It was a bit surprising that the UFC signed Yoo outright, but he
figured to be a fun addition to the proceedings at featherweight.
An impressive athlete with a fairly straight-ahead game, Yoo has
continually looked ready and willing to go to war with his
opponents either on the feet or on the mat. There are some
questions as to how well Yoo can handle himself down the stretch
against opponents who can match him in terms of athleticism and his
wrestling, but one fight in, so far so good. Yoo’s UFC debut
against Jeka
Saragih in June saw him score a brutal knockout in just 28
seconds. Santos should be a tougher challenge, particularly since
the Brazilian’s toughness might be his best weapon. Coming out of a
Diego Lima-fronted Chute Boxe Diego team that typically favors
aggression above all else, “Willycat” has the requisite level of
doggedness and durability to make that work. Julio Arce
was able to outmaneuver Santos in his UFC debut back in 2022, but
since then his toughest opponent has been the scale, as he
constantly tried to make 135 pounds despite a series of
unsuccessful weight cuts. Santos finally gave up the ghost and
moved up to featherweight for a bout against Jeong Yeong
Lee in May, and the results were excellent. Santos looked like
the best version of his old self, setting a pace that Lee could not
match and constantly pressing the action with his striking and his
wrestling. This is a big test for Yoo. Santos has yet to be knocked
out despite his willingness to eat shots, and it’s unclear how well
his typical backup plan of wrestling will work against what might
be the best wrestler he has faced to date. Yoo does look like the
better athlete, so he might be up to the task, but the lean goes to
Santos as the more proven quantity over the long haul. The pick is
Santos via decision.
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