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Fresh off the excitement of UFC 309, the UFC is back on the road again, but this time, it's returning to Macau. When the UFC last visited Macau in 2014, it made two stops in the area that year; The Ultimate Fighter China Finale in March, followed by UFC Fight Night 48. The event will mark the promotion's fourth visit to Macau and the main event will feature former bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
The co-main event features former title challenger Yan Xiaonan facing off against the surging Tabatha Ricci. Also on the card, Song Kenan goes up against Muslim Salikhov at welterweight, and former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir meets New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg at light heavyweight. The four finals of the Road to UFC Season 3 are expected to take place at this event as well.
In this article, I will be providing you with my fantasy MMA lineup picks for UFC Macau: Yan vs. Figueiredo on 11/23/24. Give me a follow on X @sumpor5. Good luck!
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DraftKings MMA Bantamweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Petr Yan, $9,000 - vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
The UFC Macau event is headlined by a bantamweight matchup between former bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Yan will look to get back on the right track and win back-to-back fights, while Figueiredo looks to win his fourth consecutive fight.
We can’t wait for this one 😆@PetrYanUFC vs @Daico_Deiveson
[ #UFCMacau | SATURDAY | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/q50lylhISz
— UFC (@ufc) November 22, 2024
Yan became the champion in 2020 by defeating former featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but he later lost the belt in 2021 to Aljamain Sterling due to an illegal knee. After losing three straight fights, Yan finally got back in the win column in February at UFC 299, where he defeated Song Yadong after five rounds by a unanimous decision.
Known for his high-pressure style, precise boxing, and durability, Yan has competed in a total of 22 professional MMA bouts with an impressive 17-5 record. He has seven knockouts, nine decisions, and one submission.
Since moving up to bantamweight in 2023, former two-time flyweight champion Figueiredo has been on a tear. In 13 months, Figueiredo has defeated Rob Font, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt, and more recently, former title challenger Marlon Vera.
Figueiredo is considered an all-around fighter, with nine wins by knockout, nine by submission, and six by decision, showcasing his versatility. With his power and speed carrying over to the bantamweight, Figueiredo is only a few wins away from earning a title shot.
The former bantamweight champion Yan enters this fight with a UFC record of 9-4. He averages 5.14 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 53%. Yan absorbs 4.36 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 58%. Regarding his grappling, Yan averages 1.73 takedowns every 15 minutes. His takedown defense is 85% and his takedown accuracy is 51%.
The former flyweight champion Figueiredo has a striking accuracy of 55% and he averages 3.01 significant strikes per minute. He is absorbing 3.39 strikes per minute and his striking defense is 51%. When it comes to his grappling, Figueiredo is averaging 1.68 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy of 35% and a takedown defense of 58%.
Yan likely has an advantage when it comes to his striking, as his boxing is more technical than Figueiredo's. It usually takes a round or two for Yan to get going and start to break down opponents, and this is a five-round fight. Plus, he's a cardio machine, while Figueiredo gets visibly more tired as the fight goes on. My prediction is that Yan is going to win this fight via unanimous decision.
DraftKings MMA Women's Strawweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Yan Xiaonan, $8,800 - vs. Tabatha Ricci
This weekend, strawweight contenders Yan Xiaonan and Tabatha Ricci are scheduled to clash in the co-main event of UFC Macau. In her last bout, Xiaonan came up short in her bid to claim the strawweight title at UFC 300. In contrast, Ricci has won back-to-back since her split decision loss to Loopy Godinez.
This is a massive return bout for Xiaonan, who fights in her home country for the first time since 2018. The last time Xiaonan was seen in action was back in April when she lost to strawweight champion Zhang Weili via unanimous decision, but Xiaonan did manage to impress with a display of grit and toughness. Before that bout, Xiaonan was on a two-fight winning streak, defeating Mackenzie Dern and former champion Jessica Andrade.
Since joining the UFC in 2021, Ricci has gone 6-2. This will be Ricci's fourth fight in almost exactly a year. Ricci is coming off a unanimous decision win over Angela Hill and a split decision over Tecia Pennington. Not including Pennington and Hill, Ricci holds wins over notable names such as Gillian Robertson and Jessica Penne but this is without a doubt the biggest test of Ricci's career.
Known as a striker, Xiaonan enters this fight with an MMA record of 18-4, and she is 8-3 in the UFC. She is averaging 4.97 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 44%. Her striking defense is at 58% and she absorbs 3.66 strikes per minute. When it comes to wrestling, Xiaonan has a takedown accuracy of 73% and her takedown defense is 62%.
Ricci enters this fight with an MMA record of 11-2. Known for her grappling, Ricci's takedown accuracy is at 38% and her takedown defense is at 81%. She's averaging 2.99 takedowns every 15 minutes. Ricci lands 4.63 strikes per minute and has a 38% striking accuracy. Her striking defense is at 58% and she absorbs 5.30 strikes per minute.
This is a huge step up in competition for Ricci. She has momentum on her side, being on a two-fight winning streak. With that being said, she didn't look great in those fights. On the other hand, this is a step down in competition for Xiaonan, who has already fought former and current champions.
Over the years, Xiaonan's takedown defense has gotten better, and her striking is leagues above Ricci's. I think Xiaonan is going to keep this fight standing and outstrike Ricci en route to a unanimous decision victory.
DraftKings MMA Light Heavyweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Carlos Ulberg, $8,900 - vs. Volkan Oezdemir
The second fight on the main card of UFC Macau will see former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir take on New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg. Both fighters earned a Performance of the Night bonus in their previous bout; Oezdemir when he knocked out Johnny Walker at UFC Saudi Arabia and Ulberg when he knocked out Alonzo Menifield at UFC St. Louis.
Since suffering his only loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu back in 2021, Ulberg has been on a tear, winning six fights in a row with five via stoppage, four of which came in the first round. His five-fight UFC stoppage win streak is the second longest among active fighters in the company behind Shavkat Rakhmonov, who has six. He was last seen in action in May at UFC St. Louis, finishing Menifield in 12 seconds. Ulberg's six-fight win streak, technical striking, and devastating power make him a favorite in his bout against Oezdemir.
On the other hand, Oezdemir has gone 3-3 in his last six but has managed to win his last two fights. Last time out, he finished Johnny Walker with an uppercut, and before that, he submitted Bogdan Guskov via a first-round rear-naked choke, handing Guskov his first UFC loss. The biggest win of his career was a split decision against Aleksandar Rakic back in 2019.
Ulberg enters this fight with an MMA record of 11-1 and is 7-1 in the UFC. He averages 7.41 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 59%. Ulberg absorbs 3.60 strikes and his striking defense is 52%. In terms of his wrestling, Ulberg is averaging 0.95 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown defense and takedown accuracy of 75%.
Oezdemir enters this fight with an MMA record of 20-7 and is 8-6 in the UFC. He averages 4.79 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 48%. Oezdemir absorbs 3.96 strikes and has a striking defense of 55%. When it comes to his wrestling, Oezdemir is averaging 0.56 takedowns every 15 minutes. His takedown accuracy is 33% and his takedown defense is 80%.
I just don't see Oezdemir winning this fight. He has solid knockout power, but usually, it works against opponents who are not durable, and his movement is not the best. Both Oezdemir and Ulberg are kickboxers, but Ulberg is the more technical of the two and he possesses punching power that can end the fight at any moment.
That being said, I don't think Ulberg is going to finish Oezdemir, but I do think Ulberg is going to pick him apart from the distance. My prediction is that Ulberg wins this one via unanimous decision.
