The UFC brings 2019 to a close with a trip to South Korea to see the featherweight bout between Chang Sung Jung and Frankie Edgar. The seasonal showdown has all the makings of a great fight, so make sure you don’t miss a second off UFC with all the MMA predictions here.

Main Event: Chang Sung Jung (-182) Vs. Frankie Edgar (+150)

 

The UFC will touch down in South Korea for a second time in the sport’s history to showcase native Chang Sung Jung against Frankie Edgar. The featherweight bout is the closing fight of 2019, and it has the makings of an exhilarating contest. When the UFC announced its return to South Korea, it was an obvious choice who they were cherry-picking to headline the event. The Korean Zombie carries the torch for the South Koreans and is quite the marquee name in East Asia.

Edgar was scheduled to throw down fists with Cory Sandhagen at Bantamweight in January, but gladly accepted the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with the Korean Zombie after Brian Ortega pulled out of the fight with a knee injury. While most fight fans wondered why 38-year-old Edgar would take a short notice fight on the other side of the planet, Edgar relished it as an opportunity. The “Answer” was scheduled to fight Jung last year, but had to drop out of the fight after an injury.

Edgar suffered a defeat last time around against a superior Max Holloway for the featherweight title. The former lightweight champion has endured some hard defeats, coming from Jose Aldo and Ortega but will be fully focused on a route around the South Korean this time around.

Win or lose for Edgar, it is difficult to say what this fight does for him; a loss is hugely damaging and a win does not build much for the American.

Jung is coming off a vicious first-round TKO against Renato Moicano last June, which will inject a plethora of confidence into the Korean. The win was a huge rebound after losing to Rodriguez in the last second of their 2018 contest.

The Korean Zombie boasts some pinpoint victories in his career over Dustin Poirer, Mark Hominick and Leonard Garcia. A win over the American would plant Jung into a solid position to go on another title run. Despite Edgar’s age, we think that this bout will go the distance with both fighters throwing their all in the eight walls of death.

Our prediction

Edgar to Edge the Win Via Stoppage in the 5th

Co-Main Event Oezdemir (+125) Vs. Rakic (-155)

Saturday's co-main event will showcase a light heavyweight fight between Volkan Oezdemir and Aleksandar Rakic.

After a string of disappointing defeats, Oezdemir goit a much-needed win in August when he knocked out IIir Latifi in the second round. The Austrian fighter, on the other hand, is flying high on an impressive 12-win streak. The 27-year-old is engineered for this division, with a locker-full of tools to bypass opponents in the octagon.

Oezdemir also possesses the fundamentals to get that all-important W next to his scorecard and has punishing power like no other fighter to get the job done. This is a hard fight to analyse largely because both fighters mirror each other when it comes to their feet game. Oezdemir has a slight edge technically in this bout but you can't overlook Rakic's flawless fight record up to date. The range will be the main factor when it comes to this battle and Oezdemir has to be the favourite when it comes to striking power, so operating from a distance favours the Swiss fighter.

Our prediction

Oezdemir to win by knockout

The Verdict

This event is looking to be a fantastic way to end a memorable year of UFC action. We have seen some blockbuster bouts which have kept us glued to our screens for the last 12 months, and can't wait to see how this seasonal end-of-year card turns out. Make sure you keep your eyes on the MMA predictions page and tune into yet another night of UFC pandamonium.

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