UFC Predictions: UFC 273: Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie
This Saturday sees the UFC head to Jacksonville, Florida for the first time since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic for a major pay-per-view event.
UFC 273 features two title fights at the top of the card, as well as a genuinely huge welterweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns underneath.
#UFC273 Countdown Airs SATURDAY at 2pmET on ABC ]When @AlexVolkanovski & @KoreanZombieMMA square off, expect a finish 💥
[ 📺 #UFC273 Countdown Airs SATURDAY at 2pmET on ABC ] https://t.co/I9MQxuXSvi
With plenty more than just gold on the line next weekend, which fighters will step up and who might struggle?
Here are the predicted outcomes for UFC 273: Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie.
#1. UFC featherweight title: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Chan Sung Jung
Initially, the UFC featherweight title bout on this card would’ve seen champion Alexander Volkanovski face off with old foe Max Holloway for a third time. With ‘Blessed’ shelved with an injury, former title challenger Chan Sung Jung has found himself with a huge – unexpected – opportunity.
So can ‘The Korean Zombie’ cause a major upset by dethroning the Australian champion, or will this be business as usual for Alexander 'The Great’?
One thing is probably for certain: despite the fact that Volkanovski’s overall record is far superior to his opponent’s this weekend, it’s simply impossible to count Jung out of any fight, even this one.
‘The Korean Zombie’ obviously got his nickname for a reason. He’s insanely tough, and despite taking a ton of damage over the years, his chin is still as solid as ever. He’s only ever been stopped on three occasions, once by an injury and twice by genuine Hail Mary strikes.
Outside of those, he’s shown himself to be capable of absorbing ludicrous amounts of damage with little issue. To write him off as an iron-chinned brawler would be a massive mistake, though.
Jung is also a highly-skilled technical striker and he’s more than capable of fighting behind a jab, chaining together combinations and using his footwork to avoid the bigger strikes of his opponent. He’s also a wildly underrated grappler who is adept at snatching up submissions from odd positions. He’s somewhat of an underrated wrestler, too.
However, in Volkanovski, he’ll be facing arguably the greatest featherweight of all time. Essentially, the champ has absolutely no weaknesses.
The heart of a champion on full display ❤️
@AlexVolkanovski explains what went through his mind during that third round 👀
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Not only was he able to stand with Holloway for basically 10 rounds, but he was also able to largely come out on top in that realm, firstly by using a series of debilitating leg kicks and then by chaining together some excellent combinations to tag the Hawaiian.
The Australian certainly isn’t just a striker, though. He’s also got phenomenal takedown defense and decent takedowns in his own right. On the ground, his striking skills are ruthless and as he showed against Brian Ortega, he’s nearly impossible to submit.
So can Jung find a way to win this bout at all? His best option would probably be to draw the Aussie into a brawl, but even then, Volkanovski is such a cerebral fighter that it’s unlikely that he’d be willing to take the bait.
Essentially, the champ is only likely to be dethroned by an absolute specialist in one single area. As Jung isn’t quite that fighter, it seems unlikely that he’ll come out on top. Whether Volkanovski can finish him is another thing, but it’d be a shock to see him lose his title here.
The Pick: Volkanovski via decision