UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland – 9.9.2023 – Fight Predictions and Analysis
Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland. Today we are treated to a card full of Oceanic talent here in beautiful Sydney Australia. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.
As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.
Current Record
- Anthony: 224-149-3 (Last Year 320-187-3, 63%)
- Nick: 239-134-3 (Last Year 324-183-3, 64%)
*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 9-8-2023 at 10pm EST
Early Prelims- Start 6:30pm EST
Kevin Jousset -155 vs Kiefer Crosbie +135
- Anthony: The card today opens with debuting welterweight fighters Kevin Jousset and Kiefer Crosbie. Jousset is one of six fighters representing City Kickboxing at the event today. He has improved dramatically as a striker but none of his standup techniques are all that spectacular or fluid. Jousset’s best work is done grappling with opponents and utilizing his black belt in judo. I think Crosbie will rush the action a bit here with Jousset who seems the overall the more polished fighter. Jousett may touch Crosbie a bit with his hands but it will be exchanges in the clinch that earn him this victory. Crosbie has a power advantage over Jousset but I imagine a size discrepancy may puzzle him. The bigger man at faceoffs was clearly Jousset who benefited from a five-inch advantage in reach. Crosbie has fought previously as low as 155 pounds. Kevin Jousset by Decision
- Nick: Kevin Jousset will be making his UFC debut here as the HEX Welterweight and Middleweight Champion. He is a highly regarded prospect training out of City Kickboxing. He prefers to stand and exchange on his feet. He’s a decent grappler, but most of his success has come through striking at range and then mixing in elbows when closing distance. The UFC seems to have their marketing machine behind him heading into this match-up, which is a good sign for the debutant on a PPV card. He is 8-2 professionally, with four of those wins coming via KO. Kiefer Crosbie will be making his UFC debut here, following a KO win over a former UFC vet in Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira. He’s faced decent competition as a former Bellator mainstay, carrying power on the feet with solid technical boxing ability both offensively and defensively. He trains out of SGB Ireland and he is 10-3 professionally. This is a low level match-up and a tough fight to predict as it features two debutants. Each fighter has questionable defensive tendencies, so it would not be at all surprising for the result to go either way. I’ll side with Jousset as the favorite as he seems a bit more measured and well-rounded. Kevin Jousset by Round Three KO
Shane Young -125 vs Gabriel Miranda +105
- Anthony: Next is a bout at featherweight between Shane Young and Gabriel Miranda. Young was the only fighter heavy at weigh-ins, missing for the second time in his UFC career. It has been a rough stretch for Young who has lost three fights in a row despite some decent showings. He is slowing down a bit at 30 years old and certainly is hard to back whenever a betting favorite. Miranda has yet to prove himself against a solid opponent but there is no denying the Brazilian’s skills when it comes to submission grappling. He has gotten up for this fight against Young and seems to be a popular underdog given the stylistic matchup. Young has efficient kickboxing and great distance striking while the takedown defense has always been rather close to par. Miranda will be a serious threat if able to takedown Young or at least keep him locked in guard for a prolonged period. I think Miranda has the size to control most positions on the mat and perhaps win a few minutes standing. Young will likely get his hand raised if this goes to a decision but Miranda seems the more likely of the two to win this bout via stoppage. Gabriel Miranda by Round Two Submission
- Nick: Shane Young is coming off three-straight losses and is likely fighting to keep his roster spot in this match-up. Young throws a lot of volume on the feet, but his greatest quality in the octagon is really his chin. He pushes a serious pace and relentlessly pursues his opponents even if shots are raining down on him. Young puts out more than 5 significant strikes per minute, but he also absorbs more than 5 significant strikes per minute. His kill or be-killed style helped him get into the UFC, but he’s been struggling to find success against more skilled and measured opponents. Miranda seems to have decent BJJ, solid cardio, and he’s more than willing to eat strikes to throw them. He’s coming off an ugly loss in his UFC debut, but it came to a rising contender in Benoit Saint-Denis so it’s tough to really pull much from that performance. Prior to that, Miranda had strung together three straight wins via submission on the regional scene. This should be a competitive fight, but I like the value of Miranda as the underdog here. He’s the more aggressive fighter and he should have a considerable advantage on the ground. Gabriel MIranda by Round Two Submission
Charlie Radtke -300 vs Blood Diamond +240
- Anthony: This is a welterweight matchup between Blood Diamond and Charlie Radtke. It is the UFC debut for Radtke who enters a huge favorite over the 3-2 Mike Mathetha. While a very talented kickboxer, Blood Diamond has a clear deficiency in his ground game. He has committed his life to the art of striking and thus far the wrestling defense has been extremely porous. Perhaps a year out of competition has given Blood Diamond time to improve, but I do not expect him to showcase much in terms of his grappling today. Radtke is a credentialed jiu jitsu practitioner with great wrestling and offensive takedowns. His game plan should be clear facing the likes of Blood Diamond as he elects to avoid engaging on the feet. I consider Blood Diamond a very live underdog given his chances of catching Radtke, it is just very unlikely that is how this bout plays out. I do not rate Radtke’s skill set very high but when it comes to grappling there is a massive gap between these two. Radtke should have the strength and cardio needed to ground and finish this fight inside of the first two rounds. Charlie Radtke by Round Three Submission
- Nick: Charlie Radtke will be making his UFC debut here as the CFFC Welterweight Champion. Radtke is 7-3 professionally, but he hasn’t lost a fight since March of 2021. He fights out of a solid gym via MMA MASTERS, and his regional resume shows a higher level of opponent than most promotional debutants. Radtke is a well-rounded fighter who does a good job honing in on the weaknesses of his opponents. He’d be very wise to do so and grappler in this match-up, against a decorated kickboxer in Blood Diamond. Mike Matetha aka Blood Diamond is coming off back-to-back losses under the UFC banner. He is just 3-2 in professional MMA competition, but he’s had more than 100 professional kickboxing fights. As a result, his striking is extremely advanced and dangerous. He does an excellent job utilizing kicks to control range. He’s flashy with a lot of power in all of his limbs, and he’s shown a solid chin and durability as well. That being said, he is hardly a competent grappler at the UFC level. In both of his losses, he was easily taken down and controlled on the mat. The line feels wide as Radtke has questionable upside as a prospect, but he should be able to get his grappling going early in this one. Charlie Radtke by Round One Submission
Preliminary Card- Starts 8:00pm EST
Nasrat Haqparast -480 vs Landon Quinones +360
- Anthony: This should be a fun bout at lightweight between Landon Quinones and Nasrat Haqparast. The sizeable favorite here is Haqparast who won in his tenth UFC appearance last fall in Paris. It is the promotional debut for Quinones who previously fought on this season of The Ultimate Fighter. Quinones is a solid striker with some decent attacks, but I see him struggling on the feet here against another very dangerous southpaw. Haqparast has incredible hand speed and much better boxing when comparing these two. Haqparast has also shown off a great chin and higher pace of fighting than what Quinones is accustomed to. Landing more than five significant strikes per minute should again propel Haqparast to a convincing win today. His power is nothing too special but I certainly could see Quinones getting finished if Haqparast can connect with a left hand clean. It is more likely going to be a bout that goes to decision with some back and forth moments on the feet. Quinones is willing to engage with Haqparast at boxing range and that will likely be to his detriment here. Nasrat Haqparast by Decision
- Nick: Landon Quinones will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a loss on The Ultimate Fighter to Jason Knight. He is 7-1-1 professionally, but it’s surprising to see he’s on the roster as he really didn’t show much when he was on the UFC’s reality show. Quinones carries power in his strikes, and he was once the Titan FC Lightweight Champion. He’s athletic and he shows flashes of upside as a prospect, but he’s still relatively raw in his abilities. Haqparast is a technical striker who fights well at range. He lands more than 5 significant strikes per minute and he defends more than 65% of the strikes thrown against him. He was once regarded as a top prospect at 155, but it has taken him some time to build momentum as a prospect as he’s been facing an elite level of competition. He’s coming off a win over John Makdessi, and he’ll be looking to build momentum here against a step down in level of opponent against Landon Quinones. The line is getting wide, but I do see Haqparast getting it done. Quinones will be competitive in exchanges, but Haqparast is simply a level above him at this point in their respective careers. He has more paths to victory. Nasrat Haqparast by Decision
Jamie Mullarkey -270 vs John Makdessi +220
- Anthony: Next we have another bout at lightweight as John Makdessi will face Jamie Mullarkey. I have been a bit critical of Makdessi here in his career’s late stages although the quality of his fights has not drastically declined. Makdessi is still a quality striker with good attacks from range and more sophisticated entries than a guy like Mullarkey. Madkessi uses his kicks well to dictate the pace of his fights and keep opponents from crashing the distance too often. Mullarkey fell flat as a large favorite in his last octagon appearance and the same could very well happen again if he elects to stay upright and kickbox. Mullarkey will instead employ heavy pressure in this bout to wear on Makdessi in the clinch and positions along the cage. Mullarkey could be able to ground Makdessi if needed, but The Bull has defended 85 percent of previous takedown attempts. I certainly won’t be involving myself in this fight at these closing odds but one would think Mullarkey is the more likely man to win. Hopefully he executes a more strategic game plan after getting knocked out a mere three months ago. Jamie Mullarkey by Decision
- Nick: Makdessi has decent offensive grappling ability, but he’s better known as a tough and gritty vet that almost always prefers to stand and trade. He’s an effective counter strike with power in all of his limbs, but there is no denying his speed and reaction time have slowed over the past few years. At 38-years-old Makdessi isn’t as effective as he was in his prime, but he’s still a well-rounded fighter with excellent fight IQ, cardio, and durability. Jamie Mullarkey is a well-rounded brawler, who has consistently shown his toughness and durability. He is more than willing to eat punches to throw them and while he leaves openings to be countered at times, he’s dangerous everywhere. Mullarkey recently fell as a heavy favorite to Muhammad Naimov, a fight in which he admitted he underestimated his opponent. Mullarkey has won four of his last six fights under the UFC banner, including a career-best win over Michael Johnson in July of 2022. It was a close fight and a controversial decision, but a solid barometer for where Mullarkey stands at this point in his career. The line feels a bit wide here, but Mullarkey is certainly the rightful favorite. He should be able to stay a step ahead of Makdessi here and lean on a wrestling heavy attack to secure a decision. Jamie Mullarkey by Decision
Jack Jenkins -205 vs Jose Mariscal +165
- Anthony: Next is a matchup at welterweight between Jack Jenkins and Jose Mariscal. This bout has the potential to win Fight of the Night given the high pace both men like to compete. Chepe Mariscal won his debut early this summer in what was a rock fight with Trevor Peek. While Mariscal proved to be durable and level-headed in that affair, we did see him display rather lackluster defense. He hits much harder than a guy like Jenkins but fails to match him in terms of technique. Jenkins should take an early lead in this bout if he’s able to fade the powerful entries by the oncoming Mariscal. He does very well investing in the legs of his opponents and working his boxing as fights begin to go late. Jenkins is also the superior grappler when comparing these two athletes. He lands on average more than one takedown per round and now has nine total shots landed through just three appearances inside the cage. With this being a much tougher stylistic test for Mariscal I advise against betting him this evening. Of the Aussie fighters on this card, Jenkins is one of the safer bets. Jack Jenkins by Decision
- Nick: Jenkins is well-rounded and athletic with decent striking fundamentals, explosive power, and solid overall wrestling ability. He’s capable of weaponizing his cardio and taking fights over late, but we really haven’t seen him tested extensively against top level competition. He’s coming off a solid win via decision over Jamall Emmers, but that result was both narrow and controversial. Jenkins’ greatest attack is his leg kick, which I fully expect he’ll try to rely on here early against an effective striker in Jose Mariscal. Jose Mariscal is 14-6 professionally, coming off a solid win in his UFC debut over a popular prospect in Trevor Peek. Mariscal is well-rounded, but he mostly prefers to stand and trade on the feet. He has a solid chin and fights at an impressive pace, and his professional wins have almost exclusively come to UFC level opponents. He continues to improve at just 30-years old and fights out of an excellent camp via Elevation Fight Team. I see Jenkins as the rightful favorite here, but the price feels a bit inflated. Regardless, I do expect he can use legkicks to stay ahead in striking exchanges. Jack Jenkins by Decision
Carlos Ulberg -300 vs Da Un Jung +240
- Anthony: The featured prelim is a contest at light heavyweight between Carlos Ulberg and Da Un Jung. This should be the bout that propels Ulberg into the top fifteen at 205 pounds if he is successful. The man is 8-1 with a career of kickboxing behind him and one of the division’s best work rates. Ulberg lands more than eight significant strikes per minute while connecting with accuracy north of 62%. He carries some serious power in the hands with four knockouts in the UFC whilst landing fewer than fifteen strikes. I love his ability to connect with looping hooks and countering opponents while on their way in. I find Da Un Jung a bit rudimentary in terms of his boxing but effective in fights that see the clinch. Jung may crowd Ulberg and attempt to take the air out of the arena but I do not see that working to great effect for long. Closing the distance on Ulberg will be a very tall task and Jung will likely get clipped here in the early going if he is too aggressive. I am expecting a wash in this bout today with Da Un Jung failing to execute an effective gameplan. Ulberg seems like the real deal and it is going to take a very talented grappler to hand him another loss anytime soon. My only more confident pick today is his close friend and training partner Israel Adesanya. Carlos Ulberg by Round One KO
- Nick: Ulberg does a good job mixing in feints to trap his opponents. He’s a decorated kickboxer with knockout power in all of his limbs, but he sometimes leaves himself open to take damage in exchanges. He trains with City Kickboxing along with Middleweight Champion, Israel Adesanya under Head Coach Eugene Bareman. He’s coming off four consecutive wins under the UFC banner, with each of the last three coming via first round KO. Jung is a powerful striker, but he doesn’t throw much volume. We’ve recently seen him lean more on his grappling abilities, which could be wise here against a gifted striker in Ulberg. Jung is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2015. He could be fighting for his roster spot here, so it does seem more likely he does try to mix in his wrestling. The line feels too wide here as Jung will have a grappling advantage. That being said, Ulberg has a 100% takedown defense in the UFC and he’s the much quicker and more dangerous striker on the feet. I expect he can keep this one standing where he should find a timely finish. Carlos Ulberg by Round Two KO
Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST
Anton Turkalj -115 vs Tyson Pedro -105
- Anthony: The main card opens with a light heavyweight tilt of Tyson Pedro and Anton Turkalj. We should see the crowd fired up for Pedro here as gets the opportunity to start a new winning streak after losing one in Perth his last time out. Pedro spent that previous fight week dealing with an illness and still performed alright facing a tough stylistic draw in Modestas Bukauskas. Turkalj is a fighter who relies on grappling and not striking to get the job done. Pedro has the better technical striking here today and a clear advantage on the feet facing Turkalj. He will not only have the much quicker hands in this matchup but also much more damaging lower body attacks. The Swedish fighter will likely shoot for takedowns here and while his offensive grappling is very efficient, Pedro is a jiu jitsu blackbelt opposite him. I think Pedro has the strength to work out of tough positions here and rain down punishment on Turkalj the longer these two are engaging. We appear to be getting him at a discounted price today and at nearly even money I find this a very easy fight to predict. Tyson Pedro by Round Two Submission
- Nick: Anton Turkalj has decent power on the feet, but most of his success has come in grappling exchanges. He mostly wrestles to control position, but he can also be dangerous on the mat, as two of his eight professional wins have come via submission. He’s coming off back-to-back losses to tough opponents in Vitor Petrino and Jailton Almeida. Pedro is a dangerous striker, a very talented BJJ practitioner and one of the better grapplers on the roster at 205 pounds. He’s coming off an ugly loss to Modestas Bukauskas, but he was apparently very sick with a flu entering that match-up. I see Pedro as the more technically sound striker defensively and the much better grappler of the two in this match-up. Pedro should be able to dictate where this one goes. Turkalj will be dangerous if he can extend this, but I expect he’ll be out of it early. Tyson Pedro by Round One Submission
Justin Tafa -205 vs Austen Lane +165
- Anthony: Next is a heavyweight matchup with Austen Lane taking on Justin Tafa. These two fought back in June of this year in a fight that ended in a no contest due to eye poke. Tafa’s eye was a bloody mess less than a minute into that contest. We are running the fight back now on the opposite side of the world and in enemy territory for Austen Lane. He looked solid fighting at home in his Jacksonville debut but now I find him up against a tougher task in this rematch. Lane is on a six fight winning streak, but his wins have come against very low level competition. He is a lengthy heavyweight with good power and speed, just limited Fight IQ and durability. Tafa is a very crisp kickboxer with power that certainly exceeds that of Lane. I expect Tafa to fight as he has in recent appearances, chucking leather early and searching for a finish. Lane cannot get caught when these shots begin to land as Tafa will almost certainly connect clean before he finds himself able to connect with power. Lane may be able to outpoint Tafa and win here based on volume, I just do not expect to see the Aussie get overwhelmed. He weighed twenty pounds heavier than Lane on Friday, and probably a considerable amount more so today. Justin Tafa by Round One KO
- Nick: This is a low-level match-up featuring two plodding heavyweights, and a rematch of a fight that was ended via Austen Lane eye poke back in June.Justin Tafa had a lot of hype coming into the promotion, but he has been mostly a disappointment so far. He has knockout power, but his cardio is suspect and he hasn’t really shown technical boxing ability on the level of other up-and-comers in this division. He is coming off an impressive KO win over Parker Porter, but when he doesn’t find early KOs his gas tank can deplete rather quickly. Austen Lane will be making his UFC debut here, coming off six consecutive wins via finish. He most recently secured a win via KO in the Contender Series over Richard Jacobi. Lane is athletic for the division as a former NFL defensive lineman. He throws powerful strikes, he has decent offensively grappling ability, but his skills are still rough around the edges as he’s starting his MMA career on the back half of his athletic prime. Lane will have a chance here if he can mix in some grappling and extend this fight into the later rounds. That being said, it seems far more likely Tafa catches him early. This is a low confidence play given the volatility of heavyweights, but I’ll side with the favorite. Justin Tafa by Round One KO
Manel Kape -450 vs Felipe dos Santos +325
- Anthony: The featured bout is a flyweight contest between Manel Kape and Felipe dos Santos. It is a short notice appearance for dos Santos who makes his UFC debut a perfect 7-0. He is stepping into this fight for the injured Kai Kara-France who was slated to face Kape before sustaining a concussion. Dos Santos is a dangerous young man training out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima. He has a very aggressive style, lunging into range to throw strikes and putting everything behind his shots in the muay thai clinch. He has some solid jiu jitsu as well but I’m not expecting to see it showcased here. Kape is a very calm striker who lands precise counters and a lot of single shot KOs. Nobody at flyweight is quite as powerful as Kape and I think with such an aggressive dance partner his chances of finding a finish today seem extremely high. Normally I’d recommend against Kape at odds so wide but on this current winning streak he is fighting a much more consistent approach with an uptick in volume. His style is a tough one to train for given limited notice and I’d be shocked to see him upset by dos Santos here. Manel Kape by Round Two KO
- Nick: Kape has excellent power for a flyweight. He is a highly technical striker with advanced footwork, which he uses well to set up his power shots. Kape can be overaggressive at times and his grappling seems average for the division, but his KO power alone makes him a threat against anyone. Kape is coming off three consecutive wins, and many feel he’s a potential title contender at 125 lbs. Felipe dos Santos will be making his UFC debut here, taking this fight on short notice after Kai Kara-France was forced to pull out. He is 7-0, fighting out of Chute Boxe in Brazil. Like many of his Chute Boxe teammates, dos Santos is extremely aggressive and dangerous both on the feet and on the mat. He is coming off back-to-back wins via decision, but he likes to fight moving forward and his style could be described as kill-or-be-killed. Kape tends to fight down to the level of his opponents, so this fight could be closer than it should. Still, he should outclass dos Santos no matter where this one goes. Dos Santos is only 22-years-old and this represents a dramatic step up in competition for him here in his debut. I expect to roll here, primarily in the striking exchanges. Manel Kape by Round Two KO
Alexander Volkov -250 vs Tai Tuivasa +195
- Anthony: The co-main event is a heavyweight match between Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Volkov. I have struggled all week to make a pick on this fight as Tuivasa makes the walk in front of his home crowd. Sydney is home for Tuivasa and his family as he takes this bout on an 0-2 skid. Perhaps Volkov is another guy that can piece up Tai whilst striking although I find losses to Pavlovich and Ciryl Gane easily excusable. Prior to those defeats Tuivasa had won five bouts in a row all by first round knockout. He absolutely has the power to hurt Volkov here while less huge blows are coming back in his direction. Volkov is a diverse and consistent striker but not somebody who necessarily hits like a truck. I worry about his length causing problems for Tai and a teep to the body eventually hurting him. However, Tuivasa should be ready to put on for these fans as he leaves little space for Volkov to work. Tuivasa is dangerous in clinch positions and I find him very live to beat Volkov here in what I consider a must win fight. Certainly I rate Volkov the more highly skilled combatant but with such a discrepancy in the betting odds I do not mind taking a shot on the underdog. Tai Tuivasa by Round One KO
- Nick: We have a fun heavyweight match-up here that is very likely to end inside the distance. Alexander Volkov has advanced technical boxing ability. He uses his range well and works effectively behind his jab. He has shown excellent cardio for a heavyweight, and he’s coming off back-to-back wins via KO over Alexander Romanov and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Volkov is 36-10 professionally, and he’s taken on the majority of the big names in the division. He’s going to have technical advantages on the feet in this match-up, but he’s going to need to be on point defensively. Tai Tuivasa’s clearest path to victory is always via the knockout punch. He’s coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, but those came to two of the division’s top contenders in Ciryl Gane and Sergei Pavlovich. Tuivasa continues to show improvement in all facets of his game, but his power is what keeps him in fights. It’s likely going to be difficult for him to consistently close the distance here against Volkov, but if he does he’ll be live for an upset. I don’t love the price given the volatility of the division, but Volkov is the rightful favorite. Historically he has done a good job striking at range against dangerous punchers. Alexander Volkov by Decision
Israel Adesanya -670 vs Sean Strickland +480
- Anthony: The main event will decide the middleweight championship as Israel Adesanya make his seventh title defense against the American Sean Strickland. Breaking through and defeating Alex Pereira earlier in the year only further accentuated Issy’s starpower. The champion has proven to be one of the all-time greats bringing a presence to the octagon that really has never been showcased before. His striking is unmatched, fighting from both stances seamlessly and using feints to overwhelm his opponent from the opening bell. Adesanya does well utilizing all weapons available to him and specifically blasting out kicks with an incredible rate of accuracy. This bout against Strickland should yield a lot of connections on the lower leg as well as plenty of attempts at kicking the head. Strickland is very good in terms of his defensive fundamentals while sometimes rolling away from shots can leave him out of position. His style can be described as a bit safe although he does tend to pressure forward and push the action as needed. Strickland is a bit more live than these betting odds imply but I do not see him winning more than a few exchanges as these two go at it on the feet. Strickland’s wrestling and jiu jitsu are solid but I do not see much effort being expended in search of a takedown today. Adesanya is physically much bigger than Strickland and just as dangerous on the mat as he is fighting Sean on the feet. Strickland seems to know his best chance at winning the title comes by biting down on the mouthpiece and hoping to get lucky. Adesanya is only fighting outside of the top five to remain active and I think we see the challenger seriously outclassed. As a massive fan of Issy, anything but a clean victory would feel like a let down in this spot. He will likely make this another moment for his highlight reel as he shows out on home soil once again. And Still. Israel Adesanya by Round Three KO
- Nick: The middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, has established himself as a star in the sport. In most of his fights, we see him surgically pick his opponents apart at range on the feet. He’s a gifted kickboxer with outstanding accuracy. He doesn’t carry massive power, but he relies on timely combinations to overwhelm his opponents and when he does he’s capable of finishing a fight inside the distance. Adesanya does an excellent job throwing feints to bait his opponents into counters. He moves fluidly on his feet. He has outstanding footwork and head movement and in terms of overall technical ability there’s no denying he’s one of the best strikers on the roster. Strickland has only lost to an elite level of competition. He’s an extremely talented kickboxer with excellent takedown defense and underrated BJJ. He does an excellent job countering a wide-range of strikers. He has excellent footwork and head movement. He pushes a serious pace and he does a quality job weaponizing his cardio, especially in five round fights. Strickland is coming off a KO of Abus Magomedov, and prior to that a dominant decision win over Nassourdine Imavov in a fight he took on less than a weeks’ notice. As impressive as he’s been, it does seem fairly likely he’s going to be outmatched in this match-up. Strickland’s one path to victory here may be to execute a wrestling heavy gameplan, but that’s not a strategy he ever seems eager to implore. Even if he does, Adesanya is going to have a considerable size advantage, making him hard to take down. Additionally, Adesanya’s excellent range striking will make it extremely difficult to close distance. The line is getting a bit out of hand, but Adesanya is clearly the rightful favorite. I’m hoping Strickland can make this competitive, but regardless I expect Adesanya to show his skills are a level above as a champion. And Still. Israel Adesanya by Round Five KO
-Nick Marro
Twitter: @NickMarroDFS
-Anthony Marro
Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_
Photo: UFC.com