UFC Fight Night: Ding Meng vs Jose Henrique Souza Preview & Prediction
Two knockout fighters both get their UFC shot in Macau, Ding Meng makes his long-awaited debut against Brazil’s Jose Henrique Souza in a welterweight bout.
Ding Meng vs Jose Henrique Souza facts
What time are Ding Meng and Jose Henrique Souza expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo? Galaxy Arena, Macau SAR, China
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 277
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo main card
Song Yadong vs Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight)
Zhang Mingyang vs Alonzo Menifield (Light Heavyweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight)
Kai Asakura vs Cameron Smotherman (Bantamweight)
Alex Perez vs Su Mudaerji (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo prelims
Lee Yi-sak vs Luis Felipe Dias (Middleweight)
Ding Meng vs Jose Henrique Souza (Welterweight)
Aori Qileng vs Cody Haddon (Bantamweight)
Angela Hill vs Xiong Jingnan (Women’s Strawweight)
Loma Lookboonmee vs Jaqueline Amorim (Women’s Strawweight)
Zhu Kangjie vs Rodrigo Vera (Featherweight)
Rei Tsuruya vs Luis Gurule (Bantamweight)
Jake Matthews vs Carlston Harris (Welterweight)
Ding Meng: Chinese finishing artist finally gets his shot after 40+ fights
Ding Meng (35-9) arrives in the UFC after a remarkable journey, 30 of his 35 victories coming by finish, 28 by knockout. The 6’2 welterweight fighter stays loose at range, throwing lighter shots before cracking with immense power once he draws opponents into range. He’s at his most dangerous when trapping opponents onto the fence, where he targets the body viciously in the finishing sequences, he can also mix in takedowns from the clinch. His DWCS loss to Hamed exposed him though, he struggled to track down a mobile opponent and grew visibly frustrated.
Jose Henrique Souza: Young Brazilian debutant with rangy kickboxing
Jose Henrique Souza (8-1) is a young Brazilian whose UFC debut has been repeatedly delayed, multiple bookings against the likes of Charles Radtke, Nikolay Veretennikov, and Eric Nolan collapsed. Along with that he also had a two year doping suspension which stalled his career. His only defeat came from a KO on the Contender Series to Kinoshita in 2022. Souza is a patient kickboxer who can fight in both stances, uses his frame well behind a long jab and teep, and stalks his prey rather than rushing in. Defensively he relies a little too much on his range and little else.
Ding Meng vs Jose Henrique Souza prediction
Both men have spent their entire careers on the regional scene, so this is as much about who handles the debut nerves as it is about their skill.
The tape study points one way. Souza relies too much on his size and reach, and his busy outside game doesn’t offer much defensively, and lesser opponents have still found a home for their shots. Meng’s power, body work, and ability to fold opponents on the fence will punish that. Meng’s weakness comes from tracking fighters down but Souza doesn’t move around that well.
Once Meng closes the distance and gets Souza trapped, his finishing instinct will kick in and the mixture of strikes to the body and head should take over. We’ve seen Souza’s chin be cracked on the Contender Series, and Meng possesses more than enough power to do the same here.
Prediction: Ding Meng to win by KO/TKO
