UFC Fight Night ‘Bisping vs. Le’ Preview

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Lightweights

Lipeng Zhang (7-7-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Brendan O'Reilly (5-0, 0-0 UFC)

The Matchup: “The Ultimate Fighter: China” winner Zhang takes on Australian “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” competitor O’Reilly in a battle of international reality show contestants. Zhang’s victory over Wang Sai in the finale was controversial, and he has a chance here to state a firm case for belonging in the UFC. O’Reilly lost to Kajan Johnson in the “Nations” quarterfinals.

O’Reilly is a bricked-up physical specimen with outstanding strength and good explosiveness, and he throws punches like he really means them. A capable wrestler who has won local Australian titles, his brutal power allows him to get tremendous lift and drive on his takedowns. Once he gets the fight to the mat, O’Reilly has a solid top game with a heavy base and decent passes, and he is capable of generating substantial power in a small distance with his ground-and-pound. On the feet, O’Reilly has some skill and hits like a ton of bricks, but he is not exactly polished; he keeps his chin too high and often fails to move his head in exchanges, making him fairly hittable, and he largely limits himself to punches.

Zhang’s base in sanda gives him an interesting array of skills in the cage. He is a fairly capable offensive wrestler with a variety of shot takedowns and throws, though his takedown defense is far from impenetrable and nobody will confuse him with an All-American. On the feet, he throws hard punching combinations and excels at landing offense on clinch breaks and in transition. Zhang offers limited skills on the ground: His base and control leave much to be desired, and while his athleticism makes him a capable scrambler, his willingness to engage in those kinds of quick-paced exchanges with more technically skilled opponents has often gotten him submitted.

Betting Odds: N/A

The Pick: This is a fairly even matchup between two physically talented but technically raw competitors. I think O’Reilly can match Zhang’s athleticism while being just a bit more skilled in every facet of the game, and the Australian’s strength and ability to grind away in the clinch will spell trouble for Zhang. A submission is a possibility, but O’Reilly securing a unanimous decision seems the most likely outcome.

Next Fight » Guangyou Ning vs. Jianping Yang