Chovancek vs You: Canadian Knockdown Power Meets "You-Jitsu"

SuYoung You goes by "You-Jitsu," and the UFC.com numbers show how hard he chases takedowns. The South Korean bantamweight, a Road to UFC alumnus, is 16-4 and has fought in the UFC since November 2024. In Edmonton he meets Canada's Cody Chovancek, whose small sample of UFC data includes one number that jumps off the page.

That number is a knockdown average of 2.95. Chovancek's stats are built on just 29 significant strikes landed out of 58 attempts, an even 50%, so the usual caution about small samples applies. Still, the picture is clear: 2.85 significant strikes landed per minute, 2.46 absorbed, 52% striking defense and 83% takedown defense. He also does a lot of work on the ground, where 34% of his significant strikes land, against 62% standing and only 3% in the clinch. He has no takedowns or submission attempts on record, and his average fight time is 10:10.

You is the smaller man, 5-foot-6 to Chovancek's 5-foot-8.5, and gives up 2.5 inches of reach, 65 to 67.5. How they compare elsewhere:

• Defense: You avoids 69% of significant strikes; Chovancek, 52%.
• Striking: You lands 2.15 per minute and absorbs 2.01 at 47% accuracy, with 88% of his work on the feet.
• Wrestling: You has attempted 48 takedowns and landed 2 (4%). On defense, he stops 67% of takedown attempts.
• Finishing: He has three knockout wins, five submission wins and five first-round finishes, but half of his 16 wins went to the judges. He has yet to score a UFC knockdown and averages 0.37 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

His UFC fights average 13:31, and at 30 he is two years older than the 28-year-old Chovancek. It sets up as patience against explosiveness: You's tight defense and relentless takedown attempts against Chovancek's heavy shots. The question: can You's persistence finally crack an 83% takedown defense, or does Chovancek find the opening for one big punch first?

The card at Rogers Place opens at 3 p.m. local time on Oct. 17, with the main card at 6 p.m. Get your seat: UFC Fight Night Edmonton tickets.