Road to UFC Season 2

Road to UFC Season 2 is the 2023 cycle of Road to UFC, a mixed martial arts (MMA) event series in which top Asian MMA prospects compete to win contracts with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).^[1]

Road to UFC Season 2
Information
Promotion	UFC
First date aired	May 27, 2023 (2023-05-27)
← Road to UFC Season 1 Road to UFC Season 3 →

Background

The event series features four divisions— flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight—each for which eight fighters compete in a "win-and-advance" tournament format.^[2] The tournament winner for each division is awarded a UFC contract. Each event in the series is to feature five bouts including one non-tournament bout.^[3][4]

The opening quarterfinal round of the tournament was held across two days, May 27-28, 2023 at the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai, with two five-bout events for each day for a total of 10 bouts per day.^[5] The semifinals took place on August 27, 2023 – a day after UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie – at Singapore Indoor Stadium.^[6] The finals were held at the UFC Apex facility on February 3, 2024.^[7]

Episode 1

Road to UFC: Episode 1
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	May 27, 2023
Venue	UFC Performance Institute Shanghai
City	Shanghai, China

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Featherweight	Kim Sang-won	def.	Keisuke Sasu	KO (punches)	2	1:42	[a]
Flyweight	Mark Climaco	def.	Lee Jung-hyun	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00	[b]
Featherweight	Yi Zha	def.	Wuziazibieke Jiahefu	Submission (armbar)	1	2:28	[c]
Flyweight	Rei Tsuruya	def.	Ronal Siahaan	Submission (scarf hold armlock)	2	1:19	[d]
Flyweight	Nyamjargal Tumendemberel	def.	Topnoi Kiwram	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)	3	5:00

1. Featherweight quarterfinals
2. Flyweight quarterfinals
3. Featherweight quarterfinals
4. Flyweight quarterfinals

Episode 2

Road to UFC: Episode 2
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	May 27, 2023
Venue	UFC Performance Institute Shanghai
City	Shanghai, China

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Featherweight	Li Kaiwen	def.	Lu Kai	KO (punches)	1	1:11	[a]
Flyweight	Choi Seung-guk	def.	Sumit Kumar	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00	[b]
Featherweight	Kouya Kanda	def.	Yibugele	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)	3	5:00	[c]
Flyweight	Ji Niushiyue	def.	Billy Pasulatan	TKO (punches)	1	3:04	[d]
Welterweight	Taiyilake Nueraji	def.	Kim Han-seul	KO (elbow)	2	1:38

1. Featherweight quarterfinals
2. Flyweight quarterfinals
3. Featherweight quarterfinals
4. Flyweight quarterfinals

Episode 3

Road to UFC: Episode 3
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	May 28, 2023
Venue	UFC Performance Institute Shanghai
City	Shanghai, China

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Rong Zhu	def.	Hong Seong-chan	TKO (punches)	1	2:17	[a]
Bantamweight	Shuya Kamikubo	def.	Jieleyisi Baergeng	Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 29–28)	3	5:00	[b]
Lightweight	Kim Sang-wook	def.	Kazuma Maruyama	Submission (barbo choke)	1	3:08	[c]
Bantamweight	Xiao Long	def.	Shohei Nose	Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)	3	5:00	[d]
Welterweight	Yoo Sang-hoon	def.	Chris Hofmann	TKO (knee and punches)	3	3:10

1. Lightweight quarterfinals
2. Bantamweight quarterfinals
3. Lightweight quarterfinals
4. Bantamweight quarterfinals

Episode 4

Road to UFC: Episode 4
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	May 28, 2023
Venue	UFC Performance Institute Shanghai
City	Shanghai, China

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Batebolati Bahatebole	def.	Ki Won-bin	Disqualification (punches to back of head)	2	2:22	[a]
Bantamweight	Lee Chang-ho	def.	Rudra Pratap Singh	TKO (elbows and punches)	1	3:52	[b]
Lightweight	Shin Haraguchi	def.	Wendris Patilima	TKO (punches)	2	1:25	[c]
Bantamweight	Daermisi Zhawupasi	def.	Eperaim Ginting	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	0:58	[d]
Flyweight	Peter Danasoe	def.	Sim Kai Xiong	KO (flying knee)	1	4:23

1. Lightweight quarterfinals
2. Bantamweight quarterfinals
3. Lightweight quarterfinals
4. Bantamweight quarterfinals

Episode 5

Road to UFC: Episode 5
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	August 27, 2023
Venue	Singapore Indoor Stadium
City	Kallang, Singapore

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Featherweight	Li Kai Wen	def.	Koya Kanda	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00	[a]
Flyweight	Ji Niushiyue	def.	Choi Seung-guk	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00	[b]
Featherweight	Yi Zha	def.	Kim Sang-won	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00	[c]
Flyweight	Rei Tsuruya	def.	Mark Climaco	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–27)	3	5:00	[d]
Flyweight	Nyamjargal Tumendemberel	def.	Peter Danasoe	Technical Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	1:02

1. Featherweight semifinals
2. Flyweight semifinals
3. Featherweight semifinals
4. Flyweight semifinals

Episode 6

Road to UFC: Episode 6
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	August 27, 2023
Venue	Singapore Indoor Stadium
City	Kallang, Singapore

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Shin Haraguchi	def.	Park Jae-hyun	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00	[a]
Bantamweight	Lee Chang-ho	def.	Daermisi Zhawupasi	TKO (punches)	3	3:35	[b]
Featherweight	Rong Zhu	def.	Kim Sang-wook	Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00	[c]
Bantamweight	Xiao Long	def.	Shuya Kamikubo	Decision (majority) (29–28, 29–27, 28–28)	3	5:00	[d]

1. Lightweight semifinals
2. Bantamweight semifinals
3. Lightweight semifinals
4. Bantamweight semifinals

Episode 7

Road to UFC: Episode 7
Promotion	Road to UFC
Date	February 3, 2024
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

The bantamweight final between Xiao Long and Lee Chang-ho was scheduled for this episode. However. Xiao was forced out of the bout due to visa issues and an undisclosed injury. The bout eventually took place at UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov.^[8]

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Rong Zhu	def.	Shin Haraguchi	Submission (rear-naked choke)	3	3:06	[a]
Featherweight	Yi Zha	def.	Li Kai Wen	Submission (armbar)	1	3:03	[b]
Flyweight	Rei Tsuruya	def.	Ji Niushiyue	TKO (punches)	1	4:59	[c]

1. Lightweight Finals
2. Featherweight Finals. Li missed weight (149.5 lb).
3. Flyweight Finals

Flyweight tournament bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Rei Tsuruya	SUB
	Ronal Siahaan	2
					Rei Tsuruya	UD
					Mark Climaco	3
	Mark Climaco	UD
	Lee Jung-hyun	3
									Rei Tsuruya	TKO
									Ji Niushiyue	1
	Ji Niushiyue	TKO
	Billy Pasulatan	1
					Ji Niushiyue	UD
					Choi Seung-guk	3
	Sumit Kumar	3
	Choi Seung-guk	UD

Bantamweight tournament bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Xiao Long	SD
	Shohei Nose	3
					Xiao Long	MD
					Shuya Kamikubo	3
	Shuya Kamikubo	SD
	Jieleyisi Baergeng	3
									Xiao Long	3
									Lee Chang-ho	SD
	Eperaim Ginting	1
	Daermisi Zhawupasi	SUB
					Daermisi Zhawupasi	3
					Lee Chang-ho	TKO
	Lee Chang-ho	TKO
	Rudra Pratap Singh	1

Featherweight tournament bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Yi Zha	SUB
	Wuziazibieke Jiahefu	1
					Yi Zha	UD
					Kim Sang-won	3
	Keisuke Sasu	2
	Kim Sang-won	KO
									Yi Zha	SUB
									Li Kai Wen	1
	Yibugele	3
	Kouya Kanda	UD
					Kouya Kanda	3
					Li Kai Wen	UD
	Li Kai Wen	KO
	Lu Kai	1

Lightweight tournament bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Hong Seong-chan	1
	Rong Zhu	TKO
					Rong Zhu	UD
					Kim Sang-wook	3
	Kazuma Maruyama	1
	Kim Sang-wook	SUB
									Rong Zhu	SUB
									Shin Haraguchi	3
	Wendris Patilima	2
	Shin Haraguchi	TKO
					Shin Haraguchi	UD
					Park Jae-hyun*	3
	Ki Won-bin	2
	Batebolati Bahatebole	DQ

• Park Jae-hyun, who was scheduled to fight Quillan Salkilld in a non-tournament bout, replaced Batebolati Bahatebole who weighed in at 161lbs and was not medically cleared to fight.

External links

• Road to UFC

See also

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
• Road to UFC