UFC action will be back at Abu Dhabi this weekend at the Etihad Arena with an extremely exciting fight card. The main event of the card will be the light heavyweight title fight between Jan Błachowicz and Glover Teixeria. Other than the main event other fights are looking great on paper and have the potential to be very entertaining inside the octagon. One of such fights is the Welterweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Li Jingliang. Here is the fight breakdown and prediction of the match-up.
Chimaev (9-0) is comparatively new to the UFC and has been undefeated throughout his professional career. The Russian showed great potential in his three UFC appearances since his debut in July 2020. His last fight was against Gerald Meerschaert last year which he won via KO. A win against an experienced fighter like Jingliang can open up great opportunities for Chimaev in the future.
Jingliang(18-6) is coming into the fight after a first-round KO victory against Santiago Ponzinibbio earlier this year at UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar. The win helped him to bounce back from his loss against Neil Magny in March of last year. Jingliang has been a part of UFC for a long time now and has been part of great fights throughout his career. Currently being the 11th ranked fighter in the UFC Welterweight division, the Chinese would like to register a win over the rookie and climb upwards in the rankings.
Li Jingliang vs Khamzat Chimaev stats:
| Stats | Khamzat Chimaev | Li Jingliang |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 9 | 18 |
| Losses | 0 | 6 |
| Height | 6′ 2″ | 6′ 0″ |
| Division | Welterweight | Welterweight |
| Reach | 75″ | 71″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Li Jingliang vs Khamzat Chimaev Fight Breakdown and Prediction:
Chimaev attained hype after finishing three fights in 2 months last year. While the fight will be very competitive, going against a fighter like Jingliang will be a great progression for the Russian. Chimaev has dominated his opponents in his last fights. But, the fighters were not so well known for their capabilities. However, it is important to understand that Chimaev is a better striker between the two and has great power in his strikes. The fighter looks to march forward and lands heavy and accurate shots on his opponent. Other than striking, Chimaev’s wrestling is certainly at the next level. He will be looking to takedown Jingliang as soon as possible and will try to get over him and stay there to tire him out.
The Leech has more experience with lethal hands with the capacity to knock out opponents. It will be interesting to watch the fight on the feet. But the Chinese will struggle if the fight goes to the ground as his wrestling is not up to the mark.
Despite having a great chin and striking power, Jingliang might not get a win over Chimaev. If Chimaev pressures him and lands continuous strikes, Jingliang will struggle to survive the fight.
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