Later this month, the Road to UFC tournament returns for its second instalment. Featuring top up-and-coming talents out of Asia looking to make their way to the UFC, Road to UFC 2 will once again include fighters across four weight classes, from flyweight to lightweight, competing in an eight-man tournament to secure a coveted spot in the UFC.
Episode 1 of the opening round goes down Friday, May 27 starting at 6AM ET on UFC Fight Pass, and we’ve got a look at what to expect!
Featherweight, Keisuke Sasu Vs. Sang Won Kim
Tale of the Tape
Kanagawa, Japan
28-years-old
5’7″
11-2-1
Two-fight win streak
Combined opponents’ record: 107-67-14
Seoul, South Korea
29-years-old
5’10″
9-5-1
Combined opponents’ record: 49-38-2
Pros and Cons
Keisuke Sasu
Pros
- Solid wrestling
- Excellent trip takedowns
- Hits hard
- Physically strong
- Good back take
Cons
- Flat-footed
- Lacks head movement
- TDD needs work
Sang Won Kim
Pros
- Explosive
- Dangerous flurries
- Good right-cross
- Credible wrestling
- Fast
- Good volume
Cons
- Slows as the fight goes
- Suspect TDD
- Vulnerable in exchanges
- Doesn’t do well when pressured
I didn’t expect much out of Kim prior to seeing footage of him. A 9-5-1 record is off-putting but I enjoyed his tape. Obviously, he’s not at a high level because he wouldn’t be up and down on the South Korean scene if he was. However, Kim is a really good dangerous striker although defensively in all areas, he has a lot of deficiencies.
Sasu isn’t as fun to watch but has more basics. I’m not even sure why Kim is getting this fight considering his record and losing his last fight. I would like to pick Kim because he’s the more appealing fighter but the logical choice is Sasu. The wrestling and cardio I think will be the difference for Sasu to get his hand raised.
