Prediction: Su Young You via Decision
Xiao is a strong, grounded striker who plants his feet and looks to generate as much power as possible with every shot. He’s got very reliable takedown defense, instantly lowering his stance and digging for underhooks the moment his opponent even thinks about shooting. That ability to stuff entries has kept a lot of wrestlers from having success against him, and if You was just a one-dimensional grappler, this would be a much tougher pick.
But You is not a one-dimensional guy. His jiu jitsu is high-level — slick transitions, strong control, and a proven ability to find submissions even against opponents who know what’s coming. What makes him dangerous here is that he can actually get the fight to his world by forcing mistakes. His footwork on the feet does a ton of work for him; he darts in and out of range, never staying stuck where big, planted punches can touch him. Over time, that kind of movement breaks the rhythm of a power puncher like Xiao, who needs you in front of him to set his feet and fire. Once Xiao starts overcommitting to try and catch him, that’s when You’s grappling lanes start to open up.
On the feet, You isn’t flashy, but he’s effective. He mixes his entries well, and even if he doesn’t land clean, he forces his opponents to reset while he circles out. Against someone like Xiao, who thrives in stationary exchanges, that’s huge. The longer the fight goes, the more Xiao will be chasing, and the more You can dictate where the exchanges take place. That creates a domino effect: Xiao’s big power gets neutralized, his defensive posture becomes more predictable, and You can start chaining his footwork into grappling sequences without burning himself out.