Topic: UFC 259
UFC 259: Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
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- Saturday 03.06.2021 at 10:00 PM ET
- U.S. Broadcast: Pay Per View | Prelims: ESPN
- Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Ownership: Endeavor
- Venue: UFC APEX
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Enclosure: Octagon
- TV Announcers: Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier
- Ring Announcer: Bruce Buffer
- Post-Fight Interviews: Joe Rogan
- PPV Buys / Buyrate: 800,000 | TV Ratings:
- MMA Bouts: 15
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Promotion Links:
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Event Links:
| Bout | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan Błachowicz defeats Israel Adesanya via Decision, Unanimous | 5 Rounds, 25:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Amanda Nunes defeats Megan Anderson via Submission, Inverted Triangle-armbar | 2:03 Round 1 of 5 Bout Page | |
| Aljamain Sterling defeats Petr Yan via Disqualificaton, Illegal Knee | 4:29 Round 4 of 5, 19:29 Total Bout Page | |
| Islam Makhachev defeats Drew Dober via Submission, Arm Triangle Choke From Half Guard | 1:37 Round 3 of 3, 11:37 Total Bout Page | |
| Aleksandar Rakić defeats Thiago Santos via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Dominick Cruz defeats Casey Kenney via Decision, Split | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Kyler Phillips defeats Yadong Song via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Askar Askarov defeats Joseph Benavidez via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Kai Kara-France defeats Rogério Bontorin via KO/TKO, Punches | 4:55 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Tim Elliott defeats Jordan Espinosa via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Kennedy Nzechukwu defeats Carlos Ulberg via KO/TKO, Hooks | 3:19 Round 2 of 3, 8:19 Total Bout Page | |
| Sean Brady defeats Jake Matthews via Submission, Arm Triangle Choke | 3:28 Round 3 of 3, 13:28 Total Bout Page | |
| Amanda Lemos defeats Livinha Souza via KO/TKO, Power Jab to Ground and Pound | 3:39 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Uros Medic defeats Aalon Cruz via KO/TKO, Flying Knee to Ground and Pound | 1:40 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Trevin Jones defeats Mario Bautista via KO/TKO, Lead Uppercut to Ground and Pound | 0:40 Round 2 of 3, 5:40 Total Bout Page |
Responses Page 5
02.27.2021 | 5:32 PM ET
Cruz needs to stick to being a commentator you're not a fighter anymore and you're boring to watch
02.27.2021 | 11:21 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 12 of 15 Winners, 5 Perfect, 780 Points | 24th Place
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Jan Błachowicz, TKO, R3
Im gonna be wrong on this but ill be damned if I pick Izzy.
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R2
I think Aljo is the real #1 BW in the world. Petr Yan has nowhere near the strength of competition, and that Sandhagen win has aged like a fine wine for Aljo.
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, DEC
Dober absolutely can catch Makhachev, that man hits like a truck
Phillips vs. Song
Kyler Phillips, DEC
Song should be on a 2 fight losing streak
Benavidez vs. Askarov
Askar Askarov, DEC
Wonder how much longer Joe-B is gonna go
Medic vs. Cruz
Uros Medic, TKO, R2
The Doctor is gonna get sued for Malpractice in this fight
Jones vs. Bautista
Trevin Jones, TKO, R1
Surprised by the lack of respect of Trevins name. He survived some Timur bombs and put him out (or at least down)
Jan Błachowicz, TKO, R3
Im gonna be wrong on this but ill be damned if I pick Izzy.
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R2
I think Aljo is the real #1 BW in the world. Petr Yan has nowhere near the strength of competition, and that Sandhagen win has aged like a fine wine for Aljo.
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, DEC
Dober absolutely can catch Makhachev, that man hits like a truck
Phillips vs. Song
Kyler Phillips, DEC
Song should be on a 2 fight losing streak
Benavidez vs. Askarov
Askar Askarov, DEC
Wonder how much longer Joe-B is gonna go
Medic vs. Cruz
Uros Medic, TKO, R2
The Doctor is gonna get sued for Malpractice in this fight
Jones vs. Bautista
Trevin Jones, TKO, R1
Surprised by the lack of respect of Trevins name. He survived some Timur bombs and put him out (or at least down)
"I know many a troops that I visit when I went to Iraq in 2005... 2-uh excuse me in 19-or.. 05' 06' 07' 08' 09' 2010 2011. I went from the Korwaiten border! All the way up to the Turkish border!" -Tito Ortiz
02.27.2021 | 11:50 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 1 Perfect, 370 Points | Tied for 4089th
Santos vs. Rakić
Aleksandar Rakić, TKO, R2
Rakic leg kick tko. I can see it happening to a guy coming off knee surgery.
Aleksandar Rakić, TKO, R2
Rakic leg kick tko. I can see it happening to a guy coming off knee surgery.
"“Who ain’t got Jiu Jitsuuu” "
02.28.2021 | 6:47 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 1 Perfect, 370 Points | Tied for 4089th
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, DEC
After last weeks snooze fest I’m hoping for a great main event and card.
Israel Adesanya, DEC
After last weeks snooze fest I’m hoping for a great main event and card.
"“Who ain’t got Jiu Jitsuuu” "
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- Hippie
02.28.2021 | 9:06 AM ET
Predictions: 8 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 525 Points | Tied for 2294th
This card is looking pretty good ❗️
Let’s see how many fights we lose up to next Saturday.
Let’s see how many fights we lose up to next Saturday.
02.28.2021 | 11:33 AM ET
Predictions: 10 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 600 Points | Tied for 1020th
Main event is a mistake. It slightly makes sense from the MW division point of view as there isn't a clear cut challenger atm.
But LHW just got hit the refresh button with a very clear deserving long-time veteran lined up to face the new, also long-time veteran, champ and has several young prospects/contenders.
But LHW just got hit the refresh button with a very clear deserving long-time veteran lined up to face the new, also long-time veteran, champ and has several young prospects/contenders.
"Grammar. The difference between knowing your **** and knowing you're ****."
02.28.2021 | 1:10 PM ET
Predictions: 0 of 0 Winners, 0 Perfect, 0 Points | Tied for 4740th
why is Carlos Ulberg such a huge favorite? Because he's friends with Ridell and Adesanya?
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- THE MMA GURU
02.28.2021 | 1:15 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 10 of 15 Winners, 6 Perfect, 715 Points | Tied for 148th
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, TKO, R3
"MAY THE BREAST MAN WIN"
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, DEC
"IF THE FIGHT WAS AT 5AM I'D PICK MEGAN ANDERSON"
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
"HE CHEATED AGAINST SANDHAGEN BUT NO ONE CARES, GRAPPLING"
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, SUB, R1
"ALHUMDULELAH, DC IS A FAT BIAS BANTAMWEIGHT"
Santos vs. Rakić
Aleksandar Rakić, DEC
"WHEN YOU LOSE TO GLOVER YOUR CAREER IS OVER"
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
"I FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, ALL THESE GUYS LINED UP IN A ROW" (HE REALLY SAID THAT)
Phillips vs. Song
Yadong Song, DEC
"THE MATRIX IS NO MATCH FOR AN ASIAN...NUMBERS"
Benavidez vs. Askarov
Askar Askarov, DEC
"FIGUEREIDO TOOK HIS SOUL, MEGAN OLIVI IS BEN SHAPIRO IN A WIG"
Kara-France vs. Bontorin
Kai Kara-France, TKO, R1
"SLOPPY BONTORIN, SLEEPY BONTORIN"
Elliott vs. Espinosa
Tim Elliott, DEC
"ESPINOSA WILL SPEND THE LAST 2 ROUNDS MASSAGING HIS ARSE AGAINST THE CAGE"
Ulberg vs. Nzechukwu
Carlos Ulberg, TKO, R1
"YOU'RE NOT AN AFRICAN SAVAGE, YOU GOT YOUR BOLLOX KICKED IN BY DARKO SAUSAGE"
Brady vs. Matthews
Sean Brady, DEC
"IF YOU CAN'T FINISH DIEGO SANCHEZ, YOU YOURSELF ARE FINISHED"
Souza vs. Lemos
Livinha Souza, DEC
"THEY'RE BRAZILIAN...SO MAYBE THEY'LL ACTUALLY FIGHT"
Medic vs. Cruz
Uros Medic, TKO, R1
"DOCTOR DOCTOR, PLEASE STOP KICKING ME I'M DYING"
Jones vs. Bautista
Mario Bautista, DEC
"5 STARS...OUT OF 10"
Israel Adesanya, TKO, R3
"MAY THE BREAST MAN WIN"
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, DEC
"IF THE FIGHT WAS AT 5AM I'D PICK MEGAN ANDERSON"
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
"HE CHEATED AGAINST SANDHAGEN BUT NO ONE CARES, GRAPPLING"
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, SUB, R1
"ALHUMDULELAH, DC IS A FAT BIAS BANTAMWEIGHT"
Santos vs. Rakić
Aleksandar Rakić, DEC
"WHEN YOU LOSE TO GLOVER YOUR CAREER IS OVER"
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
"I FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, ALL THESE GUYS LINED UP IN A ROW" (HE REALLY SAID THAT)
Phillips vs. Song
Yadong Song, DEC
"THE MATRIX IS NO MATCH FOR AN ASIAN...NUMBERS"
Benavidez vs. Askarov
Askar Askarov, DEC
"FIGUEREIDO TOOK HIS SOUL, MEGAN OLIVI IS BEN SHAPIRO IN A WIG"
Kara-France vs. Bontorin
Kai Kara-France, TKO, R1
"SLOPPY BONTORIN, SLEEPY BONTORIN"
Elliott vs. Espinosa
Tim Elliott, DEC
"ESPINOSA WILL SPEND THE LAST 2 ROUNDS MASSAGING HIS ARSE AGAINST THE CAGE"
Ulberg vs. Nzechukwu
Carlos Ulberg, TKO, R1
"YOU'RE NOT AN AFRICAN SAVAGE, YOU GOT YOUR BOLLOX KICKED IN BY DARKO SAUSAGE"
Brady vs. Matthews
Sean Brady, DEC
"IF YOU CAN'T FINISH DIEGO SANCHEZ, YOU YOURSELF ARE FINISHED"
Souza vs. Lemos
Livinha Souza, DEC
"THEY'RE BRAZILIAN...SO MAYBE THEY'LL ACTUALLY FIGHT"
Medic vs. Cruz
Uros Medic, TKO, R1
"DOCTOR DOCTOR, PLEASE STOP KICKING ME I'M DYING"
Jones vs. Bautista
Mario Bautista, DEC
"5 STARS...OUT OF 10"
"I'M MOVING OUT SOON & I'M NOT EVEN THAT FAT"
02.28.2021 | 3:06 PM ET
Carlos Ulberg
Predictions: 0 of 0 Winners, 0 Perfect, 0 Points | Tied for 4740th
02.28.2021 | 3:13 PM ET
Predictions: 9 of 15 Winners, 1 Perfect, 520 Points | Tied for 2349th
Polish Power!
"KURZHAAR - Tomorrow Never Comes Until It's Too Late"
02.28.2021 | 5:50 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 9 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 565 Points | Tied for 1568th
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Jan Błachowicz, TKO, R3
plz daddy błachowicz
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, DEC
...why would you ever vote against Nunes?
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R4
he probably won't but GOD i want sterling to win
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
it's gonna be hilarious if cruz loses
Jan Błachowicz, TKO, R3
plz daddy błachowicz
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, DEC
...why would you ever vote against Nunes?
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R4
he probably won't but GOD i want sterling to win
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
it's gonna be hilarious if cruz loses
02.28.2021 | 7:04 PM ET
Predictions: 9 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 605 Points | Tied for 978th
I can't believe the line on Askar Askorov is only -120. Askar drew with the guy who drew with the guy who literally murdered Benavidez, the line shouldn't atlest be -200 for Askar
* Edited at 02.28.2021, 7:05 PM ET *
"Quack quack quack"
02.28.2021 | 7:08 PM ET
Prediction Comments: My views on the Championship fights
Predictions: 8 of 15 Winners, 2 Perfect, 505 Points | Tied for 2627th
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, DEC
Israel Adesanya's speed is going to be crucial in this fight and while there have been a lot of "he's just running away!" criticisms thrown at him in the past, not letting your oppponant punch you in the face isn't a bad idea. Jan Błachowicz can hit wit a ton of power so if Adesanya does get caught then he could be in trouble but he is more than capable of giving it back as well and I think he's gonna tag Błachowicz more than Błachowicz can tag him and this will wear champion down. A late finish by Adesanya is possible but I think both Błachowicz's chin and stamina is better than that so I feel a decision win for "The Last Stylebender" is more likely.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R2
Since this fight was announced, I've been trying to find a reason why Megan Anderson will win but the truth is I simply can't find one. Amanda Nunes is an amazing all round fighter, if the fight goes to the ground she can submit you or ground and pound the **** out of you, if it stays standing she can knock you out with either kicks or punches and even if you do survive till the end, survival is all you'll achieve as she would've out-pointed you spectacularly on the scorecards. That isn't to say that Megan Anderson is a bad fighter, she's one of the best women's Featherweights in the world and is as good a challenger as any to Nunes's crown but I just feel that Nunes is on a completely different level.
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R4
As far as UFC title fights go, this is about as close as they get! The thing that makes this one so intriguing is that they have completely different styles as well. Petr Yan's best path to victory is by a knockout which could come by ground and pound but given how good Aljamain Sterling's Jiu-Jitsu is, I think he'd be doing himself a favour by keeping the fight standing. I've just mentioned how good Sterling's Jiu-Jitsu is and that is without doubt his most obvious path to victory. As for how this fight will play out, I don't think that Yan will be able to defend Sterling's takedowns for the whole fight and when it does eventually end up on the ground, they will be tangled up for a few minutes with Sterling trying to work a submission in and Yan throwing strikes whenever possible. Kinda like your average drunken pub brawl but instead of two drunk warehouse workers fighting over a women half their age who isn't interested in either of them, it's two sober, world class fighters fighting for a UFC title. Sooner or later in this scuffle, Sterling will be successful in getting a submission attempt in and the UFC Bantamweight title will change hands.
Israel Adesanya, DEC
Israel Adesanya's speed is going to be crucial in this fight and while there have been a lot of "he's just running away!" criticisms thrown at him in the past, not letting your oppponant punch you in the face isn't a bad idea. Jan Błachowicz can hit wit a ton of power so if Adesanya does get caught then he could be in trouble but he is more than capable of giving it back as well and I think he's gonna tag Błachowicz more than Błachowicz can tag him and this will wear champion down. A late finish by Adesanya is possible but I think both Błachowicz's chin and stamina is better than that so I feel a decision win for "The Last Stylebender" is more likely.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R2
Since this fight was announced, I've been trying to find a reason why Megan Anderson will win but the truth is I simply can't find one. Amanda Nunes is an amazing all round fighter, if the fight goes to the ground she can submit you or ground and pound the **** out of you, if it stays standing she can knock you out with either kicks or punches and even if you do survive till the end, survival is all you'll achieve as she would've out-pointed you spectacularly on the scorecards. That isn't to say that Megan Anderson is a bad fighter, she's one of the best women's Featherweights in the world and is as good a challenger as any to Nunes's crown but I just feel that Nunes is on a completely different level.
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R4
As far as UFC title fights go, this is about as close as they get! The thing that makes this one so intriguing is that they have completely different styles as well. Petr Yan's best path to victory is by a knockout which could come by ground and pound but given how good Aljamain Sterling's Jiu-Jitsu is, I think he'd be doing himself a favour by keeping the fight standing. I've just mentioned how good Sterling's Jiu-Jitsu is and that is without doubt his most obvious path to victory. As for how this fight will play out, I don't think that Yan will be able to defend Sterling's takedowns for the whole fight and when it does eventually end up on the ground, they will be tangled up for a few minutes with Sterling trying to work a submission in and Yan throwing strikes whenever possible. Kinda like your average drunken pub brawl but instead of two drunk warehouse workers fighting over a women half their age who isn't interested in either of them, it's two sober, world class fighters fighting for a UFC title. Sooner or later in this scuffle, Sterling will be successful in getting a submission attempt in and the UFC Bantamweight title will change hands.
* Edited at 02.28.2021, 7:34 PM ET *
"I wish you good luck but I don't want you to rely on luck"
02.28.2021 | 7:09 PM ET
Predictions: 0 of 0 Winners, 0 Perfect, 0 Points | Tied for 4740th
Israel is gonna knock him out in the 3rd
"For no particular reason beat up everyone"
02.28.2021 | 7:41 PM ET
Predictions: 9 of 15 Winners, 2 Perfect, 540 Points | Tied for 2000th
What an absolutely stacked card...hold on to your hats and be ready to get kicked in the g****s cause something big's gonna fall through by fight time, it's too good to be true lol. Let it be Nunes vs Anderson if anything lol. Love wmma but divisions in 3 fighters in it shouldn't even exist.
02.28.2021 | 8:35 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 4 of 7 Winners, 1 Perfect, 240 Points | Tied for 4481st
Błachowicz vs. Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, DEC
jan is too slow.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R1
Amanda the goat
Israel Adesanya, DEC
jan is too slow.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R1
Amanda the goat
"If we fight for money, I'll stop hitting you when you ask me to. If we fight for honor, I'll stop hitting you when I feel like it"
02.28.2021 | 11:09 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 10 of 15 Winners, 4 Perfect, 655 Points | Tied for 422nd
Blachowicz vs. Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, TKO, R4
I Believe That Jan Will Be Game But Izzy Is Too Talented To Lose In This Spot. He Will Break Jan Down.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R2
I Actually Think Megan Is A Solid Fighter. Her Height Makes This Fight Interesting And She's Kinda Hot, But This Is Way Too Soon. They Are Literally Just Handing Amanda Fighters At This Point. Hopefully Megan Proves Me Wrong.
Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
This Is My Only Upset I Have In The Title Fights. Petr Yan Has Some Of The Best Hands In The UFC Currently But, I Am A Big Fan Of Aljamain's Funky Style Of Wrestling And I Truly Believe He Can Bring Khabib Level Pressure To The Champ, Eat A Few Shots And Eventually Get Him To The Ground Where There Is A Much Bigger Gap Than People Think. Yan Has Good Cardio But It Wasn't Until The Championship Rounds When Petr TKO'd Aldo. He Has To End This Fight Early.
Israel Adesanya, TKO, R4
I Believe That Jan Will Be Game But Izzy Is Too Talented To Lose In This Spot. He Will Break Jan Down.
Nunes vs. Anderson
Amanda Nunes, TKO, R2
I Actually Think Megan Is A Solid Fighter. Her Height Makes This Fight Interesting And She's Kinda Hot, But This Is Way Too Soon. They Are Literally Just Handing Amanda Fighters At This Point. Hopefully Megan Proves Me Wrong.
Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
This Is My Only Upset I Have In The Title Fights. Petr Yan Has Some Of The Best Hands In The UFC Currently But, I Am A Big Fan Of Aljamain's Funky Style Of Wrestling And I Truly Believe He Can Bring Khabib Level Pressure To The Champ, Eat A Few Shots And Eventually Get Him To The Ground Where There Is A Much Bigger Gap Than People Think. Yan Has Good Cardio But It Wasn't Until The Championship Rounds When Petr TKO'd Aldo. He Has To End This Fight Early.
"If it's something you love, then never give up and you gotta keep on chasing."
03.01.2021 | 4:43 AM ET
Mackachev and askarov opinions
Predictions: 8 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 490 Points | Tied for 2883rd
^ does anyone think these two will lose their fights against benavidez and dober
03.01.2021 | 5:08 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 9 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 550 Points | Tied for 1859th
Yan vs. Sterling
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
This is actually the fight i am most excited for on this card, has serious potential to be FOTN with such a battle of two styles with sterlings relentless wrestling and BJJ against Yan`s relentless brutal stand up. Both fighters are quite simply at the top of the food chain in the Bantamweight division and is probably the most accurate number 1 vs number 2 fight for a while with Sandhagen certainly reasserting himself into the conversation after his last two dominant performances. I dont think it is any secret that a lot of people think Yan has had a bit of a tailor-maid route to the title most questionable was ultimately his crowning victory coming against an battle worn Jose Aldo who was coming off 2 losses.... i think when you compare his fights with the competition that Sterling has faced then it is clear as to why sterling was questioning why he was not involved in that title fight but regardless i still believe that Yan is definitely one of the best in the division right now and come saturday we will see if he is the number 1 guy right now and rightly the current champion. The story of this fight will be who can implement there game plan, can Sterling get it to the ground and control the fight in "his territory" or can Yan keep it standing and use his relentless variety of strikes to nullify any attacks from Sterling. it really is a coin toss but i am personally favouring Sterling to get the win, i think he has good enough stand up to keep him in the fight and i think that although Yan may be able to defend some takedowns from sterling one way or another he will eventually land one and the fight will hit the mat and i see sterling taking over from there. Im going to say that Sterling locks something up in the 3rd round and gets the Submission. STERLING SUBMISSION ROUND 3. ANNNNNDDDD NEEEWW!!!!!
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, DEC
Drew dober has great hands and vicious KO power for a lightweight having most recently KO`d Hernandez and before that perhaps more impressive was Haqparast who has proven to be a hard man to put away. Dober is going to have to rely solely on his stand up and knockout ability in this one because quite simply put Makhachev is so dominant on the ground and will simply maul Dober. He is probably the closest fighter currently to khabib`s style and for obvious reasons with them being team mates and training partners. Khabib has made no secret that his wish is for Makhachev to be the person to take his spot at the top of the division after he has retired (if he is actually retired) Khabib will certainly be involved helping Makhachev for this fight and i see a very dominant performace to be on display in his favour. Dober has that sort of fight changing one punch power and given that Makachev`s sole loss has come by knockout i would think dober slyly fancies himself being the man to put that 2nd KO loss on his impressive 18-1 record but ultimately i see a very one sided fight for as long as it last, Makhachev`s ground game in comparison to dober isnt even close so i see him being able to pick up the submission and im going to say sooner rather than later. MAKHACHEV ROUND 1 SUBMISSION.
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
This is an interesting fight, its still very strange to see Dominick Cruz fighting on the pre-lims given his big name and even more suprised that his ego allowed and accepted it. Its very hard to see where Cruz is at right now given his last fight came after having 3+ years out due to injuries and was against an incredibly cringey but extremely talented Henry Cejudo. His fight prior to that was against Cody Garbrandt which at the time was like fighting a younger version of himself with Garbrandt`s illusiveness and speed, on that night Garbrandt truly fought his best fight and basically did everything near perfect. It is clear that time out and age has definitely had an effect on Cruz and i certainly dont expect to see a prime Cruz come saturday night but it will be telling just how much he has deteriorated based on his performance here, no disrespect to Kenny but a prime Cruz would quite literally wipe the floor with Casey Kenny its that simple. Kenny has improved massively since coming into the UFC and has picked up some decent wins most notably was his most recent win over rising prospect Nathaniel Wood which was a very closely contested fight and arguments could be made for it going either way, prior to that he won a completely one sided fight against Alateng where he domostrated his hugely improved stand up game and quite simply outclassed Alateng. Kenny is 5-1 in in the UFC with his only loss coming against Dvalishvili who ragdolled him for 3 round but in fairness to Kenny he does that to just about everyone so there is no shame in that loss. when you look at this fight on paper and compare level of competition and level of notable wins then it really isnt even close with Cruz having wins over the likes of Mighty mouse, Dillashaw, faber x2 and benevidez just to name a few. I accept that it is unrealistic to expect that same version of Domick Cruz to turn up on saturday but i do believe that he still has enough left in the tank to get the win over Kenny in this one, i dont see Kenny being able to chain wrestle him as Cruz has a very impressive 82% takedown defense and is great in scrambles and staying/getting back up to his feet and i have to give Cruz a clear edge in the standup having a striking defense percentage at +70% making him one of the most illusive fighters in UFC history. I dont think Cruz finishes Casey but i do see him outclassing him and showing everyone that hes still got some fight left in him yet. CRUZ DECISION
Ulberg vs. Nzechukwu
Carlos Ulberg, DEC
I really cannot say anything positive about the last performance of Nzechuckwu other than you got the win.... he 100% lost the fight if it was not for stosic repeatedly kicking him in the **** which based on his performance i would say was justified... standing at 6ft 5 and having an 83" reach this bloke could be an absolutely wrecking machine but his ability, fight IQ and heart when the fight isnt going his way really let him down, engaging in the ground with 40 seconds left in a fight with Paul Craig who`s best attributes is his submissions is extremely stupid but i guess everyone can make a mistake or bad call from time to time. Nzechukwu picked up a number of round 1 KO wins before getting into the UFC and he since then has not looked great, i think the calliber of fighters he fought earlier on flattered his ability making him look a lot better than what he is, if i havent made it clear yet, im not impressed with what i have seen from him.... Ulberg is still extremley green having just 3 professional MMA fights he has however won them all which is a positive, hes won 2 by KO and 1 by decision showing he is capable of going the distance and also finishing fights. I do think these percentages could be a bit biased to the fact that Ulberg trains with Adesanya and was cornered by him in his Contender series Fight but nethertheless i do believe that he has a lot of talent and is a very skilled kickboxer. Nzechukwu clearly has power in his hands and having a huge 6" reach advantage over Ulberg will certainly be an obstacle that Ulberg will have to work a game plan around but ultimately i see him as the better and smarter fighter and see him picking Nzechukwu apart for 3 round for a clear unanimous decision win. ULBERG DECISION
Aljamain Sterling, SUB, R3
This is actually the fight i am most excited for on this card, has serious potential to be FOTN with such a battle of two styles with sterlings relentless wrestling and BJJ against Yan`s relentless brutal stand up. Both fighters are quite simply at the top of the food chain in the Bantamweight division and is probably the most accurate number 1 vs number 2 fight for a while with Sandhagen certainly reasserting himself into the conversation after his last two dominant performances. I dont think it is any secret that a lot of people think Yan has had a bit of a tailor-maid route to the title most questionable was ultimately his crowning victory coming against an battle worn Jose Aldo who was coming off 2 losses.... i think when you compare his fights with the competition that Sterling has faced then it is clear as to why sterling was questioning why he was not involved in that title fight but regardless i still believe that Yan is definitely one of the best in the division right now and come saturday we will see if he is the number 1 guy right now and rightly the current champion. The story of this fight will be who can implement there game plan, can Sterling get it to the ground and control the fight in "his territory" or can Yan keep it standing and use his relentless variety of strikes to nullify any attacks from Sterling. it really is a coin toss but i am personally favouring Sterling to get the win, i think he has good enough stand up to keep him in the fight and i think that although Yan may be able to defend some takedowns from sterling one way or another he will eventually land one and the fight will hit the mat and i see sterling taking over from there. Im going to say that Sterling locks something up in the 3rd round and gets the Submission. STERLING SUBMISSION ROUND 3. ANNNNNDDDD NEEEWW!!!!!
Makhachev vs. Dober
Islam Makhachev, DEC
Drew dober has great hands and vicious KO power for a lightweight having most recently KO`d Hernandez and before that perhaps more impressive was Haqparast who has proven to be a hard man to put away. Dober is going to have to rely solely on his stand up and knockout ability in this one because quite simply put Makhachev is so dominant on the ground and will simply maul Dober. He is probably the closest fighter currently to khabib`s style and for obvious reasons with them being team mates and training partners. Khabib has made no secret that his wish is for Makhachev to be the person to take his spot at the top of the division after he has retired (if he is actually retired) Khabib will certainly be involved helping Makhachev for this fight and i see a very dominant performace to be on display in his favour. Dober has that sort of fight changing one punch power and given that Makachev`s sole loss has come by knockout i would think dober slyly fancies himself being the man to put that 2nd KO loss on his impressive 18-1 record but ultimately i see a very one sided fight for as long as it last, Makhachev`s ground game in comparison to dober isnt even close so i see him being able to pick up the submission and im going to say sooner rather than later. MAKHACHEV ROUND 1 SUBMISSION.
Cruz vs. Kenney
Dominick Cruz, DEC
This is an interesting fight, its still very strange to see Dominick Cruz fighting on the pre-lims given his big name and even more suprised that his ego allowed and accepted it. Its very hard to see where Cruz is at right now given his last fight came after having 3+ years out due to injuries and was against an incredibly cringey but extremely talented Henry Cejudo. His fight prior to that was against Cody Garbrandt which at the time was like fighting a younger version of himself with Garbrandt`s illusiveness and speed, on that night Garbrandt truly fought his best fight and basically did everything near perfect. It is clear that time out and age has definitely had an effect on Cruz and i certainly dont expect to see a prime Cruz come saturday night but it will be telling just how much he has deteriorated based on his performance here, no disrespect to Kenny but a prime Cruz would quite literally wipe the floor with Casey Kenny its that simple. Kenny has improved massively since coming into the UFC and has picked up some decent wins most notably was his most recent win over rising prospect Nathaniel Wood which was a very closely contested fight and arguments could be made for it going either way, prior to that he won a completely one sided fight against Alateng where he domostrated his hugely improved stand up game and quite simply outclassed Alateng. Kenny is 5-1 in in the UFC with his only loss coming against Dvalishvili who ragdolled him for 3 round but in fairness to Kenny he does that to just about everyone so there is no shame in that loss. when you look at this fight on paper and compare level of competition and level of notable wins then it really isnt even close with Cruz having wins over the likes of Mighty mouse, Dillashaw, faber x2 and benevidez just to name a few. I accept that it is unrealistic to expect that same version of Domick Cruz to turn up on saturday but i do believe that he still has enough left in the tank to get the win over Kenny in this one, i dont see Kenny being able to chain wrestle him as Cruz has a very impressive 82% takedown defense and is great in scrambles and staying/getting back up to his feet and i have to give Cruz a clear edge in the standup having a striking defense percentage at +70% making him one of the most illusive fighters in UFC history. I dont think Cruz finishes Casey but i do see him outclassing him and showing everyone that hes still got some fight left in him yet. CRUZ DECISION
Ulberg vs. Nzechukwu
Carlos Ulberg, DEC
I really cannot say anything positive about the last performance of Nzechuckwu other than you got the win.... he 100% lost the fight if it was not for stosic repeatedly kicking him in the **** which based on his performance i would say was justified... standing at 6ft 5 and having an 83" reach this bloke could be an absolutely wrecking machine but his ability, fight IQ and heart when the fight isnt going his way really let him down, engaging in the ground with 40 seconds left in a fight with Paul Craig who`s best attributes is his submissions is extremely stupid but i guess everyone can make a mistake or bad call from time to time. Nzechukwu picked up a number of round 1 KO wins before getting into the UFC and he since then has not looked great, i think the calliber of fighters he fought earlier on flattered his ability making him look a lot better than what he is, if i havent made it clear yet, im not impressed with what i have seen from him.... Ulberg is still extremley green having just 3 professional MMA fights he has however won them all which is a positive, hes won 2 by KO and 1 by decision showing he is capable of going the distance and also finishing fights. I do think these percentages could be a bit biased to the fact that Ulberg trains with Adesanya and was cornered by him in his Contender series Fight but nethertheless i do believe that he has a lot of talent and is a very skilled kickboxer. Nzechukwu clearly has power in his hands and having a huge 6" reach advantage over Ulberg will certainly be an obstacle that Ulberg will have to work a game plan around but ultimately i see him as the better and smarter fighter and see him picking Nzechukwu apart for 3 round for a clear unanimous decision win. ULBERG DECISION
* Edited at 03.01.2021, 5:18 AM ET *
03.01.2021 | 5:34 AM ET
Petr yan criminally underrated
Predictions: 8 of 15 Winners, 3 Perfect, 490 Points | Tied for 2883rd
Incredibly durable, hits like a train, has that reptile Russian mindset, i feel aljo sterling's jiujitsu is his biggest threat in this fight and his win over sandhagen was impressive no doubt, but yan will show his greatness in this fight and silence the doubters that question his ability