UFC Fight Night 157: Andrade vs. Zhang - Predictions and Picks

#6 The Prelims: ESPN card

China's Kenan Song is headlining Saturday's prelims

Strangely enough, all of this weekend’s prelims will be shown on the full ESPN network, which almost makes the show feel back to front. In the UK and elsewhere, of course, it doesn’t matter too much.

At the top of the prelims sits a Welterweight bout between Kenan Song and Derrick Krantz. At one point just a couple of years ago it was near enough impossible to pick a Chinese fighter to win in the UFC unless their name was Li Jingliang, but that isn’t the case now, and Song has looked one of the more solid prospects to come out of the country, as he picked up two TKO wins in the UFC before losing a decision to Alex Morono last year. Journeyman Krantz meanwhile only came into the UFC a few months ago, taking a late notice fight against Vicente Luque that saw him knocked out quickly. Song isn’t the perfect fighter but his heavy hands should serve him well here and I like him to win with another TKO.

At Middleweight, Anthony Hernandez takes on Jun Yong Park in a tricky one to call. Hernandez lost his UFC debut but looked good on DWTNCS prior to that, and Park is largely unheralded and there doesn’t appear to be much footage on him. I’ll take Hernandez via decision in a fight that could honestly go either way.

At Bantamweight, Andre Soukhamthath faces off with Su Mudaerji in a baffling fight given Mudaerji was outclassed in his UFC debut by Louis Smolka while Soukhamthath has always looked pretty solid, the odd brainfart aside. If Mudaerji even lasts the distance here I’ll be surprised. Soukhamthath via TKO is my pick.

A pair of debuting fighters clash at Light-Heavyweight, as Khadis Ibragimov faces Da Un Jung. It’s a strange fight as Ibragimov is actually the third opponent for Jung due to injuries and visa issues sidelining Saparbek Safarov and Jamahal Hill respectively. Both men look pretty tough but despite the late notice I’m more convinced by the footage of Ibragimov. I’ll take the Russian by decision.

Damir Ismagulov returns at Lightweight to face Thiago Moises in what should be a tough fight to pick given both men have shown a lot of skills when they’ve been showcased before. If Ismagulov can keep this fight standing he can definitely win, but I feel like Moises is the superior grappler and I’ll take him to win by decision or submission.

At Bantamweight, we’ve got a pair of rare debutants in the thin division, as Karolline Rosa Cavedo faces Lara Fritzen Procopio. Quite why we’ve got two Brazilians facing each other in China is anyone’s guess, and given the lack of footage and good opposition, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will win, too. I’ll take the unbeaten Procopio by decision.

Finally, at Bantamweight, Mongolia’s Batgerel Danaa faces China’s Heili Alateng. Alateng has a lot of losses on a spotty record, but he’s at least highly experienced; Danaa, on the other hand, has just 7 fights since debuting in 2011, meaning it’s hard to guess what he has in the tank. I’ll take Alateng in a total coin flip.