Rafael Dos Anjos previews Road to UFC 2 Lightweight Semi-Finals

14 August 2023

Less than a fortnight remains until the highly anticipated return of the UFC to Singapore, bringing forth UFC FIGHT NIGHT: HOLLOWAY vs. THE KOREAN ZOMBIE! Set to unfold on August 26, this event will witness the collision of elite featherweight talents: Max "Blessed" Holloway, the former title contender holding the No. 1 rank, against "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung, the formidable No. 8-ranked contender.

Also on the weekend is the Road to UFC 2 Semi-Finals. Former UFC Lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos pitched in his take on the semi-finals recently and here is what he had to say.

"As the former UFC lightweight champion, I'd like to share my thoughts on the Road to UFC lightweights in the semifinals. The first is Rongzhu versus Sangwook Kim. I think Rongzhu is an experienced fighter with a lot of finishes. He will start strong, and Sangwook will have to be well-prepared to handle that pressure in order to impose his will.

"Here are my thoughts on Shin Haraguchi and Batebolati's fight. Haraguchi's wrestling background can make a huge difference in this fight. He's undefeated and hungry. Batebolati may be able to compensate with his experience and leave with the win if he manages to find his base and not leave the decision to the judges."

Kicking off the second season of ROAD TO UFC, the inaugural round unfolded on May 27 and 28 at the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. Within this intense arena, a total of 32 martial arts athletes contested in each of the four distinct men's weight divisions. Notably, the lightweight category (>70.3kg) yielded four victors who advanced to the semifinal stage:

One of the notable contenders is former UFC athlete and accomplished finisher Rongzhu (23-5, representing Sichuan, China), who is set to cross paths with the well-rounded combatant Sangwook Kim (9-2, hailing from Seoul, South Korea).

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Meanwhile, the powerhouse wrestler Shin Haraguchi (6-0-1NC, proudly representing Kagoshima, Japan) is poised to collide with the dynamic pressure striker Bahatebole Batebolati (8-1-1, fighting out of Beijing, China). This pairing promises a clash of contrasting styles and strategies that will undoubtedly captivate the MMA enthusiasts' attention.

What are your predictions?