*Petr Yan picks up and prepares to slam Sean O’Malley. Credit: Marca.*

The UFC heads to Cotai, Macau, for the first time since 2014 with an outstanding Fight Night card. This card is packed full of exciting fights and fascinating matchups all sure to create highlights. In the co-main event, we’ll witness a fight with significant bearing on the Women’s Strawweight title picture when Tabatha Ricci faces off against Yan Xiaonan. In the main event, we’ll see a top-five Bantamweight matchup when former UFC champions Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo go toe-to-toe. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Zhang Mingyang vs. Ozzy Diaz

*Zhang Mingyang rains down ground and pound onto Brendson Ribeiro. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Zhang Mingyang: 17-6-0, 11 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ozzy Diaz: 9-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Zhang is on a ten-fight win streak and has a UFC victory over Brendson Ribeiro (16-7-0). He is a prolific finisher with dangerous power in his hands. He comes out guns blazing, constantly pressuring forward and looking to close the distance to let his hands go. Zhang is always hunting a knockout and willing to brawl but remains technical, keeping his shots tight and straight without telegraphing. He’s strong in the clinch and has a strong takedown game, regularly looking to posture up and land brutal ground and pound when in top position. Training at Xinjiang Fight Gym, he has excellent chokes and will pursue them even when standing, and he has secured five of his six submissions via rear naked choke. Zhang has produced all of his finishes in the first round and has only been to one decision in his career.

*Ozzy Diaz unloads punches onto Bevon Lewis. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Diaz has won four of his last five fights and is making his UFC debut. He’s a heavy-handed brawler who’s always willing to engage. He’s a bit of a slow starter, using his footwork and distance management to find reads and openings early on. Diaz fights behind his jab, throws everything in combination, and is always willing to eat a shot to land one. Training at California MMA, he’s very durable and has solid cardio, often surviving early onslaughts and turning up the pressure when his opponents begin to slow. He won’t typically initiate grappling scenarios but has solid getups and clinch striking. Diaz has never been to a decision in his career and pushes a consistent pace throughout the fight.

#8 Volkan Oezdemir vs. #10 Carlos Ulberg

*Volkan Oezdemir exchanges blows with Bogdan Guskov. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Volkan Oezdemir: 20-7-0, 13 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Carlos Ulberg: 11-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Oezdemir has won three of his last five bouts and holds victories over #5 ranked Light Heavyweight Aleksander Rakić (14-5-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Johnny Walker (21-9-0), and #14 ranked Light Heavyweight Bogdan Guskov (16-3-0). He has a background in kickboxing and held a 5-0 record professionally before entering MMA. While he primarily uses his hands and fights in the pocket, he has powerful kicks, particularly devastating leg kicks. Despite his phonebox-fighting style, Oezdemir stays relatively composed, typically returning to the center of the octagon and resetting after attacking. Training at Allstars Training Center, he has a solid chin and is willing to eat a shot to land one, but he also possesses good head movement. He occasionally initiates grappling exchanges, primarily preferring to remain on the feet, and has denied 80% of takedowns attempted on him in his UFC career. With 14 finishes in the first round, Oezdemir earned the nickname “No Time” and is at his most dangerous early on.

*Carlos Ulberg tags Alonzo Menifield with a brutal left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Ulberg is on a six-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #15 ranked Alonzo Menifield (15-5-1), Da Woon Jung (15-6-1), and Nicolae Negumereanu (13-2-0). He’s an accurate, technical striker with excellent power and speed. He remains patient and technical throughout, floating on the outside, looking for openings, and throwing everything straight and tight. Training at City Kickboxing, Ulberg will often lure his opponent into a slower pace before exploding with huge shots. He fights behind his jab, has excellent distance management, and is in perpetual motion. He won’t usually initiate grappling exchanges but is capable on the mat and has solid defensive grappling. Ulberg has only been to a single decision in his UFC tenure and constantly pursues a finish.

Wang Cong vs. Gabriella Fernandes

*Wang Cong cracks Victoria Leonardo with a right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Wang Cong: 6-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Gabriella Fernandes: 9-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Wang is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Victoria Leonardo (10-7-0). She’s a former professional kickboxer, holding a record of 8-0-1, and is a lethal striker. She’s constantly pressuring her opponent, blitzing forward to unload combinations while remaining technical throughout. Wang has excellent timing, regularly tagging her opponents with shots just as they enter the pocket. Training at the UFC PI Shanghai, she has an outstanding arsenal of kicks, typically throwing with her lead leg from range and constantly damaging her opponent’s legs and body. She won’t normally initiate grappling exchanges but will land brutal ground and pound from top position and has a decent submission game, particularly chokes. Although young in her MMA career, Wang has faced UFC-caliber opponents before, holding wins over Wu Yanan in MMA and Valentina Shevchenko in kickboxing.

*Gabriella Fernandes fires a right hook at Carli Judice. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Fernandes has won three of her last five outings and has a UFC victory over Carli Judice (3-2-0). She’s an aggressive scrapper who’s constantly pursuing a knockout. She’s constantly moving and dipping her head before blitzing forward to unload hooks and overhands. Fernandes is willing to eat one to land one and is very durable, regularly walking through punches to land her offense. Training at MMA Masters, she comes out guns blazing at the start of every round, constantly throwing caution to the wind, remaining aggressive at all times, and often headhunting. She has a brown belt in BJJ and is willing to grapple, occasionally pursuing takedowns, but is more comfortable and skilled on the feet. Fernandes is at her most dangerous early on in the fight, pushing a heavy pace before slowing down as the fight continues.

Song Kenan vs. Muslim Salikhov

*Song Kenan lands a brutal uppercut on Callan Potter. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Welterweight Bout

Song Kenan: 22-8-0, 9 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Muslim Salikhov: 20-5-0, 13 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Song has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Rolando Bedoya (14-4-0), Ricky Glenn (22-9-2), and Derrick Krantz (24-12-0). He’s a dangerous striker with heavy hands and kicks. He throws everything with power, typically firing kicks at range before closing the distance to unload combinations. Song has good distance management and footwork but is durable and willing to eat a shot to land one. Training at Beijing Black Tiger, he’s most comfortable on his feet but is strong in the clinch and has great scrambles on the mat. He’s at his most dangerous early on, his pace slowing as the fight continues, but he carries his power throughout. Song has found 13 of his eighteen finishes in round one and can produce a flash knockout anytime.

*Muslim Salikhov fires a spinning kick at Li Jiangliang. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Salikhov has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Franciso Trinaldo (28-9-0), Andre Fialho (16-9-0), and Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-8-0). He holds the rank of Master of Sport in Wushu Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) and a pro kickboxing record of 185-13 with 76 wins by knockout. He’s an incredibly dangerous striker, possessing solid power and excellent technical skills. Salikhov has an impressive arsenal of kicks, particularly his array of spinning attacks that he loves to throw. Training at Berkut FC, he’s also very defensively sound, having defended 63% of significant strikes attempted on him in his promotional tenure. He is willing to grapple and averages just over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes, typically raining down devastating ground and pound when in top position. Salikhov is highly experienced and very tough to put away, always coming forward and looking to do damage throughout the fight.

#2 Yan Xiaonan vs. #10 Tabatha Ricci

*Yan Xiaonan stuns Jéssica Andrade with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Women’s Strawweight Bout

Yan Xiaonan: 18-4-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Tabatha Ricci: 11-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Xiaonan has won two of her last five outings and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Strawweight Jéssica Andrade (26-13-0), #6 ranked Strawweight Mackenzie Dern (14-5-0), and #13 ranked Strawweight Angela Hill (17-14-0). She has excellent technical kickboxing skills and throws everything in combination. She regularly opens combinations with a lead leg attack, typically a sidekick. Xiaonan never telegraphs her strikes, often keeping her hands down and throwing from her hip. She’s defended 62% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC and won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has solid top control and ground and pound. She’s proven to be highly durable and capable of surviving in deep waters on the feet and the ground. Xiaonan lands, on average, about 75 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and pushes a consistent pace throughout.

*Tabatha Ricci secures a double leg takedown on Polyana Viana. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Ricci has won four of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #12 ranked Strawweight Gillian Robertson (15-8-0), #13 ranked Strawweight Angela Hill (17-14-0), and Tecia Pennington (14-7-0). She’s a speedy, well-rounded scrapper who holds black belts in Judo and BJJ. She’s in perpetual motion on the feet, never staying in one spot for long while constantly peppering her opponents with shots. Ricci throws everything in combination, has great distance management and head movement, and regularly mixes kicks into combinations, particularly to the legs. She’s averaging about three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has excellent timing, able to secure takedowns in open space and the clinch. Training at Paragon BJJ, she’s always working in top position, constantly advancing while staying safe and not putting herself in dangerous positions. Ricci has landed at least one takedown in all her UFC victories and always looks to take the fight to the mat.

#3 Petr Yan vs. #5 Deiveson Figueiredo

*Petr Yan lands a damaging uppercut on Song Yadong. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Bantamweight Bout

Petr Yan: 17-5-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Deiveson Figueiredo: 24-3-1, 9 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Yan has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Bantamweight Cory Sandhagen (17-5-0), #8 ranked Bantamweight Song Yadong (21-8-1), and #11 ranked Bantamweight José Aldo (32-9-0). He’s a very well-rounded fighter and is highly dangerous at all times. He has excellent technical striking and does a great job of mixing kicks into combinations, never telegraphing his shots. Training at BK Arkhangel Mikhail, Yan never slows down, always pursuing a finish and throwing with maximum power and speed. He can push a crazy pace for 25 minutes and has fantastic cardio, whether grappling or striking. He has excellent takedowns and top control, constantly throwing brutal ground and pound. Yan has faced nothing but the best in his UFC tenure, with about a third of his bouts in the promotion being for a title.

*Deiveson Figueiredo lands a front kick to the head on Marlon Vera. Credit: Yahoo Sports.*

Figueiredo has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Flyweight Brandon Moreno (22-8-2), #6 ranked Bantamweight Marlon Vera (23-10-1), and #9 ranked Bantamweight Rob Font (21-8-0). He has devastating power in his hands, constantly unloading brutal combinations onto his opponents. He used this power to tear through the Flyweight division, holding the most knockdowns in Flyweight history with 11, and is tied for the most finishes at Flyweight, with 7. Training with Team Figueiredo, he is willing to engage in the fight anywhere, has a solid guard on the bottom, and is highly dangerous in top position. He moves impressively fast on the mat, often securing submissions with blinding speed. He quickly closes the distance on the feet and can land severe damage without much space, usually with his hands. Figueiredo constantly pursues a finish but has solid cardio and can comfortably go 25 minutes if needed.

Best Bets

Zhang Mingyang by KO/TKO: An exciting fight between two UFC newcomers, this is a matchup of striker vs. striker. While both prefer to keep it standing, they utilize very different styles. Mingyang is a high-paced, pressure-based fighter, while Diaz relies on his cardio and volume to get the job done. Frankly, upon watching Diaz’s fights, he uses a very Homer Simpson strategy at the start of fights: he tends to hang back, playing defense and letting his opponents gas themselves out before really letting his hands go. Although Diaz has faced decent competition on his way to the UFC, he’s mostly fought at Middleweight, with this upcoming bout being just his third appearance at Light Heavyweight. Considering that Zhang has brutal power and pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell, Diaz’s typical strategy will likely be to his detriment. While he’s proven durable in the past, I don’t think he’ll be able to endure the constant onslaught of Zhang.

Oezdemir vs. Ulberg to Not Go the Distance: Yet another striker vs. striker matchup on a card full of them, this will surely be a banger. Ulberg is on an impressive run of finishes, with four knockouts and one submission in his last five fights. Oezdemir, following a handful of unfortunate losses, has returned to his finishing ways, producing two first-round stoppages in his last two outings. While both have grappling skills, I expect this fight to primarily play out on the feet, where they’re both most dangerous. In a combined 39 professional fights, the two have produced 24 finishes, with 20 of them coming in the first round. With how dangerous both men are, if they choose to stand and slug it out, I can’t imagine the exchanges going on for too long before someone is sleeping on the canvas.

Yan vs. Figueiredo to Go the Distance: A matchup of two former champions is an excellent way to close out this card. Both are extremely high-level and well-rounded, comfortable anywhere the fight ends up. While both have numerous impressive finishes, they’ve also proven durable and capable of pushing a heavy pace across five rounds. Yan has never been finished in his professional career and has been in several wars now, as well as title fights. Figueiredo has only been finished by his foremost rival, Brandon Moreno, and has looked even more powerful and dangerous since moving up to 135 pounds. I expect this fight to have a bit of everything, from explosive striking exchanges to wild scrambles on the mat. Regardless of where either man takes the fight, I believe both are too tough and too skilled to be put away.

UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Preview