Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi Preview
Kiru Singh Sahota will make history when he steps into the octagon to face DongHun Choi on Saturday, November 23rd. The Brit will become the first ever South Asian and Sikh fighter in UFC. He and Choi clash in the Galaxy Arena on Saturday at UFC Fight Night Macau.
However, he comes up against stiff competition in his UFC debut. This is a massive test for the Huddersfield native against an undefeated South Korean. Singh wants to become the UK’s first Sikh UFC fighter and believes he can secure a contract. Victory will change these fighters’ lives increasing their earning potential. Can Sahota topple the undefeated Choi or will the South Korean put an early stop to a potential new hype train on the block?
Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Kiru Singh Sahota is an experienced veteran with a 12-2 record. The 29-year-old trains out of Manchester Top Ten and has a 50% KO record. He’s currently riding a three-fight win streak with his last two fights on the Road to UFC. Sahota now makes his debut in the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
This opportunity has taken him around the world. He defeated Shuai Yin by a split decision in Shanghai this year. Then he defeated Ruel Pañales in the semifinals in Las Vegas. Previously, Sahota fought for promotions, including BMF MMA, Venator FC, and Cage Warriors. However, the flyweight’s only appearance with the latter was a defeat.
Fight Camp at @McrTopTeam 👊🏽 road to UFC 23rd November at UFC Fight Night Macau#ufc #punjabi #mma #manchester pic.twitter.com/5MqxKVt7h4
— Kiru Singh Sahota (@KiruSinghSahota) October 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Choi is riding an eight-fight win streak. Both of his Road to UFC victories came by split decision. He defeated Angad Bisht and Niushiyue Ji to reach this stage. The Korean starlet also fought in Gladiator and Top FC in Asia. He has three KO wins on his record but has never won by submission.
Sahota enjoys popular support in Manchester and his hometown, Huddersfield. He also sees himself as an inspiration for Punjabi Sikhs because very few are professional athletes in the UK. He wants to help young people to follow their dreams and take risks like he did.
The statistics suggest Sahota is more likely to finish this fight. He has two submissions on his record with both coming by rear-naked choke in 2018. The Briton also has a higher finishing percentage at 50%. Choi is more likely to win by decision, although this may not be enough to secure his future in the UFC.
Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi Predictions
Fight Prediction: Kiru Sahota to win by decision
Kiru Sahota enters this fight as an underdog on our sports betting site. However, he has significantly more experience than his opponent. He’s also a prolific finisher with submission and KO victories. Our MMA prediction is for the underdog to upset the odds in this bout.
Sahota’s length makes him very awkward for his fellow flyweights. The Huddersfield star used this to his advantage in his previous fight against Raul Pañales in the semifinal. Pañales struggled to close the distance as Sahota maintained his range. He won an efficient victory on the judge’s scorecards and we could see this happening again.
We also think that Sahota is more likely to finish this fight than Choi. He appears to have more methods of victory than the Korean fighter. The stats suggest he has a superior knockout threat and is more likely to win by submission. He also has more experience against better opponents, something to consider if you want to bet on the UFC this weekend.
Some highlights from my latest fight at the UFC Apex in Vegas. Fight news soon. You already know the op. pic.twitter.com/5kyvxO55Kc
— Kiru Singh Sahota (@KiruSinghSahota) September 3, 2024
However, Choi is a tough young athlete. He impressed fans when he defeated Angad Bisht last time out. The UFC identified the highly touted Bisht as a potential star in the Indian market. Choi endured adversity as he came back to knock Bisht down. The 25-year-old may have a higher ceiling than Sahota. However, he’s not the finished article yet.
Choi has the technical ability to win this fight. We think it’s more likely that he’ll win by decision. His recent split decisions show that he struggles to convince judges he’s earned a victory. He needs to be more decisive and have bigger moments. We’re not sure he’ll manage this against a wily veteran like Sahota.
Both athletes train with decent gyms. Choi fights out of Team Mad, one of Korea’s most respected MMA institutions. However, he is based out of the Pohang branch, not their most prestigious gym in Busan. Meanwhile, Sahota trains alongside Lerone Murphy at Manchester Top Team, one of the UK’s best MMA gyms. We think Sahota will have better preparation.
In-play betting always makes sense for combat sports like MMA and boxing. Choi made an outstanding comeback against Bisht in the semifinal. The odds can shift when a fighter experiences adversity, so check them out.
Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi Betting Tips
South Korea’s DongHun Choi enters this fight as a favourite at Novibet. It’s 7/10 for him to secure an outright victory against his English opponent. A €10 stake would see returns of €17 if successful. This is quite lucrative and could be tempting for players.
We prefer a bet on Sahota for the upset victory at 11/10. The same stake would see a nice €11 profit. This isn’t the most high-profile bout at UFC Macau. However, it’s an excellent one for MMA betting fans because the odds are close and there’s going to be action. We believe Sahota will finish Choi.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is Lone’er Kavanagh Fight Week #UFCMacau pic.twitter.com/FQN54B5EaT
— Patrick McCorry (@Patrick_McCorry) November 18, 2024
Other options include the method of victory. Sahota can enhance his 50% KO record here by knocking out Choi. This won’t be easy because Choi is entering this bout with confidence. Nobody has previously beaten him, so it will be fascinating to see how he reacts if Sahota puts him under pressure.
Statistically, Sahota is also more likely to submit Choi. However, his submission victories came in his first two fights so they probably don’t count for much. He’s happy to grab the neck if the opportunity arises, so it’s not impossible. Choi is more likely to win by ground and pound from the top position.
Choi also has power in his hands but doesn’t have the finishes to match. We saw him drop Angad Bisht in his previous match. Sahota must respect the Korean’s power because he is a dangerous opponent. Choi might also have better wrestling and could use his clinch game to significant effect.
Consider an over-under bet too. We think this fight could finish before it reaches 2.5 rounds. Both men are desperate to impress in the biggest moment of their careers so far. A safe decision isn’t going to impress the UFC top brass, so they’ll want to make a big statement.
Players can also choose the round this fight will end. We think the second is the most likely because the first will be a feeling-out process. This has the potential to be one of the most under-the-radar fights of the year.
There is a stacked UFC fight card to bet on this weekend. You can bet on Deiveson Figueiredo as he faces Petr Yan in a massive bantamweight main event. Both men have fists of fury, so this is an unmissable match. Xiaonan Yan fights Tabatha Ricci in another bout with potential title ramifications. Meanwhile, former Cage Warriors starlet Lone’er Kavanagh makes his UFC debut against Peru’s Jose Ochoa. Consider creating an accumulator to enhance the odds!
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Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi Outcome
A UFC contract is the immediate outcome for the winner of this fight. This is the Road to UFC final, so it’s a given that one of them will secure this life-changing achievement. Flyweight is a thin division, so there’s plenty of scope for them to rise quickly through the ranks.
Sahota will be desperate to win because the UFC doesn’t sign many fighters over 30 these days. They also opted against signing Danni McCormack despite her impressive victory on Road to UFC earlier this year. There is a tremendous opportunity for Choi to become Korea’s next big star, while Sahota also represents a distinct market. However, the UFC is also ruthless with flyweights, so they must keep winning.
UFC Fight Night Macau Full Card
- Petr Yan vs Deiveson Figueiredo (main event)
- Xiaonan Yan vs Tabatha Ricci
- Kenan Song vs Muslim Salikhov
- Cong Wang vs Gabriella Fernandes
- Volkan Oezdemir vs Carlos Ulberg
- Ozzy Diaz vs Mingyang Zhang
- Su Young You vs Balgyn Jenisuly
- Kiru Singh Sahota vs DongHun Choi
- Xiaocan Feng vs Ming Shi
- Carlos Hernandez vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
- Lone’er Kavanagh vs Jose Ochoa
- Long Xiao vs Quang Le
- Maheshate Hayisaer vs Nikolas Motta
