Yadong vs. Simon Headlines UFC Fight Night From Vegas

Saturday’s UFC betting Fight Night Main Event is an outstanding matchup between Song Yadong and Ricky Simon.  Both are ranked in the top 10 of the bantamweight division.  Most important of all, Yadong and Simon are contenders with championship aspirations.  Thus, gamblers get a crucial matchup pushed back from last weekend.  Yadong boasts a record of 19-7-1 (1 NC).  In comparison, Simon has a record of 20-3-0.  Yadong is a man in two worlds in the loaded bantamweight division.  He brings experience and a place in the top 10.  Yet he has plenty of room to continue developing.  

UFC Fight Night Song vs. Simon – Main Card  

Date:  Saturday, April 29, 2023, 7 p.m. ET

Location:  UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada

UFC TV Coverage:  ESPN+

UFC Fight Night CashBet Odds:  Song Yadong +110 vs. Ricky Simon -135

Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon Main Event Overview

Namely, Song Yadong is eager to regain his footing.  Following a top online sportsbook TKO loss by Cory Sandhagen at the UFC Fight Night 210 last September.  Now at the eighth spot of the bantamweight division rankings, Yadong endeavors to defend his position against Simon.

Meanwhile, Ricky Simon has had an impressive five-fight winning streak.  To show, his most recent victory came over Jack Shore on July 16, 2022.  In the second round, Simon secured the UFC bets win by submission (arm-triangle choke).  As a result, he earned a Performance of the Night bonus.

Previously, Simon knocked out Raphael Assunção at UFC Fight Night in December 2021.  Also, he scored an MMA-betting unanimous decision win over Brian Kelleher at UFC 258 in February 2021.  Simon submitted Gaetano Pirrello with an arm-triangle choke and won a split decision over Ray Borg.

Overall, Simon’s wins have come through various methods with knockouts, submissions, and decisions.  The wins have been spread across different weight classes.  Including featherweight and bantamweight.  Simon’s strong performance in his recent fights has cemented his position as #10 in the bantamweight division.

It is true that Song Yadong is a talented striker with a lot of power in his hands.  He is quick and agile.  Thus, he can dart in and out of range, avoiding his opponent’s strikes while landing his own.  Also, Yadong is a strong wrestler.  And he uses that skill to control his opponents on the ground and inflict damage from the top position.

On the other hand, Yadong can sometimes be reckless in his striking.  As a result, he can leave himself open to counterattacks.  This trait could be a problem against a technical striker like Ricky Simon.  To show, Simon is known for his precision striking.

On the whole, Ricky Simon is an excellent all-around fighter with a strong wrestling base.  He is relentless in his pursuit of takedowns and has excellent ground-and-pound skills.  Simon is also a solid striker, with good footwork and various strikes in his arsenal.  However, Simon sometimes struggles against taller opponents, as he is only 5’6″.  By contrast, Yadong has a two-inch reach advantage.

Fight Night CashBet Free Picks

This matchup is a tough fight to handicap for gamblers to decide who to wager on.  Both fighters have their strengths and weaknesses, which could come down to who can impose their game plan on the other.

If Yadong can keep the fight standing and avoid getting taken down, he could use his striking to outpoint Simon and potentially score a knockout.  At the same time, if Simon can take Yadong down and control him on the ground, he could potentially win a decision.  Additionally, Simon can potentially finish the fight with ground and pound.

On the whole, there is a slight edge to Yadong. Due to his striking power and ability to defend takedowns.  Thus, Yadong offers the better price and should prevail in what looks like an even fight.

Fight Night CashBet Best Bet  

Song Yadong