UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

@Paym3 "i know why adesanya wants to fight romero... becuiz hes got no real contenders on his list of names, he wass basicallyy handed the title by the ufc.  witiker bought into the hype....gastelum could have won that fight but didnt(hes also the smallest mw in the ufc) silva was way passed his prime and in may opion wasnt that good either(travis lutter destroyed him but got caught and so did chael...ur not that good if travis ****s u up in any round!"

At risk of being accused of "defending the honor" of Adesanya, but I am still triggered by this opinion. Adesanya could lose, but everything in the above par, is ********. No prediction on the fight, although here's a prediction for you. If Adesanya wins, the narrative will be, "Yoel is got old since he fought Whittaker and Costa stole his soul."

Adesanya is legit. Gastelum is small, but he is also a legit top 5, whether he's at WW or MW (he literally has knockdowns in all his MW fights, except against Till, who was very tentative that fight).
Whittaker is not washed. He's probably diminished post-Romero, but if you watched him get starched by Wonderboy, you would've put money on Adesanya, like I did. 
As for being handed the belt. He was right place, right time. Like Zhang, who got the shot because Suarez is injured, and Joanna already beat Andrade. Romero had 2 shots at Whittaker; Costa had only beaten Uriah Hall at that time; Jacare lost to Gastelum. IE MW is shallow. If you compare Whittaker's title run to Adesanya's, they basically mirror one another. Both fought Tavares, Brunson, then sub Gastelum for Jacare. I'm thinking people are influenced by that video that claims Whittaker fought a "murderer's row". Let's be real. It's middleweight, not lightweight. 

And, suggesting Silva "was never good" is the real clincher. 

* Edited at 03.04.2020, 10:05 AM ET *

Zhang vs. Jędrzejczyk
Weili Zhang, TKO, R2
Is this the moment Zhang takes the step to MMA star? I say yes. This sets up perfectly for her to grab the win and the mic afterward and win a ton of fans. JJ is a tough test but one I think Zhang passes with flying colors. AAAAND STILL. I see a lot of value on the fact Zhang is not over -200 for this fight. I will also be watching the O/U. If that is a (+) price for under 4.5 rounds I will sprinkle some there as well

Adesanya v Romero
DEC, Adesanya
Romero has a chance, but it's a small one, in my opinion. Whittaker was able to maintain distance and rack up the points against Romero, before he began to tire and Romero decided it was time to start using his gastank/power meter. I'm betting Adesanya has the gas to maintain that lead all 5. 

For people who point to Gastelum v Adesanya as a bad sign, I don't think Romero's hand speed is anywhere near the level of Gastelum. I don't expect Romero to use wrestling either. I don't think he'd risk his gas tank in a 5 rounder against a guy who has the same TDD accuracy as Whittaker. He learned after getting shalacked by Whittaker in their first fight.

I predict/hope to see Adesanya pick Romero apart for 5 rounds. Play it safe, and not engage when Romero explodes. While he has never faced a wrestler like Romero, the same can be said regarding Romero facing a high level striker. I mean, maybe Rockhold. But, in truth he's a BJJ guy who learned how to throw a wicked question mark kick and (had) a mean counter hook.


Zhang v Jedrzejczyk
DEC, Zhang
This will be a referendum on how washed Jedrzejczyk is, and whether Zhang is improving. Based on past performance, I'd give the technical edge to Jedrzejczyk all day. But, she didn't look great in the fights since Namajunas gave her her beatdown. 

She was also taken down and controlled by Shevchenko. And, I think Zhang's ground game is almost at that level. She certainly has the power to get her down, we'll see if she can keep her there.

I don’t understand why people believe in Weili Zhang so much. Only facts.
Her record before UFC absolutely consists of weak fighters. Three of her four opponents before the UFC title is Danielle Taylor (2-3 in UFC) Jessica Aguilar (1-4 in UFC) Tecia Torres (0-4 in the last four fights) Her only victory over a good fighter in her career is Jéssica Andrade. The remaining 19 victories - absolutely nothing to say in the battle against Joanna Jędrzejczyk

@Dmitriev   I completely agree. Weili just isnt proven enough against actual competition for me yet. No fault of her own but this fight will tell us exactly where shes at as long as it dont end in a 30 second starching. 

Cannetti vs. Batgerel
Danaa Batgerel, DEC
Romero by spinning back suplex

yoel vs adesanya

yoel win by "spike carlye destruction"

Mark O. Madsen by pin

Im right there with ya @Fish. Im taking JJ and laying a decent bet as well. I dont have anything against Zhang and i think she def has power and hand speed. I just dont think the experience is there yet. We've never seen her in championship rounds. We dont know if he power carries through the 3rd 4th and 5th. There are too many unknowns still with her for me to be on board yet. 

@Dmitriev I agree with you, but why Joanna belt? With whom will she continue to fight? She has already succeeded. I do not understand her motivation. The UFC wants to host tournaments in Asia and hey need champions from these territories. I just can’t imagine what will happen next if Joanna takes the belt. What will happen next?

* Edited at 03.04.2020, 4:19 PM ET *

If Joanna takes the belt, will it be interesting again for the fans to watch again returning to the past and watch Joanna protect the belt and lose to Shevchenko? UFC is a show

i just reviewed the tape on yoel and adesanya...and kinda changed my theory. ok ok yoel can win but only in 1st 2 rds has to implicate the takedowns but not wrestle!!! he must grapple! difference is taking the back... i envisioned back control which would be an obvious sub for yoel... but noticed he never puts the hooks in even when the opportunity presence its self. not even 1 hook that being said a side control or half guard will be hard for him to control adey cause ill expect him to just turn his back and stand up with no past threat of back takes... my first prediction is very much still possible but these changes must occur.  second costa almost knocked yoel out (did knock him down) with the very same punch adey knocked wit out with short left lead hook. yoel great at blocking looping punches but adey throws str8 short shots off angles and short hooks and uppers at angles adey wins with same punch and tko stoppage if this occurs. i want yoel to win but chances are very low after reviewing the tape.... to hurt yoel is hard but to get him tired and sloppy is not. thats my fighters opion... now as a gambler i will still have yoel on a few dk cards ( low price possible great return) and on my parleys there will be 2. 1 with adey and a cover bet with yoel. still though want to see adey out cold on the mat especially after the twin towers remark!!!!!  lets go yoel!!!! 

* Edited at 03.04.2020, 5:32 PM ET *

@Dmitriev after this tournament, it will be very interesting for me as a spectator to watch the battles of whom Joanna won in the past and how her rivals will fight with Zhang. Or do you think that there will be a fight Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas 3? 4?  Shevchenko 2? 3?

@bazik

The UFC wants long-reigning champions ruling weak divisions.

* Edited at 03.04.2020, 4:58 PM ET *

I'm actually interested in 2 fights. Alex Oliveira vs. Max Griffin. Gerald Meerschaert vs. Deron Winn. Who do you think has more chances? It is very difficult to decide who will be sued. SPLIT?

@dmitriev I said the same exact thing in an earlier post, Zhangs record is obviously padded by fighting in China’s for so long and she goes to decision against fighters whom are smaller than her notably Taylor and Torres, both could are natural atomweights. She got lucky against Andrade who flew across the world to fight her, and looked shell shocked. Now it’s Zhang who had to move camp multiple times in order to even be able to come to America, Joanna is a proven commodity while Zhang is an extreme unknown. And to people who will say “ WeLl RoSe KnOcKeD HeR OuT” well rose comes from an actual camp, not China Top Team, and has Pat Barry as well as Wittman in her corner....who’s Zhang got to teach her how to throw straight and sit down on her strikes, YouTube? Zhang does throw good leg kicks tho

@ImperatorFishrat thanks for the answer. Is this the last bout contracted by Oliveira? usually in the last battle miraculously win