Preview: UFC 253 ‘Adesanya vs. Costa’ Prelims

Featherweights

Shane Young (13-4) vs. Ludovit Klein (16-2)

ODDS: Young (-130), Klein (+100)

Things have certainly gone uphill for Shane Young since his UFC debut. The New Zealand native made it to the big time the hard way, as he was brought in as a late replacement and subsequently smashed by future featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. While Young has been relatively inactive in the years since, he has looked good whenever he has stepped inside the cage, showing a strong and diverse kickboxing game and mixing in his wrestling as needed. Young was initially slated to face Nate Landwehr in what would have been a sure banger, but the UFC did well to find a fun replacement for Landwehr in Klein. The UFC’s first fighter out of Slovakia, Klein is an intriguing prospect in his own right. Armed with a powerful striking game, he features a particularly brutal head kick that has helped finish his last two bouts. There is some concern for Klein when he faces better wrestlers or higher-paced fighters, and while Young should test the latter, the promotional newcomer looks like the much more powerful and dangerous athlete. Young has proven his durability, so this should be a 15-minute war. The pick is for Klein to hit the harder shots and take the decision win.

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