Battle Royale in the Octagon: Adesanya vs. Strickland – UFC 293 Predictions!

UFC 293 Predictions: Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland

Introduction

The highly anticipated UFC 293 event is set to take place in Sydney, Australia, with the main event featuring a showdown between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland for the middleweight championship. Adesanya will be making his second stint as the middleweight champion, while Strickland enters his first title fight. The main card also includes other exciting matchups, such as Alexander Volkov vs. Tai Tuivasa and Manel Kape vs. Felipe dos Santos. In this report, we will analyze each fight on the card and provide predictions for the outcomes.

Adesanya vs. Strickland

In the main event, Israel Adesanya, the former middleweight champion, will be looking to defend his title against Sean Strickland. Adesanya is coming off a dramatic knockout loss to Alex Pereira but bounced back with a knockout victory over Pereira in his last fight to regain the championship. Strickland, on the other hand, has earned this title shot with two consecutive wins and the backing of his arch rival, Pereira.

Expert Predictions

The experts at CBS Sports have weighed in on the Adesanya vs. Strickland matchup, with the majority predicting a victory for Adesanya. Brent Brookhouse, a combat sports writer, believes that Strickland lacks the necessary firepower and technical skills to pose a threat to Adesanya. He also points out that Adesanya is a terrible style matchup for Strickland, making it unlikely that the challenger will be able to pull off an upset.

Shakiel Mahjouri, another writer at CBS Sports, agrees with Brookhouse’s assessment. He suggests that Strickland‘s only chance of winning would be through a lucky punch, as Adesanya has defeated better strikers and grapplers in the past. Mahjouri also commends Adesanya‘s ability to convert his world-class kickboxing skills to MMA and predicts either a stoppage victory or a decision win for the champion.

Volkov vs. Tuivasa

The co-main event features a heavyweight clash between Alexander Volkov and Tai Tuivasa. Volkov, the more technical fighter, holds a significant height and reach advantage over Tuivasa, who is known for his brawling style. While Tuivasa is motivated to bounce back from a two-fight losing streak, Volkov aims to solidify his place in the heavyweight title picture with a win.

Expert Predictions

The experts are leaning towards Volkov in this matchup. Campbell, a combat sports writer and co-host of “Morning Kombat,” believes that Volkov’s technical skills and wrestling advantage will give him the edge in this fight. Despite Tuivasa’s all-or-nothing approach, Volkov’s size and experience make him the favorite to emerge victorious.

Mahjouri also predicts a win for Volkov, citing the heavyweight’s underappreciated skills and his ability to perform well against top-level competition. While Tuivasa has shown growth, Mahjouri believes Volkov will prove to be a tough test for him. He predicts a knockout victory or a unanimous decision win for Volkov.

Kape vs. dos Santos

In another flyweight matchup, Manel Kape will face off against Felipe dos Santos. Kape was initially supposed to fight Kai Kara-France, but due to Kara-France’s withdrawal, dos Santos steps in for his UFC debut. Kape, the former Rizin bantamweight champion, brings a three-fight win streak into this bout and is considered a promising title prospect.

Expert Predictions

The experts at CBS Sports expect Kape to come out on top in this matchup. Despite the last-minute change in opponents, Kape has shown confidence and aggression, which has earned him the reputation of being a talented fighter. With his power and aggressive style, Kape is favored to defeat dos Santos and continue his climb up the flyweight ladder.

Overall, the experts predict a dominant performance from Adesanya in the main event, a calculated win for Volkov in the co-main event, and a victory for Kape in his matchup against dos Santos. While anything can happen in the world of MMA, these predictions highlight the advantages and skills possessed by the favored fighters.