UFC Fight Night 263: Philip Rowe vs Ko Seok-hyun Preview & Prediction
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Welterweights throw down in our second fight of the night, with Ko Seok-Hyun looking to build on the momentum of a spectacular debut in June against the veteran, Philip Rowe.
Philip Rowe vs Ko Seok-hyun facts
What time are Philip Rowe and Ko Seok-hyun expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama? UFC Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 263
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama main card
Steve Garcia vs David Onama (Featherweight)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Ante Delija (Heavyweight)
Jeremiah Wells vs Themba Gorimbo (Welterweight)
Isaac Dulgarian vs Yadier del Valle (Featherweight)
Charles Radtke vs Daniel Frunza (Welterweight)
Allan Nascimento vs Cody Durden (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night 263: Garcia vs Onama prelims
Billy Elekana vs Kevin Christian (Light Heavyweight)
Timothy Cuamba vs Lee Chang-ho (Bantamweight)
Donte Johnson vs Sedriques Dumas (Middleweight)
Ketlen Vieira vs Norma Dumont (Women’s Bantamweight)
Alice Ardelean vs Montserrat Ruiz (Women’s Strawweight)
Philip Rowe vs Ko Seok-hyun (Welterweight)
Talita Alencar vs Ariane Carnelossi (Women’s Strawweight)
Philip Rowe: Can "Philly Fresh" score back-to-back UFC wins for the first time since 2022?
A UFC competitor since 2019, Phil Rowe (11-5) makes his return following an exceedingly brutal third round TKO victory over Ange Loosa in June, a win that saw him snap a two fight losing streak. Despite his lengthy time in the prmotion, the American has only fought six times in the UFC, dabbling in multiple grappling competitions outside of his MMA career. A notorious slow starter, Rowe tends to build into his fights as they progress, a state of affairs that usually sees him score a late finish or come up short by a whisker on the judges' scorecards.
Ko Seok-hyun: Ko aims to build on the momentum of an upset debut victory over Oban Elliott
Arriving in the UFC via DWCS, few gave Ko Seok-hyun (12-2) much of a chance against Oban Elliot in his debut. However, "The Korean Tyson" clearly hadn't read the script; Ko proceeded to absolutely dominate the Welshman from pillar to post for one of the more impressive debuts in recent memory. An underrated grappler with polished boxing, the 32 year old Ko has six career victories by KO. However, it's also worth noting that he's been knocked out in both of his professional defeats to date.
Philip Rowe vs Ko Seok-hyun prediction
A wily veteran of the game with an impressive bag of tricks up his sleeve, Rowe is undoubtedly capable of slamming the brakes on Ko's hype train. The real question is whether "The Korean Tyson" fits the mold of opponents that "Philly Fresh" has historically been able to outlast and score a finish against.
The tentative answer is "no." Flawless debutants have crashed and burned in the immediate aftermath of a spectacular first performance, but Ko simply looks too high level to fall into the age old trap of gassing out and capitulating.
While basing a prediction off the outcome of single fight may seem like a push, it's hard to discount just how good Ko looked against Elliott last time out. The South Korean fighter was faultless in the limited striking exchanges and he completely big-brothered "The Welsh Gangster" on the mat; the area of the fight in which Elliott was deemed to have a major advantage.
Ko also has nasty power on the feet and is likely to inflict considerable damage early thanks to Rowe's status as a slow starter. The American is tough enough that he'll probably survive to see a decision, but he won't be winning it.
Prediction: Ko Seok-hyun to win by decision
