Song v Simon UFC Fight Night preview & best bets – April 29, 2023

This Saturday, UFC Fight Night from the Apex in Las Vegas returns a bantamweight matchup between Chinese star Song Yadong and the ever-improving Ricky Simon. With top-10 rankings on the line, this should be an epic main event that helps define the division’s top challengers.

Song Yadong v Ricky Simon main event preview

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simon

Song Yadong (19-7-1) had a nice three-fight win streak interrupted when he faced Cory Sandhagen in September 2022. Sandhagen is a dangerous and explosive striker, and doctors were forced to intervene during the fourth round when it became clear Song could not continue. The fight prior was an impressive knockout win over Marlon Moraes, and Song also dispatched Julio Arce with a head-kick knockout during his winning run.

Song is a huge star in his native China, where the UFC has enjoyed enormous growth in recent years. He made his UFC debut in 2017 and earned instant respect with wins over Felipe Arantes and Vince Morales. Song has fought at both bantamweight and featherweight but seems better suited at 135 pounds, where this fight will be staged, and he holds the No.8 ranking.

Ricky Simon (20-3-0) comes into this bout on an impressive five-fight win streak. This run includes a last-start submission of Jack Shore that earned a Performance of the Night bonus, a knockout of Raphael Assuncao, and a decision win over Brian Kelleher. Simon has all the tools with a black belt in BJJ, a high school wrestling background, and solid striking skills. This arsenal is backed by light footwork that creates angles and scoring opportunities.

Simon faces a height disadvantage of two inches but, interestingly, has a reach advantage of the same measure. He dropped successive fights in 2019, but a new training regimen has seen him improve all facets of his MMA game en route to a top-10 ranking. Another win here will see him jump further in the contender stakes and progress toward a shot at current champion Aljamain Sterling.

Song Yadong v Ricky Simon UFC betting predictions

The top betting sites have the odds set tight on this matchup, but we are leaning toward the slight favourite. Simon should have a decent edge on the mat, and if he can earn Song’s respect in the standup, takedown possibilities should open as the fight progresses. Both men will be hungry to remain current in this stacked division, and we are expecting a close contest that should progress into the deeper rounds.

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