Prediction for the fight Alex Volkanovski vs Chen Sung Jong
Last September, UFC Featherweight Champion Alex Volkanovski demonstrated that none of the current contenders could compete with him in a fight. That is why, they again decided to bring him together with Max Holloway, who can be called the only equivalent top for the Australian. Only now the circumstances have developed in such a way that a completely different athlete will fight for the title - Chen Sung Jong, who is everyone's favorite, thanks to his crazy fighting style.
Featherweights will headline UFC 273 in Jacksonville, and over the course of five rounds they will determine the strongest representative of their weight class. It is not at all surprising that Volkanovski was singled out as a serious favorite, but a meeting with such an opponent will in any case be a big challenge for him. And whether the champion will justify the hopes placed on him, or will be left with nothing - we will figure it out in our detailed forecast.
After signing with the UFC, Volkanovski has smoothly crept up to the main trophy, and now he goes to 3 defense in a row, being in the third position in the P4P rating. Let’s just say that the “Great” has already passed the most difficult opponents who now compete in the featherweight division, the same Max and Jose Aldo, but mixed martial arts are so unpredictable that any underdog can become the main test for him in life.
This is one of the fighters who are adding round after round. It is amazing that Alex is able to work for 25 minutes, both in his characteristic, measured manner, and join the fight from the first seconds, if the opponent does not want to waste time on reconnaissance. So far, no one has been able to breathe it.
One of the main weapons that Volkanovski uses 100% is lowkicks. He hits them from long and medium range, skillfully disabling the enemy's lower limbs. The Aussie's footwork is already good, but drying his legs allows him to come out of attacks clean without taking any damage.
It's hard to find a component in which Alex sags. He hits accurately, has knockout power, fights well and outperforms the lion's share of featherweights in physical terms.
Along with this, having risen in MMA, the “Korean Zombie” won the Pancrase Grand Prix, then became the winner of the Korea FC tournament, and also competed in various major competitions in his homeland. In the UFC, Son Jong got to the title fight, but the peak Jose Aldo was too tough for him. By the way, he had a similar situation in all the fights with the tops, because Chen is always in limbo between the elite and those who were outside the top 5.
Chen never gives up and tries to seize the opportunity to finish the opponent, even in the last seconds of the meeting. He can absorb blows and move forward, so some opponents were even a little scared by his handle, which is where the nickname “Zombie” came from.
The mixture of skills from different sports has allowed John to create a kind of symbiosis of striking disciplines, which allows him to hit from non-standard angles, as well as issue bundles that have nothing to do with any particular type of martial arts. This takes the opposition by surprise, which is a definite plus in any duel.
Eight times in his career, Song Jong defeated opponents with tricks. He got the last victory 10 years ago, but in fairness, most often he had to fight with those who work in the rack. I am sure that the skills on the ground have not gone away, so he is quite capable of catching a gaping counterpart.
Another point goes to Alex's piggy bank for footwork, and the ability to shorten the distance for an attack, and then break it sharply. Rushed in, hit and left - this is how he breaks the pace of the battle, forcing the enemy to be nervous, overlap and retreat. Definitely, prudence, combinational work, the ability to assess the situation, prepare attacks and follow the game plan, are again departing for the champion, and the only thing the challenger can surprise him with is his ingenuity, which guarantees unexpected surprises for the Australian.
In clinches, Volkanovski, due to the same physics, looks better, but on the ground, his power struggle should not allow Chen to somehow build on his success. Yes, the division leader came across the guillotine from Ortega, but it’s not worth comparing the skills of BJJ Brian and Son Jong, they are too different. So there are a lot more trump cards in Alexander's sleeve, and there is no question that he went through a full camp, and not half, like the "Korean Zombie", initially having better endurance.
Prediction: Alex Volkanovski to win/Total over 2.5
Featherweights will headline UFC 273 in Jacksonville, and over the course of five rounds they will determine the strongest representative of their weight class. It is not at all surprising that Volkanovski was singled out as a serious favorite, but a meeting with such an opponent will in any case be a big challenge for him. And whether the champion will justify the hopes placed on him, or will be left with nothing - we will figure it out in our detailed forecast.
- Alex Volkanovski vs Chen Sung Jong;
- Alex Volkanovski;
- Chen Sung Jong;
- Comparative analysis;
- Game Totals Prediction.
Alex Volkanovski vs Chen Sung Jong
Alex Volkanovski
The champion has a solid record of achievements, both in amateur and professional sports. During his performances in Australia, he won titles in 5 local organizations, moreover, he did it in various weight categories, ranging from 77 kg to 66 kg, in addition, in the Roshambo MMA league, Alex was a double champion. In addition, his assets are complemented by a brown belt in BJJ, and a background in Greco-Roman wrestling.After signing with the UFC, Volkanovski has smoothly crept up to the main trophy, and now he goes to 3 defense in a row, being in the third position in the P4P rating. Let’s just say that the “Great” has already passed the most difficult opponents who now compete in the featherweight division, the same Max and Jose Aldo, but mixed martial arts are so unpredictable that any underdog can become the main test for him in life.
Strengths
This quality distinguishes Alexander from any other athlete. He can slowly harness, miss and drain the first rounds, studying the opponent’s reactions to movements and blows, and then, having fully felt his pace and calculated the moves, turn on, starting his dangerous game. Of course, all this is supported by ideal physical conditions and technique.This is one of the fighters who are adding round after round. It is amazing that Alex is able to work for 25 minutes, both in his characteristic, measured manner, and join the fight from the first seconds, if the opponent does not want to waste time on reconnaissance. So far, no one has been able to breathe it.
One of the main weapons that Volkanovski uses 100% is lowkicks. He hits them from long and medium range, skillfully disabling the enemy's lower limbs. The Aussie's footwork is already good, but drying his legs allows him to come out of attacks clean without taking any damage.
It's hard to find a component in which Alex sags. He hits accurately, has knockout power, fights well and outperforms the lion's share of featherweights in physical terms.
Weaknesses
A kick to the head caused Volkanovski's first and so far only defeat in his career. In the duel with Holloway, he also fell from this blow, and for some reason, it is them that The Great stubbornly does not notice, which is strange, given the crushing power of such punches. Perhaps this is the only serious minus that can be traced over a long distance, that is, from properly prepared haikicks, he does not have a block, and the champion’s team does not correct this oversight in any way.The current form and readiness of the fighter
Alex is 33 years old, since February 2018 he has had 7 fights, winning each of them. After the victory over Brian Ortega, in September 2021, the athlete rested and recovered, and given that he is now in peak form, such a gap can be considered optimal. Before that, Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway twice, passed Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes, extending his winning streak to 20 fights in a row. The change of opponent won't affect the Aussie's training camp much, as he also prefers to fight in the standing position.
Chen Sung Jong
The track record of the Korean fighter is no less impressive. He devoted a certain part of his life to performances in judo (black belt), then taekwondo (black belt 2 dan), and hapkido (black belt 3 dan). In addition, Chen has a black belt in BJJ on his waist, and this is provided that he had 20 kickboxing fights as a professional.Along with this, having risen in MMA, the “Korean Zombie” won the Pancrase Grand Prix, then became the winner of the Korea FC tournament, and also competed in various major competitions in his homeland. In the UFC, Son Jong got to the title fight, but the peak Jose Aldo was too tough for him. By the way, he had a similar situation in all the fights with the tops, because Chen is always in limbo between the elite and those who were outside the top 5.
Strengths
It is quite obvious that now the "Korean Zombie" has become a completely different fighter. However, for many, he is associated precisely with the previous version of himself, when every fight with the participation of this guy looked like a thriller. With an excellent arsenal of punches to his credit, it never occurred to Chen to be careful, and felling became an integral part of his character. Effectively - without a dispute, but completely unreasonable from the point of view of health.Chen never gives up and tries to seize the opportunity to finish the opponent, even in the last seconds of the meeting. He can absorb blows and move forward, so some opponents were even a little scared by his handle, which is where the nickname “Zombie” came from.
The mixture of skills from different sports has allowed John to create a kind of symbiosis of striking disciplines, which allows him to hit from non-standard angles, as well as issue bundles that have nothing to do with any particular type of martial arts. This takes the opposition by surprise, which is a definite plus in any duel.
Eight times in his career, Song Jong defeated opponents with tricks. He got the last victory 10 years ago, but in fairness, most often he had to fight with those who work in the rack. I am sure that the skills on the ground have not gone away, so he is quite capable of catching a gaping counterpart.
Weaknesses
All those long years, while the "Zombie" pleased us with spectacular fights, his body was aging relentlessly, injuries accumulated, and pretty soon Chen's age made itself felt. He is still able to take a hit, but he no longer has the former aggression and excellent condition. The Korean athlete is inferior in speed and power to the current elite of the division, and is also not able to compete with them in technical aspects, after all, it is incredibly difficult to retrain from a grunt to a techie.The current form and readiness of the fighter
Chen Sung Jong is 35 years old and has been on layup since June 2021, from the moment he defeated Dan Ige by unanimous decision. Before that, he lost to Brian Ortega, and got a couple of convincing victories over retired Frankie Edgar and Renato Corneiro. The main disadvantage that the "Korean Zombie" will face is an incomplete training camp, and a strong jump in the opposition level - after all, he will beat Ige, and then go to Volkanovski, a risky step, which, given past experience, Chen may simply be not ready.Comparative analysis
What is interesting about this couple is the complete absence of any superiority of one of the parties in anthropometry. If Chen is a couple of centimeters taller, then Alex takes the same difference in the span of his arms. But in terms of muscle mass and physical strength, the champion is the clear favorite here. Turning to the styles of the participants in the main fight, we note that both prefer to work most of the time in the stance, however, the Korean athlete relies on blows to the head, while Volkanovski breaks all the floors, tries to deprive the opponent of mobility, and also perfectly transfers blows from one tiers to another.Another point goes to Alex's piggy bank for footwork, and the ability to shorten the distance for an attack, and then break it sharply. Rushed in, hit and left - this is how he breaks the pace of the battle, forcing the enemy to be nervous, overlap and retreat. Definitely, prudence, combinational work, the ability to assess the situation, prepare attacks and follow the game plan, are again departing for the champion, and the only thing the challenger can surprise him with is his ingenuity, which guarantees unexpected surprises for the Australian.
In clinches, Volkanovski, due to the same physics, looks better, but on the ground, his power struggle should not allow Chen to somehow build on his success. Yes, the division leader came across the guillotine from Ortega, but it’s not worth comparing the skills of BJJ Brian and Son Jong, they are too different. So there are a lot more trump cards in Alexander's sleeve, and there is no question that he went through a full camp, and not half, like the "Korean Zombie", initially having better endurance.
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Within the framework of this confrontation, the gap in odds between the fighters is such that few people would think of betting on the challenger. There is logic in this, but who, if not the “Korean Zombie”, surprised us with the most unexpected results of the fights. And yet, referring to common sense, dry statistics and the language of facts, we recommend leaning towards the Victoria of the current champion, who is not only a more competent strategist, but also surpasses his counterpart in almost all parameters. Most likely, a protracted battle will await us, so as an alternative, you can choose such an option as a bet on the duration of the meeting (TB 2.5), because Chen has never lost quickly, but otherwise, Volkanovski's triumph is only a matter of time, and in in the later rounds, he could very well overtake the exhausted Son Jong. Install the 1xbet app and place a bet on the favorite!Prediction: Alex Volkanovski to win/Total over 2.5
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