The Road to UFC tournament is back for another year and aims to give top prospects a chance to impress the UFC brass in an attempt to earn a contract with the company. The show’s premiere takes place on May 22 and 23, and streams live on UFC Fight Pass from the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai in China.
- Namsrai Batbayar (7-1, One Team Fighting Center, Mongolia)
- Agu Lali (12-1, Enbo Fight Club, China)
- Mridul Saikia (8-0, Dojang MMA, India)
- Aaron Tau (9-1, City Kickboxing, New Zealand)
- Rio Tirto (8-0, Warrior Golden Genning, Indonesia)
- Wataru Yamauichi (7-1, Fight Farm, Japan)
- Shuai Yin (17-5, Black Tiger Fight Club, China)
- Kai Yoshida (6-1, Karatedo Gojuryu Hobukan, Japan)
Aaron Tau is likely the most familiar name on the entire Road to UFC season due to his inclusion on last season’s Dana White’s Contender Series. On that showing, he was outgunned by now-UFC fighter Elijah Smith, despite showing some serious toughness and a style that is fan friendly. He gets a second shot here on Road to the UFC, where he is among a crew of fighters that is not the most impressive. The City Kickboxing rep shares this tournament with mostly fighters that have only fought .500 or sub-.500 guys. Tau should be considered the big fish in the little pond of this tournament.
Just 19 years old, Agu Lali is already highly experienced for his age and has been impressive in his pro career thus far. As mentioned, this isn’t the strongest assembly of talent, but this is a tournament that Lali could use as his coming out party. He is most known for his viral twister finish, showing that he has big skills on the mat. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Chinese fighter in the finals (likely against Tau, depending on tournament placement).
Lali’s opponent is Mridul Saikia, an Indian fighter who has yet to taste defeat. It’s hard to call an undefeated fighter a longshot in this tournament, but the talent development in India is still suspect, especially when compared to places like China, Japan and South Korea, which is heavily represented in this season of Road to UFC. Saikia has a tough first fight but can shock the audience with a win en route to a semifinal berth.
Namsrai Batbayar is a 100% finisher from Mongolia whose only loss comes to UFC fighter Nyamjargal Tumendemberel, where he was submitted. Like most Mongolian fighters, he’s an aggressive striker, but is best known for his wrestling and top grappling. He could be a solid contender in this tournament.
Rio Tirto is an undefeated fighter, though the Indonesian scene has guys that are developmental. Tirto appears to be one of those fighters who has potential but may not be ready for the step up in competition. He will be greatly tested and we will get an idea of how progressed his game is right now.
Wataru Yamauichi is a Shooto veteran who has gone to decision in most of his fights but has been fairly dominant in those wins. His only loss came against a very experienced opponent. Yamauichi, especially in his quarterfinal matchup, will likely want to strike.
Shuai Yin is the most experienced fighter in this tournament and has already fought on a previous Road to UFC, where he was bested by Kiru Sahota. His experience may give him an advantage in this tournament, especially considering he has fought some noteworthy opponents.
Lastly, Kai Yoshida is a striker that is going to try and dazzle fans with his hunt for the knockout. He is among the less-experienced fighters in this tournament and has a tough quarterfinal test in Yin. He’s likely a longshot, but could surprise us, especially considering his power.