Nam Phan prepares to take on Tiequan Zhang at UFC 144 in Japan, substitutes Leonard Garcia
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is finalising the bouts for its upcoming pay-per-view, UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. According to the latest update, Nam Phan, UFC’s 38th ranked featherweight, has decided to substitute the injured Leonard Garcia to clash with the Chinese mixed martial art sensation Tiequan Zhang.
This is for the very first time that UFC has entered Japan since its last presence in December 2000, when it organised the UFC 29 pay-per-view. The special edition will take place at Saitama Super Arena situated in the Saitama City of Japan, a heaven of mixed martial art brawlers. Nam Phan and Tiequan Zhang both are considered as fighters who have created havoc in the featherweight division of UFC.
The records, statistics and their impressive ability and agility to take on their opponents is quiet startling especially when it comes to Zhang, the Mongolian Wolf. Zhang currently ranks at 45th in UFC and has entered the brutal octagonal ring a total 20 times. Zhang has emphatically collected a total 18 wins and most of them by making his opponents submit, 10 to be specific. Though the knockout percentage and capability of the 33-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist lacks a bit, yet this scenario does not give Nam Phan, the American who originally hails from Vietnam, an upper hand over his current opponent.
Nam Phan has more experience no doubt in that. He has thrown himself in the messy and bloody UFC ring a total 28 times. Out of all those competitors he was able to pin 17 opponents and got brutally beaten by 11. His losses gave him a huge experience and insight as compared to his wins.
If we take a look at the fighting strategy and capability of both men, a clear cut throat competition is visible. Nam heavily relies on his striking and hence knockout attribute that is 80%. On the other hand his submission ability and the efficiency to take down the opponents are extremely low, 13% and 7% respectively.
On the contrary, the Mongolian Wolf, who idolises Genghis Khan, is a master of submission manoeuvres and tactics. He strives hard, approximately 78%, to grab his opponent in any of his submitting move whether its armbar, neck crank, guillotine choke, or ankle lock, one cannot unlock his grip or absorb the deep pain inflicted by Zhang’s grip. It is this reason why the Chinese proud is being considered as a lethal opponent and is being denoted as the favourite in UFC 144 bout.
The bout is scheduled to take place on February 25, 2012 and will definitely put forth the Japanese MMA fanatics a great show who have awaited the apex organisation’s return.
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About The Author
Nam Phan has only fought 4 times in the UFC so far, and is 1-3 in doing so. His other fights were all for other MMA promotions, not the UFC.