Chinese bantamweight prospect Yadong Song (12-3, 4 KOs, 3 SUBs) will meet newcomer Vincent Morales (13-5, 3 KOs, 2 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night 141 on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing, China. The card airs live on UFC Fight Pass.
The UFC is still in search for it’s breakout Chinese star. Perhaps Yadong Song can become just that when he carries the torch for the world’s most populous country this Saturday in Beijing. So far, both of his octagon appearances have resulted in thrilling finishes - a submission over Bharat Khandare and an elbow KO of Felipe Arantes - an excellent start for the 20-year old.
This Saturday, Song was supposed to take a step up in competition against Frankie Saenz, but an injury to the latter prompted some last-minute scrambling for a last-minute opponent. Replacing Saenz is Vincent Morales, who most recently scored a decision win against Justin Williams-Hugo at Bellator 205. Prior to that, a loss to Domingo Pilarte on DWTNCS dashed his UFC hopes. Opportunity struck for the 27-year old, but he’ll have to earn his stripes on just a few weeks notice.
The bantamweight contest should give the UFC a much better idea of Song’s ceiling, who spent time in WLF, M-1, RUFF and OneFC before joining the big show. Plus, the kid’s just 20 years old and trains at Team Alpha Male, a camp that’s produced plenty of great fighters.
Let’s check in with the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down this fight. Remember, live betting at BookMaker.eu lets you hedge your bets during the night, and it’s definitely something that any savvy sports bettor should be keeping a close eye on.
UFC Fight Night 141 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Yadong Song -405
Vince Morales +295
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: +175 / -245
Striking Stats
Significant strikes landed per minute: Song 3.3 / Morales N/A
Accuracy: Song 36.43% / Morales N/A
Significant strikes absorbed per minute: Song 0.77 / Morales N/A
Defense: Song 81.97% / Morales N/A
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Song 1.05 / Morales N/A
Takedown accuracy: Song 100% / Morales N/A
Takedowns defended: Song 100% / Morales N/A
Submission average: Song 2.11 / Morales N/A
Bet on UFC Fight Night 141 Odds at BookMaker.eu
Song is still extremely raw, but most guys fighting before they’re legally old enough to drink are. What he’s got to work with is above-average athleticism, solid timing on his reactive shots and an excellent ability to scramble - typical of Alpha Male fighters. When it comes to striking, Song is perpetually in motion, hopping in and out to launch his big right hand.
Both the Chinese fighter’s wins showed displayed diverse offensive talents. He was able to lock in a beautiful 10-finger guillotine choke on Khandare after rocking him with punches, and knocked out Arantes with a brutal elbow. The flashes are there - now it’s just about adding levels to his game. He needs to be able to chain together takedown attempts, and truly hasn’t established a striking identity.
Since Fightmetric only posts stats for UFC fights, there’s no numbers to base Morales’ talent. There is some tape out there, and it’s clear that he’s a dynamic offensive fighter that’s not afraid to swing for the fences. At bantamweight, it’s difficult to maintain a high KO ratio, but “Vendetta” does have 5 KOs in his 8-2 record. However, we should note that all of his stoppages came in the tiny Front Street Fights promotions, and his contests against better competition in DWTNCS and Bellator resulted in a loss and a decision.
Bet online: Parlay Song to win at -405
This is a tough debut for Morales, who has to face one of China’s best prospects without the benefit of a full training camp. In the past, Asian talent tended to suffer against UFC-caliber fighters, but the continent is quickly catching up - and it’s fair to debate whether Morales belongs in the octagon in the first place.
UFC Fight Night 141 Odds
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC Fight Night 141 takes place on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing, China. The card airs live on UFC Fight Pass.
