Road to UFC 3: Episode 1 Breakdown and Predictions

By
Shawn Bitter
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Welterweight, Baharebole Batebolati Vs Han Seul Kim

Tale of the Tape

Baharebole Batebolati
Beijing, China
26
Five-foot-eleven
9-1-1
Combined opponent’s record: 47-25-2
Han Seul Kim
Ishikawa, Japan
29
Five-foot-three
13-5
Combined opponent’s record: 81-44-14

Pros and Cons

Baharebole Batebolati

Pros

  • Good left hand

Cons

  • Poor TDD
  • Throws single strikes
  • Low volume
  • Telegraphs striking
  • No head movement

Han Seul Kim

Pros

  • Good straight punches
  • Nice pull-counter
  • Good feints
  • Fights long well
  • Sneaky good uppercut
  • Good counter striker

Cons

  • Chin-up
  • Takes a lot of damage
  • Questionable chin
  • Vulnerable in exchanges
  • Struggles with pressure
  • Slows in the later round

Prediction: I don’t know why these guys are getting a featured bout on this card considering both were already on Road to UFC and couldn’t get it done. Kim was knocked out and Batebolati won by DQ and pulled out of his other fight.

Kim is a flawed fighter and Batebolati is a low-level fighter which is a big difference. Kim has some skills where Batebolati lacks everything but a left hand basically. I do see a world where Batebolati wins because his chin holds up longer than Kim’s. I see them both deciding to stand and bang with little technique and no defense. I favor the striking of Kim, so as long as his chin doesn’t fail him he should win this

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