Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC on ESPN Plus 15 in Shenzhen, China. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com.
Lara Procopio vs. Karol Rosa
Procopio: She struggled with pace after the first round. She has a good jab, but outside of that she doesn’t have the grappling or strength to compete in the UFC. Debut grade is D-
Rosa: She showed a good presence moving forward and landing on the feet. I didn’t see any sense of a grappling game, so I think she will have challenges as she faces more well-rounded fighters. Debut grade is
Heili Alateng vs. Batgerel Danaa
Alateng: He dominated the final round of the fight with takedowns and ground control to pull away and win his UFC debut. The fact that he was out struck significantly in this bout is alarming and I wouldn’t expect him to have much success in the UFC moving forward. Debut grade is D-
Danaa: He can strike with volume, but that’s about it. He has no power in his hands and his ground game is minimal at best. This could be a one fight only deal for Danaa in the UFC. Debut grade is F
Damir Ismagulov vs. Thiago Moises
Ismagulov: He continues to show a complete skill set as he dominated this bout for all fifteen minutes. A ranked opponent should be coming shortly. Upgraded from C+ to B-
Moises: He had nothing to offer his opponent and the result was a blowout loss. Back to the drawing board. Downgraded from C to C-
Khadis Ibragimov vs. Da Un Jung
Ibragimov: He had multiple flurries in this fight, but his inability to finish cost him significantly as he had nothing left later in the fight and was submitted in round three. Debut grade is D-
Jung: He fought a consistent bout and showed a strong chin. He took advantage of a winded opponent and was able to secure a finish. Debut grade is D-
Su Madjeri vs. Andre Soukhamthath
Mudajeri: A much improved performance from his UFC debut as he dominated all aspects of this fight to beat a veteran. This fight certainly provides a foundation on which he should continue to improve. Upgraded from F to D
Soukhamthath: He has now lost three of his last four fights and is struggling to maintain competitiveness. This could be his last fight in the promotion. Downgraded from D+ to D-
Anthony Hernandez vs. Jun Yong Park
Hernandez: He took some damage, but turned to grappling and it paid off. He had real advantage on the mat and was able to put his opponent away in round two. Grade remains D
Park: His inability to stuff a takedown and defend submissions on the mat create a realization that he’s not UFC caliber. Debut grade is F
Mizuki Inoue vs. Wu Yanan
Inoue: She showed good a technical striking prowess, but her lack of power is a major concern moving forward. She edged a decision in this bout, but if there were a different set of judges it could have easily gone another way. Debut grade is D+
Yanan: Her volume was high in this bout, but she was the counter striker in this bout. Two judges gave it to the fight that controlled the cage in what was very close fight. Upgraded from D to D+
Derrick Krantz vs. Kenan Song
Krantz: He did well when he forced the fight to the ground. He slowed to a halt in round three and it cost him the fight. Debut grade is D
Song: He landed some big punches in round three, but the way he ended the fight with nothing left is a bad sign moving forward. He got the win, but this result doesn’t provide confidence for future performances. Grade remains D
Kai Kara-France vs. Mark de la Rosa
Kara-France: He had some really nice moments in this fight including a one punch knockdown in round two. He took some damage, but he had the best moments in this bout and earned a good win. Grade remains C
De la Rosa: He has good technique, but lacks the big moments that would make him a top ten fighter. Grade remains D+
Li Jingliang vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Jingliang: This was the biggest win of his career and the first over a ranked opponent. He finished a fighter that had won seven fights in a row. Impressive knockout. Upgraded from C- to C
Zaleski: Maybe it was the long fight or competing in unusual surroundings, but this was his worst performance in the cage. He never really found his way into the fight. Considering his track record, I tend to think it was an anomaly, but certainly something to watch closely. Downgraded from C+ to C
Jessica Andrade vs. Weili Zhang
Andrade: She put herself into a fire fight with Weili Zhang and it backfired horribly. She was stunned and then dropped by a variety of strikes and put away in the opening minute. Not only was she finished quickly, but she lost her title. Downgraded from A+ to A-
Zhang: This fight could not have gone better for the Chinese fighter. She showed power, aggression, and put away the champion in under a minute. She’s the first ever UFC Champion from China and could be signaling a new era in the sport. Upgraded from B to A
