. Harris is a dangerous grappler, holding a black belt in Luta Livre and a brown belt in BJJ. Training at Renovocao Fight Team, he loves anaconda and d’arce chokes and will regularly look to lock them up after denying takedowns. He can find a finish anywhere, often securing submissions through defensive grappling and rarely shooting for takedowns. Harris has gone to a decision only once in his last ten fights and always leaves everything inside the cage, fighting with a “kill or be killed” attitude.

Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman

*Kai Asakura launches a flying knee at Alexandre Pantoja. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Flyweight Bout

Kai Asakura: 21-6-0, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Cameron Smotherman: 12-6-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Asakura has won two of his last five bouts and is seeking his first UFC victory. A former Rizin Bantamweight champion, he’s a powerful, well-rounded scrappy fighter who pushes a heavy pace throughout. He has serious power in his hands and particularly dangerous knees, constantly varying his attacks between the head and body. 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 remains 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 is willing to brawl and has a solid chin.

*Cameron Smotherman rips a left hook to the body of Serhiy Sidey. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Smotherman has won three of his last five outings and has a UFC victory over Jake Hadley (12-6-0). He’s a powerful, technical striker who’s always dangerous. He maintains a consistent pace and has excellent cardiovascular endurance, carrying his power and speed across three rounds. Smotherman can do serious damage with his punches and tends to headhunt, throwing every shot with knockout intent. He’s most comfortable on his feet but is a competent defensive grappler with solid chokes and can survive off his back. He can do significant damage without much space, especially with his knees, which he’ll throw regularly. Smotherman has one-shot knockout power and can create a highlight finish at any time.

#3 Sergei Pavlovich vs. #15 Tallison Teixeira

*Sergei Pavlovich blasts Waldo Cortes-Acosta with a powerful right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Heavyweight Bout

Sergei Pavlovich: 20-3-0, 15 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Tallison Teixeira: 9-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Pavlovich has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #4-ranked Heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-3-0), #7-ranked Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (19-6-0), and #9-ranked Heavyweight Derrick Lewis (29-13-0). He’s a vicious power puncher who can find a knockout in a hurry. Early in his UFC career, he went on a six-fight first-round KO streak, but has since adopted a much more patient, measured style. Pavlovich won’t put out a ton of volume, but he’s highly explosive and often blitzes into the pocket, unloading heavy combinations. Training at American Top Team, he tends to headhunt but remains patient, looking for openings to land, particularly with his devastating right hand. He has a background in Greco-Roman wrestling and Combat Sambo but rarely looks to grapple. Pavlovich has produced five knockouts in the UFC with fewer than 25 significant strikes and can secure a finish at any time.

*Tallison Teixeira lands a heavy front kick to the body of Justin Tafa. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Teixeira has won four of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Justin Tafa (7-5-0) and Tai Tuivasa (15-10-0). He’s a massive, lengthy striker with one-shot knockout power. Standing at 6’7”, he uses his length well, often firing kicks and long straights from range before stepping into the pocket to blast his opponent with hooks and uppercuts. Teixeira fights behind his jab and regularly mixes kicks into combinations, but he tends to headhunt, constantly pursuing a knockout. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but rarely initiates grappling exchanges, typically keeping the fight standing and using his height and reach advantage. Training with Team Lucas Mineiro, he has a great chin and is willing to brawl on the inside, but he’s also extremely dangerous from range. Teixeira has gone to a single decision in his brief professional career and has scored three knockouts in 35 seconds or less.

Zhang Mingyang vs. #15 Alonzo Menifield

*Zhang Mingyang lands a brutal elbow to the head of Anthony Smith. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Zhang Mingyang: 19-7-0, 13 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Alonzo Menifield: 17-6-1, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Zhang has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Anthony Smith (38-22-0), Brendson Ribeiro (17-10-0), and Ozzy Diaz (10-4-0). He is a prolific finisher with dangerous power in his hands. He always comes out guns blazing, constantly pressing forward and looking to close the distance to unload bombs inside the pocket. Zhang is always seeking a knockout and willing to brawl, but he remains technical throughout the fight, keeping his shots tight and straight without telegraphing them. He’s strong in the clinch and has solid takedowns, working quickly in top position and regularly looking to posture up to land brutal ground-and-pound. Training at Xtreme Couture, he has excellent chokes, with five of his six submissions coming via rear-naked choke, and he will pursue them even when standing. Zhang has produced all of his finish victories in the first round and has only been to a single decision in his professional career.

*Alonzo Menifield unloads a cracking overhand right on Julius Walker. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Menifield has won two of his last five fights, with UFC victories over Oumar Sy (12-2-0), Dustin Jacoby (22-9-1), and Jimmy Crute (14-4-2). He is an explosive power-puncher who relentlessly pursues a finish. He regularly enters the pocket to fire looping shots and overhands and can do serious damage from any position. Menifield has excellent leg kicks and can land them even when moving backward, remaining dangerous at all times. Training at Fortis MMA, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges but will immediately posture up and land devastating ground-and-pound if he secures top position. Of his thirteen finishes, he’s scored ten in the first round and always comes out guns blazing. Menifield is at his most dangerous early on, often fading as the fight continues, and has never scored a third-round finish.

#5 Song Yadong vs. #7 Deiveson Figueiredo

*Song Yadong rains down ground-and-pound shots onto Ricky Simón. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Bantamweight Bout

Song Yadong: 22-9-1, 9 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Deiveson Figueiredo: 25-6-1, 9 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Song has won three of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over #10-ranked Bantamweight Marlon Vera (23-12-1), Ricky Simón (22-7-1), and Chris Gutiérrez (22-7-2). He’s a technical, durable fighter who’s always coming forward and throwing with knockout intent. He throws everything in combination but won’t get wild, remaining technical throughout the fight and fighting behind his jab. Training at Team Alpha Male, Song varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly without telegraphing. He’s powerful in the clinch and won’t typically pursue takedowns, but he has successfully defended 72% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly marching through punches to close the distance and throw offense of his own. Song always pushes a relentless pace, averaging about 78 significant strikes per fight in his last five appearances.

*Deiveson Figueiredo secures a takedown on Montel Jackson. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Figueiredo has won two of his last five outings and holds UFC victories over #4-ranked Flyweight Brandon Moreno (23-10-2), #10-ranked Bantamweight Marlon Vera (23-10-1), and Montel Jackson (15-4-0). He’s a versatile fighter with vicious knockout power and excellent grappling. He’s patient on his feet, picking his shots and looking for openings while regularly mixing in kicks and body shots. Training with Team Figueiredo, he favors power over volume and will often charge forward while dipping his head to unload overhands. He has excellent takedowns from the clinch and in open space, and he will immediately assume a dominant position on the mat. He has heavy top pressure and lethal chokes that he’ll constantly look to secure. Figueiredo is a former Flyweight champion and holds various records in the 125-pound division, including the second most finishes (7), the most knockdowns (11), and the most submission attempts (20).

Best Bets

Matthews vs. Harris to Not Go the Distance: This is an exciting matchup between two dangerous Welterweights. Both fighters have multiple ways to secure a finish, and I’d be surprised if this one went to the scorecards. In 56 combined fights, they have produced 25 finishes, with 34 total fights not going the distance. Of those 25 finishes, they combined for 10 knockouts and 15 submissions. Neither fighter has gone to a decision in their last two fights, and, considering they’re both coming off a loss, I’d expect them to be eager to earn a highlight-reel finish and re-enter the win column. I anticipate this fight getting off to a quick start, with both fighters meeting in the middle and pressing the action from the opening bell. As the fight goes on and they continue to take risks, I’m confident that one of them will find the finish and end this fight within three rounds.

Kai Asakura by KO/TKO: This is an intriguing matchup between two fighters with a significant experience gap. Both have struggled in their UFC tenure, but their careers have been very different. Asakura, a former Rizin Bantamweight champion who went pro in 2012, was granted a title shot on his debut and then given a ranked opponent in his second outing. Smotherman, who went pro in 2021, came to the UFC from the American regional scene and has not faced a ranked opponent in the UFC. This is a major step down in competition for Asakura, and despite his lackluster performances so far, I believe he outmatches Smotherman everywhere and will finally show the skills the UFC signed him for. I expect Asakura to get going early, forcing Smotherman onto the back foot and controlling the center as he batters Smotherman with power shots. I anticipate Asakura building momentum as the fight continues, and I don’t think it will take long before he finds the knockout blow and secures his first UFC victory.

Song Yadong by Decision: This is a fantastic fight between two high-level scrappers that I’ve been looking forward to. Both have well-rounded skills and are dangerous anywhere the fight goes, but I believe Song’s speed and output will be the difference-maker. Figueiredo has serious power but struggles with volume at times, averaging just 27 significant strikes landed in his last five fights, compared with an average of 78 significant strikes landed by Song in his last five outings. Figueiredo has also lost some of his speed, both with age and by moving up in weight, whereas Song is not only a decade younger but also a former Featherweight who is even faster and stronger at 135 pounds. I expect this fight to start a bit slowly, with Song fighting off Figueiredo’s takedown attempts and touching him up with quick combinations. As he continues to deny takedowns, I expect Figueiredo’s pace to slow, forcing him to engage Song on the feet and take more damage. Figueiredo is a tough man to finish, so I do believe this fight goes the distance, but I’m confident that when the dust settles, Song will be declared the winner.

UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Figueiredo Preview