UFC: Chinese ‘Assassin’ Song Kenan looks to finish Max Griffin – and to let the buzz start building
- Song rides a 4-1 run into UFC Vegas 22 on Saturday night with a welterweight ranking in his sights
- ‘I feel like they are seeing how good I can be. I think I need to finish him in a very short time,’ Song says
Song Kenan has so far been content to let the hype build around other fighters within the UFC’s growing band of Chinese stars but all that could change when the welterweight returns to action this weekend.
Ahead, at UFC Vegas 22, for the 31-year-old “Assassin” (16-5) lies the veteran American Max Griffin (16-8) and a chance to make the world sit up and take notice.
“I feel like this is a test,” Song tells SCMP MMA. “I feel like they’re seeing how good I can be. They’ve seen me grow as a fighter and they want to test me, and I want to test myself. If I can win this, I’ll go to another level.”
The 35-year-old Griffin presents the sternest test yet of Song’s credentials, despite the fact the Hebei-born fighter comes to Las Vegas with a 4-1 record in the UFC with two performance bonuses cashed in so far – an indication of how explosive, and exciting, Song’s style of fighting can be.
It’s built on his range when standing, and the accuracy and power that sometimes seemingly comes from out of nowhere. Just ask the Australian Callan Potter (18-9), who last time out – at UFC Fight Night 168 in Auckland last February – sought to bully Song, but was met in the first round by two short, sharp shoulder bunts to the face, and then a flurry, capped by a huge right, that laid him out cold with 2:20 gone.