Considering how the headliners for this UFC Singapore card have been in the UFC for 10+ years and haven’t fought each other yet is crazy to think about. They’ve been high-level featherweights for the majority of their careers.
Thankfully, we get to see this spectacular matchup this weekend. Reminder, it is an early start time of 4am ET for the prelims and 8am ET for the main card.
Max Holloway looks to find his footing after coming up short against the champion three times prior, but most recently picked up a win over Arnold Allen. Coming up short against the champion last year and realizing he doesn’t have what it takes to hang at the top, Jung is looking for a consolation this weekend.
Will Holloway give us another classic triple-digit significant strike performance? Or will Jung spring one of the biggest upsets all year? Read on to find out the best angle to attack this seemingly lop-sided matchup.
Max Holloway
The last time Holloway lost a non-title fight was 10 years ago to Conor McGregor. Since that fight he is 17-4 with three of those losses coming to now-champion, Alexander Volkanovski. His 13-fight winning streak between 2014-2018 is one of the best runs we’ve ever seen from a fighter at this level.
That included his title winning effort as well as a couple of title defenses. In that time, he has become a huge fan favorite and someone people can rely on to provide entertaining fights.
At his best, Holloway puts together master classes in striking. His previous 11 fights have seen him land 100+ significant strikes each time out. He uses slick boxing and solid defense. He is hittable, but he does a great job of rolling with shots to take the brunt of it off.
Although it’s been over eight years since we have seen him complete a submission, that is a very underrated aspect of his game too. The best trait of his game is the ability to weaponize his cardio.
Not many fighters see an increase in their efficiency as fights go into deep waters, that’s what Holloway is a master at. He slowly zaps his opponent’s energy then puts his foot on the gas last in fights to pull away or find a finish.
Chan Sung Jung
The lore of the Korean Zombie is one of the most precious aspects of MMA, something fans from all parts of the world can share. You cannot name a boring fight of Jung’s, he is consistently putting his health and well-being on the line to provide fireworks and entertainment for the fans.
He’s put his body through a lot which is why we haven’t seen him compete much since returning from his mandatory military service in his home country. This will be only his eighth fight since early 2017, pretty much competing once a year since then. He consistently finds himself in big fights because of his popularity, this will be his tenth straight main event slot.
Last time out he took a short notice opportunity to challenge the champion, but it was obvious he was far behind the level it took to reach championship status, especially against someone as complete and dominant as Alexander Volkanovski.
Most believe he is just what his nickname indicates, a zombie. However, he is a very technical striker with solid knockout power. He also has a crafty submission game. He was the first fighter in UFC history to pull off a Twister.
That happened back in early 2011 and there have only been two more Twister submissions since then. Getting back to the best part of his game, his striking, Jung does a great job of putting combinations together and stalking his opponent. He has great durability and cardio, which is why we usually see him hit the scorecards unless he knocks his opponent out.
The Pick
It’s obvious Jung’s time at the top is over, but he will still be a difficult fight for fighters looking to break through to the next level. Unfortunately for Jung, he is going up against the next best fighter in this division, so it makes sense why Holloway finds himself entrenched as a -800 favorite.
The question is, how does Holloway get it done. Holloway isn’t known as a power puncher, it’s normally a “death by a thousand cuts” type of finish we see from him. I’d be surprised if he was able to put the Zombie away here, which is why I lean with overs and his decision prop.
Holloway’s volume and distance management will end up being too much for Jung. I expect to see Holloway to get his hand raised on the scorecards.
Holloway via DEC +150 and Over 3.5 +120