The champion Israel Adesanya and the challenger Sean Strickland will be the protagonists of the main fight on the undercard of UFC 293 Fight Card in a fight that predicts a lot of emotions and actions for those present at Qudos Bank Arena, on Sydney, Australia this coming Saturday, September 9.
“Izzy” he defended middleweight belt five times before it was defeated by Alex Pereira in November 2022, but In their rematch last April, he regained it.
The Champion will be looking for his first submission
The New Zealand fighter of Nigerian origin’s 26 professional mixed martial arts fights include 16 wins by knockout and eight by decision (with two losses), but not by submission.
“What do I want in my career? Submission, I really want a submission,” Adesanya told the media this week. “This can be a fight. I know he will fight. I’d be stupid otherwise.. I know you will try to mix it up. He does it all: ‘The man dances, the man dances.'”
This is the first time since 2017 that a UFC fight has taken place in Australia’s largest city and the second UFC card in Australia this year.
Ahead of the title fight, which is scheduled to air simultaneously on Saturday night in the North American PPV television market, Strickland, 32, with a 27-5 record, he admitted He was happy to box Adesanya.
The American fighter, number 5 in the ranking, has has emerged victorious in seven of nine fights since 2020 thus earning his first appearance in a title fight.
Adesanya and Strickland don’t like each other very much; the two have traded criticism in the past. At UFC 276 in Paradise, Nevada in 2022, they walked into each other, screaming, starting what It has become a healthy rivalry.
If ‘Izzy’ wins someone else will wondering who he will fight next.
The 34-year-old fighter is ready to face Dricus du Plessis after what defeated Robert Whittaker in a fight for No. 1 contender, but South Africa rejects fight at UFC 293, Discusses more recovery time needed and allows Strickland to call to win the title.
Adesanya criticized du Plessis for not seizing the opportunity to fight for the title: “he (du Plessis) doesn’t make the decisions, I do.”
Adesanya or Strickland: Who has a better chance of winning?
“The Last Stylebender” came in as the heavy favorite to win UFC 293 against the American. As for betting, the current champion can be seen with –650, while Strickland gives a price of +450, CBS Sports signal.
If the forecast comes true, Adesanya will achieve his second reign as the dominant middleweight champion before the controversial ‘Tarzan’.
