The UFC Singapore main card will have an early start and begin at 8 a.m. CST. The Main Event features former Featherweight champion Max “Blessed” Holloway and two-time title challenger “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. Holloway recently defeated top British contender Arnold Allen in April and is looking to make his way back to a title opportunity. Jung challenged Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski for his title in 2022 and will be making his return to the octagon this Saturday.
In the Co-Main event ranked Light Heavyweights Anthony Smith and Ryan “Superman” Spann will fight again after their first encounter in September of 2021. Also on the UFC Singapore main card highly touted prospect Erin Blanchfield collides with recent title challenger Taila Santos in a compelling women’s Flyweight Matchup.
#1 Max Holloway (24-7) vs. #8 Chan Sung Jung (17-7):
The UFC Singapore Main Event will feature top talent at 145 pounds. Featherweight great Max Holloway has only lost in the division to current champion Alexander Volkanovski since 2013. Although Holloway has struggled at times with Volkanovski, he has turned back hungry contenders en route to two title shots since losing his belt. Chan Sung Jung is an all-action fighter who is not afraid to take a punch to give one. Before his unsuccessful title challenge, Jung defeated ranked contenders Dan Ige and Renato Moicano. Coming into this Main Event online sportsbooks have Max Holloway as a massive (-750) betting favorite.
On the feet, Holloway is one of the best boxers in the UFC. Holloway’s combination of speed and endurance makes him a tough matchup for most fighters. At 5’11 Holloway is massive for the weight class and will be the taller fighter by four inches. The Korean Zombie took a tremendous amount of damage in his title loss in 2022, with many believing he had competed for the final time. As the UFC returns to Singapore Chan Sung Jung may want one final fight in front of his loyal Asian fanbase. Holloway enters this fight in the prime of his career at 31 years old, while Jung is now 36. Speed may play a factor in this contest as Chan Sung Jung seemed to slow down significantly in his last fight.
Holloway should come out of this contest victorious, but Chan Sung Jung has tremendous heart which could lead to a highly entertaining Main Event.
Predicion: Max Holloway via KO/TKO
#8 Anthony Smith (36-18) vs. #10 Ryan Spann (21-8):
A rematch of ranked Light Heavyweights will be featured in the Co-Main Event. Anthony Smith was victorious the first time these two fought winning by submission in the first round. Spann has switched camps since that loss and has gone 2-1 since their previous matchup. Smith is a very well-rounded fighter who has over 50 fights on his professional record. As a veteran of Strikeforce and former UFC title challenger, Smith has seen it all in his career and has an edge in experience. Ryan Spann is a tremendous athlete who is very dangerous in the first round. Four of Spann’s seven UFC wins have come inside the first round.
Spann will have a three-inch advantage in reach and has one-punch knockout power in his hands. Smith will want to elude Spann in the early rounds and utilize his world-class cardio to take control as the fight progresses. Smith is currently on a two-fight losing streak and needs a win to stay inside the UFC top ten rankings. The odds for this fight are even at online sportsbooks. Some experts believe that Spann is coming into his own while Smith is on the decline. I do not believe that is necessarily the case but this fight should be more competitive than their first encounter.
Prediction: Anthony Smith via Decision
#3 Erin Blanchfield (11-1) vs. #4 Taila Santos (19-2):
A massive women’s Flyweight fight with potential title implications will get the main card started when Erin Blanchfield takes on Taila Santos. Blanchfield has won three straight fights in a row by submission. Of those three wins, all came against top contenders. In her most recent fight, Blanchfield defeated former champion Jessica Andrade in under ten minutes. Santos fought for the belt her last time out against former champion Valentina Schevchenko. Many believe that Santos won that fight, but the judges awarded the split decision to her opponent.
This will be a major step up in competition for Blanchfield who will face a credentialed jiu-jitsu ace in Santos. With both women being dominant grapplers this fight may take place on the feet. Blanchfield has a good jab and can fight out of the southpaw or orthodox stance. Santos is a very tough and game competitor who is 4-1 in her last five fights. Currently, online sportsbooks have Blanchfield as a slight betting favorite (-155). Blanchfield is just 24 years old and could become the youngest female champion in UFC history with a few more wins.
Prediction: Erin Blanchfield via Decision
Rest of UFC Singapore card:
Giga Chikadze (14-3) vs Alex Caceres (21-13)
Prediction: Chikadze via KO/TKO
Junior Tafa (4-1) vs Parker Porter (13-8)
Prediction: Junior Tafa via Decision
Chidi Njokuani (22-9) vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (18-6)
Prediction: Michal Oleksiejczuk via Decision
Rinya Nakamura (7-0) vs Fernie Garcia (10-3)
Prediction: Nakamura via Submission
Kenan Song (19-7) vs Rolando Bedoya (14-2)
Prediction: Rolando Bedoya via Decision
Billy Goff (8-2) vs Yusaku Kinoshita (6-2)
Prediction: Billy Goff via KO/TKO
The UFC Fight Night event from Singapore’s early prelims will being at 4 a.m. CST with the Main card starting at 8 a.m. CST.
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