Preview: UFC Fight Night 198 Prelims

Featherweights

NR | Sean Soriano (14-7, 0-4 UFC) vs. NR | Nuerdanbieke Shayilan (19-7, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Soriano (-275), Nuerdanbieke (+235)

Perhaps Soriano’s second UFC run will go better than the first. Soriano was a well-regarded prospect upon hitting the UFC for the first time in 2014, but in retrospect, he had some bad luck in terms of matchmaking. Tatsuya Kawajiri was an obvious tough ask from the jump, while Chas Skelly and Charles Rosa turned out to be solidly effective featherweights at the UFC level. After a regional career that was beginning to enter the globetrotting phase, Soriano got the late-notice call for UFC 262 in May and looked solid for about a round and a half before falling victim to a brabo choke from Christos Giagos. Soriano is a well-rounded fighter, but things have never truly clicked for the New Englander. While his striking has power and technique, he is often willing to let his opponents lead; and pursuing his wrestling and grappling has often led to his diving into submissions. At any rate, Soriano looks for his first UFC win against China’s Nuerdanbieke, who finds himself on the rebound after an unsuccessful UFC debut against Josh Culibao in May. Nuerdanbieke is a solid athlete, but based on his performance against Culibao, he will need to adjust his approach quickly at this level. His wrestling-heavy approach worked well on the Chinese regional scene, but it mostly got him outmaneuvered and frustrated by Culibao. Soriano is capable of the same type of performance, only with much more power behind his strikes, so this should be his fight to lose unless he charges right into the strongest parts of Nuerdanbieke’s ground game. The pick is Soriano via third-round knockout.

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