UFC Fight Night ‘Bisping vs. Le’ Preview

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Welterweights

Dong Hyun Kim (19-2-1, 10-2 UFC) vs. Tyron Woodley (13-3, 3-2 UFC)

The Matchup: This is a curious bit of matchmaking, considering the fact that Woodley is coming off a convincing loss to Rory MacDonald and Kim is riding a four-fight winning streak. With that said, it is nevertheless a potentially fantastic fight between two highly skilled welterweights. Kim has been around the UFC forever, but he appears to be hitting his stride, and a win over Woodley would be a great capstone to a productive career and open the way to potential pairings with the division’s elite.

Kim has built his game around a rock-solid judo base, which gives him slick trips and throws and incredible balance in the clinch; it also makes his takedown defense nearly impenetrable to all but the very best wrestlers in the division. He was a competent if unexciting striker for most of his UFC career but has completely revamped his approach over his last several outings, moving from a rangy kicking game to an unrelenting and pressure-based style focused on punches as he moves forward.

That preference makes him vulnerable to taking damage as he charges into his opponent’s range, and he often overreaches, but it also has the effect of both quickly wearing down his foes and allowing him to get more weight behind his strikes.

Although he has placed more emphasis on his striking of late, Woodley’s best skill set remains his All-American wrestling. His takedown defense is some of the best in MMA; he hits powerful doubles with great lift and drive; and his squat frame makes him a born grinder in the clinch. Nobody will mistake him for Demian Maia from top position, but he maintains a brutally heavy base and suffocating control. At range, Woodley relies almost exclusively on a vicious right hand powered by his exceptional explosiveness and forward movement, to the extent that he is quite predictable; however, he throws the occasional low kick, as well. Opponents have had great success forcing him to fight with his back to the fence, which takes away his power and limits his basic striking skills even further.

Betting Odds: Woodley (-120), Kim (Even)

The Pick: There are two likely outcomes for this fight. First, Kim runs himself directly into one of Woodley’s scything right hands early in the fight and gets knocked out; or second, Kim avoids eating a huge shot and wears down Woodley with his pressure and pace. The American will land his shots -- the “Stun Gun” is too hittable to avoid them altogether -- and Kim will steer him toward the fence, since Woodley has consistently struggled with preventing such tactics. The question centers on the balance of the two, but I trust Kim’s aggressive process slightly more than Woodley’s hit-or-miss approach. Kim wins by unanimous decision.

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