Song Yadong vs Ricky Simón UFC Fight Night 223 Odds, Time, and Prediction

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simón was originally meant for last weekend’s event, but the UFC moved it to UFC Fight Night 223, where it will serve as the headliner. It’s very likely this is going to be a fun fight to watch, considering that both fighters are young and ambitious. And this fight has the potential to lift the winner to a whole new level.

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simón Odds

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada
• Date: Saturday, April 29, 2023
• Time: ~10:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN 2 / ESPN+

Song Yadong Hoping to Rebound After a Loss to Sandhagen

Song Yadong is 19-7-2 in his professional career, while his UFC record is 8-2-1. What’s interesting is that he’s only lost one UFC fight inside the distance so far. It happened last September when he lost to Cory Sandhagen by TKO (doctor stoppage) at the end of round 4. He did okay in that fight, even managing to land two takedowns.

That’s strange because wrestling/grappling isn’t his strongest weapon. Instead, it’s striking. This guy tends to land 4.55 significant strikes per minute. This explains why eight of his 19 wins happened by knockout/technical knockout.

Ricky Simón Looking for Sixth Straight Win

Ricky Simón is 20-3 overall with two of his losses happening in the early days of his UFC career. Since 2020, this guy is 5-0. Two of those happened by decision, two by submission, and one by knockout. This shows that he’s a well-rounded fighter with plenty of weapons in his arsenal.

He lands 3.04 significant strikes per minute and has a 64% strike defense. Simón is a great boxer, almost as great as Song Yadong. However, he’s way superior to his next opponent in terms of grappling and wrestling. He makes 6.55 takedowns per 15 minutes and has a 75% TD defense.

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simón Prediction

This is going to be a fantastic fight, which could easily last until the final bell. Both fighters are likely to throw a lot of punches and kicks at each other, while we could also see a couple of takedowns. So, if the fight goes the distance, which fighter will win over the judges’ affection? We say Ricky Simón.

Pick: Ricky Simón to win by decision