UFC Fight Night 66 fight card: Neil Magny vs Hyun Gyu Lim full fight preview

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight veterans Neil Magny and Hyun Gyu Lim will scrap this Saturday (May 16, 2015) at UFC Fight Night 66 inside Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Magny had a mediocre showing on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and then lost two straight near the start of his Octagon career, which led many to believe his time with the promotion was coming to an end. However, Magny has since gone on a six-fight win streak, finishing three of his last four foes.

Lim is still young in his UFC career, but he's been impressive thus far. In addition to finishing three opponents in violent fashion, the Korean bruiser went the distance with Top 10-ranked contender Tarec Saffiedine in a "Fight of the Night" winning war, in which "Ace" proved his heart and talent.

Let's take a look at the keys to victory for both men:

Neil Magny
Record: 14-3
Key Wins: Alex Garcia (UFC Fight Night 49), Tim Means (UFC Fight Night 40), William Macario (UFC 179)
Key Losses: Seth Baczynski (UFC Fight Night 31), Sergio Moraes (UFC 163)
Keys to Victory: Magny is a very consistent fighter and makes excellent use of his physical gifts. Utilizing a high-volume boxing attack, Magny wears his opponent down before stepping in and looking for takedowns or heavier punches.

In this fight, conditioning is Magny's path to victory. Whatever weight Magny cuts, his opponent cuts more or is less efficient, as Lim wears the effects of the weight cut very obviously as fights drag on.

Magny, meanwhile, can push a hard pace across at least three rounds.

Therefore, Magny needs to stay active in the first round while being defensively tight. To do that, Magny should look to establish his jab early and often, as it will help prevent Lim from swarming him with looping punches. In addition, Magny's footwork -- which has proven to be a large part of his game -- should help him avoid these flurries. Alternatively, Magny could look to clinch up whenever Lim gets aggressive.

After the first round, Magny can open up more but should remain cautious on his feet. Once Lim is tired, it shouldn't be too difficult for Magny to score takedowns.

Magny has proven to be relentless from top position, which is a fatigued fighter's worst nightmare.

VS.

Hyun Gyu Lim
Record: 13-4-1
Key Wins: Pascal Krauss (UFC 164), Marcelo Guimaraes (UFC on Fuel TV 8)
Key Losses: Tarec Saffiedine (UFC Fight Night 34)
Keys to Victory: While Magny uses his size to work from a distance or grind inside the clinch, Lim is looking to blow his opponent out of the water immediately. Lim possesses brutal power and huge knee strikes, two assets of his game that have resulted in 10 knockout wins.

This bout is all about cage position for Lim. If he chases his opponent around without cutting off the cage, he's likely to miss a lot, eat some jabs, and eventually end up with his own back to the fence.

That's a tiring and painful combination.

Instead, Lim needs to control his aggression and force Magny into the fence. Magny has good footwork, but he definitely has to respect Lim's punches and feints; the Korean hits too hard not to. Using that respect, Lim should look to push Magny backwards and then herd him into punches as Magny looks to circle out.

In addition, Lim could look for some takedown or clinch exchanges. Lim is physically strong and dangerous in such positions, so there's a chance he could hurt Magny even if his takedown fails. Plus, it's a definite way to ensure Magny will be in range for some power punches.

Bottom Line: This should be an entertaining fight between two of the biggest welterweights in the sport. Plus, with Magny recently earning a spot in the top 15, the winner could receive a more high profile match up.

Magny is currently on a pretty major win streak, though his competition has not yet been elite. If he manages to defeat another tough fighter in Lim -- which would make it seven in a row -- it's time for Magny to scrap with an established veteran in the top 15.

If Magny's winning ways come to an end on Saturday, his briefly earned ranking would be erased. He'd still be hovering around the top 15, but it would be a major loss of momentum,

For Lim, this is his second opportunity to break into the rankings. He put up a fight last time but was simply out-skilled. In order to be seen as a contenders, things need to go differently this time for "Ace."

With a victory, Lim likely steals Magny's position in the rankings. Considering his penchant for violence and the UFC's constant desire for international talent, Lim would be in a great position to receive a major fight in his next bout.

At UFC Fight Night 66, Neil Magny and Hyun Gyu Lim will go to war. Which fighter will walk away with a victory?