UFC Vegas 29: The Korean Zombie vs Dan Ige Preview

UFC Vegas 29 takes place at the UFC APEX centre in Las Vegas. The main event features a fascinating featherweight matchup between The Korean Zombie and Dan Ige.

In the co-main event, heavyweights Alexei Oleinik and Sergey Spivak take each other head-on. The card also features intriguing fights between Julian Erosa and Seung Woo Choi, Marlon Vera and Davey Grant and Matt Brown and Dhiego Lima.

The Korean Zombie vs Dan Ige

The Korean Zombie vs Dan Ige is a fantastic fight. The top ten featherweights are superbly well-matched in all departments, and their fight at UFC Vegas 29 has the potential to be the Fight of the Year.

Both fighters are kickboxers with a solid ground game. Ige is a high-volume striker, who loves to put pressure on his opponents, something The Korean Zombie also does really well. They are both also excellent grapplers, with serious submission threat, although the Hawaiian utilizes his grappling prowess more often in his fights.

Ige might try to initiate grappling exchanges when things get tough on the feet, but Chan Sung Jung has a good enough defence to stop the takedowns. They are both very durable fighters too, so we should expect a five-round war.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐙𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞 meets 𝟓𝟎𝐊 inside the Octagon SATURDAY 👊

[ #UFCVegas29 | June 19 on ESPN2 & #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/6TAxbVDomp

— UFC (@ufc) June 16, 2021

Alexei Oleinik vs Sergey Spivak

Alexei Oleinik is on a downward spiral presently and is coming into this fight on the back of two consecutive defeats. He was violently stopped in his most recent fight against Chris Daukaus at UFC Vegas 19, and another loss could mean the end of his UFC career.

Oleinik has orthodox striking, who usually uses his takedown and grappling skills to win fights. He’s relentless with his takedowns and can submit his opponents from any position. Spivak is on a two-fight win streak, and he’s also a tremendous grappler in his own right.

Spivak has the advantage on the feet, and he would try to use it to score another big win and move into the top 15 of the heavyweight division.

Julian Erosa vs Seung Woo Choi

With a record of 25-8, Julian Erosa comes in with way more experience than his opponent, who holds a record of 9-3. Erosa is extremely well-rounded and has won 22 of his 25 fights by knockout or submission. He’s very creative with his strikes and mixes it up really well.

Seung comes from a Muay Thai background and has won five fights by the way of knockout. He’s certainly got the edge on the feet, but Erosa’s well-rounded skillset might cause him problems at UFC Vegas 29.

Marlon Vera vs Davey Grant

Marlon Vera is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jose Aldo, while Davey Grant is currently on a three-fight win streak.

Vera is an excellent striker, who utilizes his kicks to compromise his opponent’s movement, before upping the ante with punches. Grant is a power hitter, and his power has been on full display as of late. However, Vera is very durable and Grant will have to be very smart with his shot selection.

It all boils down to who can take the center of the stage, and impose their will.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1405239503091027968

Matt Brown vs Dhiego Lima

Both Matt Brown and Dhiego Lima are coming off losses in their most recent fights, and desperately need a win to save their UFC careers. Brown needs a win more than ever because the UFC has been releasing its veteran fighters on a losing run as of late.

Lima is the better striker, with devastating calf kicks, hooks and knees in the clinch. If the fight stays standing, the Brazilian has a much better chance of winning. Therefore, Brown should look to take this fight to the ground, and try to look for submissions. He also needs to close the distance quickly on the feet to avoid Lima’s leg kicks.

It all comes down to who imposes his game plan better.

https://twitter.com/BigMarcel24/status/1404847887683555328

What are your predictions for UFC Vegas 29?