UFC Fight Night 153: Fighters to Watch

Photo creds: Newsome MMA

UFC Fight Night: 153 on Saturday, June 1 in Stockholm Sweden pairs two of the top Light Heavyweights in the main-event as Sweden’s own Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson squares off against Anthony “Lionheart” Smith. There is plenty on the line between these top contenders, as a win could catapult either fighter towards a shot at the 205-pound belt against Jon Jones. Before the action in the main-event, the card has plenty of notable up-and-coming fighters worth watching. Get an inside look at some names that might fly under the radar during next Saturday’s fight card.

Aleksander Rakic

The first fighter to watch at UFC Fight Night: 153 is Light Heavyweight Aleksander Rakic, who holds a stout record of 11 wins and one loss, eight of those victories coming by way of KO. Rakic gets his opportunity to shine as he takes on top contender and seasoned vet, Jimmy Manuwa. Getting a bout on the main card and getting his first elite opponent in Mauwa gives him a chance to truly showcase his talents and test his skills. Although this is Rakic’s toughest opponent to date, if he can outlast the heavy hands of Manuwa and earn a victory, it should spring him near the top ten in the Light Heavyweight division.

Expect his toughness and his grit to play a factor in this fight as he will have to find a way around the elite striking of Manuwa. Rakic has proved he has the ability to end a fight at a moment’s notice, but also has great top game paired with his heavy hands. Whether he decides to stay on the feet and try and out-strike Manuwa or use his vicious ground-and-pound, Rakic has to prove he has the skills to compete with the division’s best. If he can make himself less susceptible to shots on the feet and continue to overwhelm his opponents, he can easily be a force to reckon with and potentially a new contender at 205.

Sung Bin Jo

Another fighter to keep an eye on during UFC Fight Night: 153 is newcomer Sung Bin Jo. Making his UFC debut against Daniel Teymur, Jo has the opportunity to keep his undefeated streak alive. Having a professional record of nine wins with no loses, Jo has finished all nine of his professional fights, five of those via KO and four via submission. Impressively, Jo has been a belt holder for numerous organizations in his short nine-fight professional career. Spending a majority of his career in Kunlun Fight, a Chinese kickboxing promotion, Bin Jo racked up four straight wins before being signed by Top FC. In just his two fights with Top FC, he was able to earn two KO victories and earn the interim Featherweight title before the UFC took notice and signed him to their roster.

Now, the freshly signed Featherweight gets to showcase his skills at the highest level. There will be plenty of eyes on the newcomer as he looks to showcase his exciting skillset taking on a struggling Daniel Teymur, who has lost his last two bouts via submission. The well-rounded Sung Bin Jo will kick-off the main card on ESPN+ as the first of six fights. Keep an eye on the Korean prospect as he could quickly climb the rankings if he can string together some impressive performances early on in his UFC career.