UFC 202 fight card: Hyun Gyu Lim vs Mike Perry full fight preview

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender Hyun Gyu Lim and Mike Perry throw down this Saturday (Aug. 20, 2016) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lim has slipped up in his pair of fights with top competition, but otherwise he’s been pretty flawless. Opposite a debuting opponent, Lim is planning to bring the violence. Meanwhile, Perry may be an unknown, but he’s been given a big opportunity here. On the main card of one of the biggest pay-per-views (PPV) of the year, Perry has a chance to announce himself as a major fighter to watch.

Let's break it down:

Hyun Gyu Lim
Record: 13-5-1
Key Wins: Pascal Krauss (UFC 164), Marcelo Guimaraes (UFC on Fuel TV 8)
Key Losses: Tarec Saffiedine (UFC Fight Night 34), Neil Magny (UFC Fight Night 66)
Keys to Victory: Lim is a physical force in his division. One of the largest Welterweights on the roster, the South Korean fighter simply mauls most of his opponents.

For better or worse, that's pretty much his entire strategy.

Opposite a short-notice opponent, that should work pretty well. However, Lim does need to be a bit wary, as Perry has knocked out each and every one of his opponents in the first two rounds. With that in mind, Lim should rely on his dangerous clinch game. At that distance, it will be harder for Perry to uncork his power punches cleanly.

Additionally, fighting in the clinch is very exhausting. Since his opponent has taken this bout on about two weeks notice, conditioning is likely to be an issue for the young fighter.

If Lim can force his opponent to fatigue, a knockout is on its way.

VS.

Mike Perry
Record: 6-0
Key Wins: Dave Mundell (Battleground), Jon Manley (Premier FC 18)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: An undefeated professional with a successful amateur career in MMA, boxing, and kickboxing, Perry is a very athletic and dangerous striker. He's riding quite a wave right now, and fans can be certain that Perry intends to come out firing.

Debuting against a UFC veteran with vicious knockout power on short notice is hardly ideal, but at least the style match up isn't the worst. Perry prefers to stand and bang, and there's no doubt his opponent will oblige.

At the very least, Perry has a real puncher's chance.

To increase that chance, Perry needs to maintain his distance. Lim is a tall and long fighter, but he's not particularly good at using his range. He has a habit of lunging in, and that's something a skilled striker like Perry can capitalize on. Additionally, Perry could take a page from Saffiedine's book and look to land some hard low kicks early. He likely won't be able to cripple "Ace" like Saffiedine did, but he could get him to rush into a counter punch.

Bottom Line: It may not truly be PPV-worthy, but it should be fun.

Lim has proven to be a dangerous fighter, but he hasn’t been the most consistent. On the whole, he simply hasn’t fought that frequently, and it’s never a good sign that he’s been dominated in both of his scraps with ranked opposition.

If he comes up short here, it may be time to end any talk of Lim as a potential contender.

On the other hand, it is a chance for Lim to remind fans of his devastating finishing ability. When able to play his game and unleash, Lim is a terrifying slugger that the UFC would love to do well.

As the short-notice replacement, expectations are low for Perry among the average fight fan. However, the UFC doesn’t often give these opportunities to just anyone -- it’s usually a skilled fighter already on their radar. With that in mind, Perry has the chance to announce himself in a big way. Should he continue his knockout streak, he’ll immediately become a fighter to watch in one of UFC’s most talent-rich divisions.

At UFC 202, Hyun Gyu Lim and Mike Perry will go to war. Which fighter will remain standing when the dust settles?