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D. FOX: Preliminary card preview for UFC Fight Night 66 "Edgar vs. Faber"
May 13, 2015 - 4:15:54 PM
D. FOX: Preliminary card preview for UFC Fight Night 66 "Edgar vs. Faber"
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By: Dayne Fox, MMATorch Contributor

I always try to be as positive as possible without being an ass kisser when it comes to the preliminary offerings. Every now and then the UFC offers an awesome showing such as the UFC on Fox 15 helping from almost a month ago, but usually they are lacking thanks to the organization's attempt to expand its reach as much as possible. And I have to be honest… this is the worst serving of preliminary fights the UFC has offered in a long time, perhaps ever. Plus, there couldn't be a fight I'm more depressed about than Royston Wee vs. Guangyou Ning, as neither know how to do more than grind things out. Few things provide more viewing pleasure than high level MMA. On the flip side, few things cause more dread than low level MMA. Can you guess which one is to be expected?

Now that I've convinced you to sleep in on Saturday (at least through the prelims as the main card has some good offerings), here is what you will be missing:

Tae Hyun Bang vs. Jon Tuck (Lightweight)

What's at Stake:
There is little hope for either of these guys to climb very high in the division. But they are both capable of putting on a fun fight. Tuck may need a win to keep his job.

The Fighters: Bang's name is highly appropriate, as bang is exactly what he likes to do. He has proven to have a rock solid chin throughout his career which allows him to do so… and helps make up for his low hands and lack of head movement. He has good power in his fists too, but has too often been too selective in his punches as he head hunts looking for the KO shot. He upped his output in his last outing and was able to walk away with a victory. Hopefully he can connect the dots and maintain the pace. Bang isn't much of a wrestler, but he is physically strong and that allows him to make up for his technical deficiencies in his wrestling and grappling. He rarely looks to engage, but isn't bad on defense.

Tuck is one of those guys who does everything well, but nothing great. Grappling is probably his greatest strength, but that is somewhat negated due to wrestling probably being his greatest weakness. He has struggled against opposing wrestlers. He has been able to survive thanks to his great submission abilities off of his back, which his opponents have to respect. What really holds Tuck back more than anything is his lack of power, as he has solid movement both defensively and looking for angles. Knowing he doesn't possess a lot of power, he throws his jab more than anything, as he looks for openings for either a level change or clinching up where he has some devastating knees. He's also shown a willingness to go for something out of left field in hopes of catching his opponent off-guard.

The Expectation: This seems simple. If Bang catches Tuck cleanly, he wins. Otherwise, Tuck's output should far exceed Bang's in addition to Tuck's grappling ensuring he takes a decision. Tuck has a good chin and has the deeper gas tank. I expect that to be the difference. Tuck via decision


Zhang Lipeng vs. Kajan Johnson (Lightweight)

What's at Stake:
Zhang has a larger safety net than most as the inaugural TUF China winner, but Johnson doesn't have that same cushion and he is likely gone with a loss.

The Fighters: Lipeng may have won the token TUF tournament, but he has shown signs he could develop into a fighter who deserves to be on the UFC roster. He isn't quite there yet and the UFC is going to be delicate in their handling of him, but give him time. He is a very solid athlete with a lot of aggression and solid power, but he hasn't been able to tie everything together. When he gets the takedown, he struggles to keep top position. He has a nice jab and has worked to add more variety to his distance striking. However, it's almost all for naught as he almost always ends up in close quarters working from the clinch or on the ground. Bottom line is his fights are always ugly grinding affairs and there is no reason to believe this will be different.

Johnson will do everything in his power to prevent that as Johnson is long and lanky (75” reach) with a much more well-rounded skill set. There is no doubt that Johnson will have a massive advantage technique-wise in all facets (especially the striking game), but he has a lot of mileage on his body and his durability is a huge question , as he has been brutally finished in his last few outings. Lipeng should have a strength advantage as well, but Johnson is cagey and should be able to avoid going to the ground when Lipeng tries to floor him. If it does go to the ground, Johnson should be more than okay as his cageyness applies in his grappling as well. He can be out-muscled there, but it is all over if he is able to get Lipeng's back.

The Expectation: Lipeng is younger, stronger, and more durable while Johnson has the advantage almost everywhere else. Lipeng's advantages are big ones though. If it goes to decision, Johnson should take it handily. I haven't seen enough finishing prowess from Lipeng to make me think he can put Johnson away. Johnson via decision


Li Jingliang vs. Dhiego Lima (Welterweight)

What's at Stake:
I know I say this a lot (but it's absolutely true!), but jobs are likely on the line. What do you expect though? I cover the preliminary fights!

The Fighters: Jingliang came into the UFC with a reputation as a lay-and-pray fighter (thus his nickname “The Leech”), but has shown a more well-rounded skill set than most initially believed. Don't get me wrong, he is still more of a brawler than anything else on his feet, as his technique is still raw for UFC standards, but his sturdy chin has allowed him to hang in the pocket and dish out some damage. That isn't a good thing when you are taking more than you give though. Jingliang's head tends to stay on a straight line and it will cost him someday with a nap. In the grappling department, he will likely have the strength advantage and is more than competent defensively and capable of sweeping his opponent. His wrestling could be his downfall though as he relies far too much on his strength.

Lima is a case of frustration for many fans as he is very talented, but seems to be a chronic underachiever. He wilted under the pressure of the lanky Tim Means in his last outing, and most have now written him off as a prospect to watch. This fight will prove if those prognostications were premature. Lima's biggest struggles have come on the feet thus far as he has struggled to utilize his reach and kicks. If he can establish his jab in particular, Lima is more often than not on his way to victory. What Lima has proven thus far is that he is a skilled and aggressive submission artist. Owning a frame that doesn't allow him to pack a lot of power for 170, Lima has become a skilled wrestler, getting most of his takedowns with double legs from the clinch. However, he can be overpowered.

The Expectation: This feels like a tricky fight to pick. Lima is definitely more talented, but also more schizophrenic. If Jingliang was a more efficient pressure striker, I'd pick him hands down. But I don't think his brawling style is enough to counter Lima's length and grappling. Lima via submission in the second round


Ning Guangyou vs. Royston Wee (Featherweight)

What's at Stake:
Other than being a favorite for most unwatchable fight of the year? Not much as both should be safe, even with a loss.

The Fighters: At 33, Guangyou doesn't exactly have a lot of room to improve despite his relative inexperience. Winning the TUF China tournament at 145 lbs. gives him some breathing room, but the expectations are very low for him. Guangyou is a very raw striker who wings his punches from a mile away without setting his feet while constantly moving forward with his pawing jab (which isn't a threat). Don't expect him to do much if any damage standing. His real strength is wrestling where he was quite decorated in China with a Greco-Roman background. He picked up his “Smasher” nickname from his ability to pound out his opponents once he has grounded them, but his problems in maintaining top position as his competition has gotten stiffer (not by much) is telling.

I never thought I would ever comment that Wee would likely have the advantage on the feet… but unfortunately that is where we are. Wee understands his limitations on the feet, and rarely tries to engage from there, but he might be well served doing so against Guangyou considering the massive holes that Guangyou possesses. Wee will also have at least a three inch reach advantage, but I struggle to recall a single punch from a distance as he has relied solely on leg kicks. As a grappler, he is extremely sticky, latching onto his opponent and going to great lengths to drag them down. He has shown a knack for getting his opponent's back, but also a tendency to give it up as his finishing instincts are pretty much nonexistent despite his best efforts.

The Expectation: I don't have any good expectations from this fight. Both are ugly strikers and though they have potential as grapplers, they are still fairly sloppy there too. Wee is younger, longer, and has a better grasp of his limitations. That should be enough to give him a boring decision. Wee via decision


Roldan Sangcha-an vs. Jon delos Reyes (Flyweight)

What's at Stake:
Two of the more raw prospects of the division meet in hopes of picking up their first UFC win… and to hold onto their job.

The Fighters: Sangcha-an is a student of Wushu, like Cung Le. Knowing that, you would likely assume that Sangcha-an throws a lot of kicks, and you would be absolutely right. He has the power to end a fight suddenly, but is greatly limited in this ability by his small stature, even by flyweight's standards. That he tends to loop his punches making it easier to counter him doesn't help either. But more obvious with his lack of size is the ease in which opponents can take him down and keep him down. To his credit, Sangcha-an is as tough, gritty, and resilient as they come as he is difficult to submit thanks to his constant movement and attempts to get back to his feet. Despite that, his ground game is still a weakness. Perhaps he'll grow into his frame in time… but he ain't there yet.

The UFC must see something in delos Reyes as he has been stopped in the first round in both of his appearances. To be honest, it would be hard to miss the abundant talent of delos Reyes. He has a lot of power in his hands (more than Sangcha-an) and throws with great speed. He tends to get wild and make defense less than an afterthought, leaveing himself open to counters or takedowns. He isn't a bad wrestler either, but he relies largely on his natural skills in addition to his size as he is a rather large flyweight rather than technique and tends to look for the finish from top position. As a result, he is easily swept or submitted. If delos Reyes can instill more discipline into his strategy, he certainly has the physical skills to make some noise. However, that is a big if.

What to Expect: Two of the lower tier flyweights, both have potential to make a run. Delos Reyes has more physical gifts and I don't think Sangcha-an employs a style that will make him pay for his recklessness. Delos Reyes picks up his first UFC win. Delos Reyes via TKO in the second round


Nolan Ticman vs. Yao Zhikui (Flyweight)

What's at Stake:
Almost the exact same narrative as the other flyweight bout… raw prospects fighting for their employment.

The Fighters: Ticman made his UFC debut at 135 lbs. where it was clear that he was undersized against Frankie Saenz, who isn't exactly a big bantamweight himself. Dropping to his natural weight should allow for a much better showing from Ticman this time around… and he didn't embarrass himself against Saenz. Ticman was a collegiate wrestler, but you'd never know as he never looks to use his chops, preferring to stand and trade. Though he owns some nice kicks, he tends to rely on them too much, forgetting his '69 reach and solid jab. Then again, he only has six pro fights under his belt, meaning he hasn't been able to put all of his physical tools together quite yet. Ticman is getting good coaching at King's MMA, now he just needs the time to develop.

Zhikui is a veteran of TUF China where he won his first fight via KO. He has even less experience than Ticman and is one of the most raw fighters on the entire UFC roster. He has shown some good physical skills and will also benefit from fighting at his natural weight of 125. Zhikui doesn't like to grapple at all, though to his credit he did show defensive improvement in his official UFC debut against Roysten Wee hitting a couple of reverses. Once he has the advantage he has some good GNP. On his feet, he is aggressive and throws almost everything in a 1-2 combo. He tends to put his chin up high once he starts to land a bit in addition to leaving himself wide open to the takedown.

The Expectation: Zhikui has potential, but I fear the UFC is too much too soon at this point. Ticman might not be ready either, but he has an experienced camp to help him improve quickly. He should stop Zhikui within 15 minutes. Ticman via TKO in the second round


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