Henry Roldán
The stellar UFC 279 headliner next Saturday, September 10 will feature an interesting fight when Li Jingliang vs Tony Ferguson square off in the welterweight division.
The Chinese fighter comes into Las Vegas as the favorite after winning three of his last five fights, including a KO over Muslim Salikhov on July 16 at UFC Long Island. For his part, Ferguson returns to the division where he made history with the intention of stopping a streak of four consecutive losses, the last of which came at UFC 274, to Michael Chandler, by KO in the second round.
Predictions, odds, and betting preview for Li Jingliang vs Tony Ferguson UFC 279 on September 10, 2022
- Where: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada.
- When: Saturday, September 10, 2022, 11:00 PM ET.
- Odds: Li Jingliang (-265) vs Tony Ferguson (+225).
Li Jingliang
- Odds: -265.
- Record: 19-7-0.
- Age: 34.
- Height:1.83 m.
- Weight: 77.4 kg.
- Reach: 1.83 m.
Known for his rather orthodox fighting style, Li Jingliang comes into this fight with the intention of continuing to climb the ladder in the division after being ranked No. 14 in the rankings.
The Chinese fighter has been somewhat inconsistent in recent fights, but he has a significant advantage over Ferguson, not only because of the age difference, but also because of the advantage that his far superior muscle mass, as opposed to his opponent’s, can provide him.
His last four victories have come by way of KO or submission, which speaks to Jingliang’s strength and ability to subdue his opponents with his powerful physique as well as the forcefulness in each of his punches. This is something Ferguson could suffer in his return to the weight.
Tony Ferguson
- Odds: +225.
- Record:25-7-0.
- Age: 38.
- Height:1.80 m.
- Weight: 70.5 kg.
- Reach:1.94 m.
The other welterweight champion returns to the division for the first time since 2011 to try to get out of his losing slump in waters that were once crystal clear for his career.
For many, seeing Ferguson at UFC 279 was a total surprise due to the performance he has shown in his last few fights. However, Jingliang himself admitted that he finds it disrespectful that people assume he’ll have an easy victory over a historical octagon exponent such as “El Cucuy”.
Like his opponent, Ferguson is known for a somewhat orthodox fighting style, so being able to pre-plan against him is complex. That’s what makes him a great fighter and made him a relentless champion. This is surely something he will have to prove again this Saturday if he doesn’t want this to be his last fight in the UFC.
JefeBet Prediction
Even if Tony Ferguson returns to the category where he achieved so many victories, the American fighter won’t find it easy to return to his younger years.
Age and body take their toll, and he’ll have a tough battle against Li Jingliang, despite the Asian’s inconsistency. He is far more powerful and agile than Ferguson, who is coming off a brutal defeat at lightweight, a division he dominated for years.
Prediction: Li Jingliang wins by decision.
