Featherweight, Yoon Chang Min (8-2-1) Vs. Sebastian Szalay (9-1)
Yoon Chang Min
-Explosive
-Good judo
-Physically strong
-Submission threat
-Fast starter
-Solid TDD
-Heavy top position
-Good movement/footwork
-Damaging ground and pound
-Heavy leg kicks
-Strong hips
-Good jab
-Good knees
-Strong clinch work
-Good one-two
-Shaky chin
-Reaches with his punches
-Lacks head movement
-Vulnerable in exchanges
-Suspect cardio
Prediction: Min didn’t look like himself in his last outing; he’s usually a more dynamic and exciting fighter. Still, he’s a fairly well-rounded threat. While not a complete grappler, he’s certainly a dangerous one, with solid ground-and-pound and more submission wins than anything else. On the feet, even though he only has one TKO on his record, there are flashes of skill. He throws a clean one-two, a solid jab, and sharp leg kicks. He’s especially dangerous in close, where his explosiveness can take over.
Szalay, though, is a difficult puzzle to solve. He fights with constant movement, mixing rhythm and angles behind a high volume of kicks and unpredictable striking patterns. For Min to succeed here, he’d need to mix in takedowns and get inside— but if Jieleyisi couldn’t get Szalay down, it’s hard to see Min having much more success.
At range, Min tends to struggle; he needs to be in close to do his best work. Szalay’s footwork and activity should allow him to stay one step ahead, darting in and out while piling on volume. He’s the more active, more defensively sound fighter with a broader skill set. I’m picking Szalay by TKO in round three.
