Nurmagomedov vs Song, Yan vs Gomes, Asakura vs Aoriqileng Fight Picks – August 29, 2026

Umar Nurmagomedov vs Song Yadong

  • Umar Nurmagomedov
  • Age: 30
  • UFC Record: 8-1
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Raoni Barcelos. Submitted Brian Kelleher and Sergey Morozov. Beat Deiveson Figuereido, Mario Bautista, Cory Sandhagen, Bekzat Almakhan, Nathan Maness, a 12-0-1 grappler, and a 5-0 grappler. 
  • Striking: plus (70)
  • Power: above average (60)
  • Wrestling: near plus plus (75)
  • Yadong Song
  • Age: 28
  • UFC Record: 12-4-1
  • Key Draws: Fought Cody Stamann to a draw.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Ricky Simon, Marlon Moraes, Julio Arce, Felipe Arantes, and Alejandro Perez. Submitted Deiveson Figuereido. Beat Henry Cejudo, Chris Gutierrez, Marlon Vera. Split decision over Casey Kenney.
  • Striking: plus (70)
  • Power: plus (70)
  • Wrestling: near plus plus (75)

Chris’ Pick: Song by split decision.


Xiaonan Yan vs Denise Gomes

  • Yan Xiaonan
  • Age: 37
  • UFC Record: 9-4
  • Key Losses: Split decision loss to Marina Rodriguez.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Jessica Andrade. Beat Tabatha Ricci, Claudia Gadelha, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Angela Hill. Majority decision over MacKenzie Dern.
  • Striking: near plus plus (75)
  • Power: near plus plus (75)
  • Wrestling: plus (70)
  • Denise Gomes
  • Age: 26
  • UFC Record: 7-2
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Elise Reed, Yazmin Jauregui, Bruna Brasil, a well rounded 3-0 fighter, and a 3-0 striker. Beat Tecia Pennington, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and a 3-0-1 grappler. Split decision over Eduarda Moura.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)

Chris’ Pick: Yan by decision.


Kai Asakura vs Aoriqileng

  • Kai Asakura
  • Age: 32
  • Pro Record: 22-6
  • UFC Record: 1-2
  • Key Losses: Knocked out by Kyoji Horiguchi and Manel Kape. Lost to a 24-5 wrestler.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Cameron Smotherman, Heili Alateng, and a 29-4 striker. Beat Topnoi Kiwram. Split decision over Manel Kape.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Wrestling: above average (60)
  • Aoriqileng
  • Age: 33
  • UFC Record: 4-5
  • Key WIns: Submitted a 9-2 striker. Knocked out Cody Gibson, Cameron Else, and a well rounded 5-1 fighter. Beat Johnny Munoz Jr, Jay Perrin, and a 5-0 grappler.
  • Striking: above average (60)
  • Power: above average (60)
  • Wrestling: above average (60)

Chris’ Pick: Asakura by 1st round knockout.


Alex Perez vs Sumudaerji

  • Alex Perez
  • Age: 34
  • UFC Record: 9-6
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Charles Johnson, Matheus Nicolau, Jussier Formiga and Jose Torres. Submitted Jordan Espinosa. Beat Mark de la Rosa and Eric Shelton.
  • Striking: plus (70)
  • Power: plus (70)
  • Wrestling: plus (70)
  • Grappling: near plus (65)
  • Sumudaerji
  • Age: 30
  • UFC Record: 6-4
  • Key Losses: Submitted by Louis Smolka and a 10-4 grappler.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Malcolm Gordon, a well rounded 5-0-1 fighter, and a 4-0 grappler. Beat Jesus Aguilar, Kevin Borjas and Zarrukh Adashev. Split decision over Mitch Raposo.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Wrestling: above average (60)

Chris’ Pick: Perez by decision.


Junior Tafa vs Ce Liu

  • Junior Tafa
  • Age: 29
  • UFC Record: 3-5
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Kevin Christian, Sean Sharaf, Parker Porter, and a 6-1 striker.
  • Striking: above average (60)
  • Power: above average (60)
  • Wrestling: a little above average (55)
  • Ce Liu
  • Age: 29
  • Pro Record: 3-1
  • Striking: a little above average (55)
  • Power: a little above average (55)
  • Wrestling: average (50)

Chris’ Pick: Tafa by 1st round knockout.


Andre Lima vs Namsrai Batbayar

  • Andre Lima
  • Age: 27
  • UFC Record: 5-1
  • Key Wins: Submitted Daniel Barez. Knocked out a well rounded 3-0 fighter and a well rounded 7-2 fighter. Beat Felipe dos Santos and a 14-1 grappler. Split decision over Mitch Raposo.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)
  • Namsrai Batbayar
  • Age: 25
  • Pro Record: 10-1
  • UFC Record: 3-0
  • Key Wins: Submitted Agulali and a 5-1 wrestler. Knocked out Shuai Yin and a 7-1 striker.
  • Striking: above average (60)
  • Power: above average (60)
  • Grappling: near plus (65)

Chris’ Pick: Lima by decision.


Jack Jenkins vs Sean Woodson

  • Jack Jenkins
  • Age: 33
  • UFC Record: 5-1
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Herbert Burns, an 8-1 striker. Beat Ramon Taveras and Don Shainis. Split decision over Jamall Emmers.
  • Striking: plus (70)
  • Power: plus (70)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)
  • Sean Woodson
  • Age: 34
  • UFC Record: 8-2-1
  • Key Losses: Submitted by Julian Erosa.
  • Key Draws: Fought Luis Saldana to a draw.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Fernando Padilla, Collin Anglin, and a 6-1 grappler. Beat Alex Caceres, Charles Jourdain, Dennis Buzukja, and Kyle Bochniak. Split decision over Youssef Zalal.
  • Striking: plus (70)
  • Power: plus (70)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)

Chris’ Pick: Jenkins by 1st round knockout.


Rei Tsuruya vs Kevin Borjas

  • Rei Tsuruya
  • Age: 24
  • UFC Record: 5-1
  • Key Wins: Knocked out Niushiyue Ji and a 4-1 wrestler. Submitted Luis Gurule, a 7-0 striker and an 8-3 wrestler. Beat Carlos Hernandez and Mark Climaco.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Grappling: plus (70)
  • Kevin Borjas
  • Age: 28
  • UFC Record: 3-4
  • Key Wins: Beat Ronaldo Rodriguez and an 11-2 grappler.
  • Striking: above average (60)
  • Power: above average (60)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)

Chris’ Pick: Tsuruya by 2nd round submission.


Julia Polastri vs Jingnan Xiong

  • Julia Polastri
  • Age: 28
  • UFC Record: 3-4
  • Key Wins: Knocked out a 9-1 wrestler. Submitted a well rounded 9-2 fighter and a well rounded 8-2 fighter. Beat a well rounded 7-2 fighter. Split decision over Cory McKenna.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: near plus (65)
  • Wrestling: near plus (65)
  • Jingnan Xiong
  • Age: 38
  • Pro Record: 19-3
  • UFC Record: 0-1
  • Key Wins: Beat a well rounded 9-1 fighter and a 6-2 grappler, a well rounded 22-7 fighter, and an 11-3 grappler.
  • Striking: near plus (65)
  • Power: a little above average (55)
  • Wrestling: above average (60)

Chris’ Pick: Polastri by split decision.


Meng Ding vs Cameron Nelson

  • Meng Ding
  • Age: 31
  • Pro Record: 35-10
  • UFC Record: 0-2
  • Key Losses: Knocked out by a 3-2 striker and a well rounded 28-17 fighter.
  • Key Wins: Knocked out a 4-0 striker, another 4-0 striker, and a 6-0 striker.
  • Striking: a little above average (55)
  • Power: a little above average (55)
  • Wrestling: above average (60)
  • Cameron Nelson
  • Age: 28
  • Pro Record: 7-1
  • Striking: a little above average (55)
  • Power: a little above average (55)
  • Grappling: a little above average (55)

Chris’ Pick: Ding by split decision.