The pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event of UFC 279 will be a 170-pound clash between former interim lightweight champ, American Tony Ferguson and Li Jingliang of China. The lead up to the bout has included criticism of Jingliang for taking up a fight against an opponent who has lost four bouts in a row and will be fighting at Welterweight instead of his usual Lightweight. Jingliang has defended the decision and insisted that people must respect Ferguson.
MMA: UFC Middleweight
Location: T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada
Date:11.09.2022, 08:30
Where to watch: ESPN+
Li Jingliang
Jingliang, was in the Octagon this past July at UFC on ABC 3, when he knocked out Muslim Salikhov in the second round to earn the Performance of the Night bonus award. The TKO moved the power-puncher to a tie with Thiago Alves and Vicente Luque for second most knockouts in the UFC Welterweight division history at eight. ‘The Leech’ debuted at UFC in 2014 with a split decision win over David Michaud. In his last four fights, he has won two and lost two.
Li Jingliang, Tale of the Tape
- Age: 34
- Height: 6’ 0”
- Reach: 72”
- Total fights: 26
- Record: 19-7-0
For the people who say it like that – Tony Ferguson four losses in a row, never fought at welterweight – you forget who he is. You forgot all those people whose face got cut by Tony Ferguson. Amazing fighters were choked by him. You should give credit to him. I believe if you fight against him, you would know how hard to deal with a guy like ‘El Cucuy’ is. You shouldn’t forget those fighters like Tony, who is a pioneer in the sport. You should give him respect.
Tony Ferguson
The former Interim Lightweight champion is on a four-match skid having lost to Michael Chandler this past April to complete the quartet of losses. He dropped Chandler in the first round but his opponent came back in the second with a football-type kick to the head that knocked out Ferguson flush in 17-seconds. ‘El Cucuy’ also lost to Dariush, Oliveira and Gaethje. The 38-year-old’s last win was in 2019 after a TKO over David Cerrone in a fight that ended by doctor’s stoppage. The veteran made his UFC bow in 2011 when he knocked our Ramsey Nijem at The Ultimate Fighter 13 finale to win the tournament and Knockout of the Night bonus.
Tony Ferguson, Tale of the Tape
- Age: 38
- Height: 6’ 0”
- Reach: 76.5”
- Total fights: 32
- Record: 25-7-0
Betting Odds
Li Jingliang is a massive favorite with favorable odds of 1.30 odds (Bet 365) and 1.39 odds (22bet) to win the contest. Looking for a value bet will entail taking Jingliang’s words to heart and believing that Tony Ferguson can reverse his four-match skid with a win priced at 3.50 odds on Bet 365 and 2.845 on 22bet. Counting on the punching power of ‘The Leech’, a bet of under 1.5 rounds is priced at 2.29 odds on 1XBET, while the conservative bet for over 1.5 rounds goes for 1.55 odds on 1XBET.
