Bantamweights
Yadong Song (14-3) vs. Cody Stamann (18-2)Advertisement
Weili Zhang’s strawweight championship win over Jessica Andrade in August affirmed that Chinese MMA has truly arrived on the global scene, and Song looks set to be the next breakthrough talent out of the country. There is some dispute over Song’s actual age -- he is currently listed at 22, but the story goes that he falsely used an older age earlier in his career to take fights as a teenager. Either way, he is still ridiculously promising. Song’s early UFC career suggested he would be more of a long-term prospect than an immediate concern in a deep bantamweight division. Finishes of Bharat Khandare and Felipe Arantes were all well and good, but Vince Morales got the type of inconsistent decision out of Song that suggested the Chinese prospect needed more seasoning. However, after Song’s fight against Alejandro Perez in July, that may all be out the window. Song faced a defensively minded fighter and absolutely obliterated him, uncoiling a counter right cross that resulted in one of the more shockingly violent knockouts of the year. So at least in the short term, it is worth seeing exactly what the UFC has in Song and how far his skills can take him. Stamann will serve as a perfect test.
Stamann had success immediately upon entering the UFC, but he has taken nearly a decade to become that overnight sensation. After a long amateur career, Stamann quietly racked up wins in his native Michigan until the UFC took notice and signed him in 2017. That experience figured to make him ready to compete as soon as he got tougher competition, but it was still surprising to see him earn wins over Tom Duquesnoy -- then considered one of the best prospects in the world -- and divisional stalwart Bryan Caraway. Stamann is far from flashy, but he can do a little bit of everything, as he has shown a willingness to pressure forward and either outbox or outwrestle his opponent as the situation calls. His 2018 bout against Aljamain Sterling proved that “The Spartan” has a ceiling when it comes to sheer physicality, but Stamann is the type of well-rounded fighter who figures to hang around just outside of title contention for the next few years.
Each fighter is coming off a win against Perez, though via considerably different methods. Stamann took a clear but workmanlike decision, while Song finished things in a burst of violence. As promising as Song has looked, it is again worth noting that his last performance was by far the most electric of his career. Consistency is a bit of a question. If Song’s previous performances were more of his current baseline, Stamann should be able to throw enough looks at him to mix things up and take a decision. However, if the Perez fight was Song establishing his new level of performance, look out. Stamann’s outwrestling Song is a concern, but the Chinese fighter has so much upside that the pick is for Song to keep things standing, hit the harder shots of the fight and take a decision win.
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