Subscribe
Follow Us
The time has finally come and the Main Event of UFC 293 is live from Sydney, Australia. There's just one more score to settle – five rounds to determine a Champion in the Middleweight (185 lb) Division. Defending Champion and home country hero Israel Adesanya will defend his belt against the most polarizing figure in the UFC, No. 5 ranked Sean Strickland. You won't want to miss a second of this interesting title fight. Check out our UFC odds series for our Adesanya-Strickland prediction and pick.
Israel Adesanya (24-2) has achieved a UFC record of 13-2 while holding the Middleweight belt numerous times and challenged for the light Heavyweight strap. His last fight was a monumental cameback in his final installment with Alex Pereira. Adesanya exacted his revenge by reclaiming the belt and will now face a fresh challenger whom he's had his eyes on for a minute. Israel Adesanya stands 6'4″ with an 80-inch reach.
Sean Strickland (27-5) has gone an impressive 14-5 in the UFC considering how active he's been over the last four years. After suffering back-to-back losses against Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier, Strickland got back on his horse and won two consecutive main event fights against Nassourdine Imavov and Abus Magomedov. After disposing of two top contenders, Strickland finally gets his shot at the belt. He stands 6'1″ with a 76-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 293 Odds: Israel Adesanya-Sean Strickland Odds
Israel Adesanya: -750
Sean Strickland: +490
Over 4.5 rounds: +102
Under 4.5 rounds: -130
How to Watch Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN app, UFC Fight Pass, fuboTV
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Article Continues Below
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Israel Adesanya Will Win
Israel Adesanya could have easily turned down this fight and waited for a more-worthy opponent. However, he's basically cleaned out the division and while Imavov and Magomedov both looked like future contenders, Sean Strickland made easy work of them. Adesanya takes this fight simply because he's a gamer and wants to be the most active champion on the roster. All respect to him as he knows he'll be the much more skilled fighter in this one. His recent win over Alex Pereira was an all-time outstanding performance and he's certainly cementing his legacy as the Middleweight GOAT. Israel Adesanya has a great chance here to put on a show and prove why he's the most talented striker in the world.
To win this fight, Adesanya simply has to stay composed and not fall for any of Strickland's tricks or trash talk in the cage. Adesanya is a master of patience when it comes to his striking, so don't be surprised if he uses a ton of head movement to bait Strickland into swinging for the fences. He should look to chop Strickland's legs down to slow down the forward movement. All in all, if Adesanya can stay clean and fight loose, there's no reason he shouldn't win this fight.
Why Sean Strickland Will Win
Sean Strickland has made a name for himself by being one of the most ready fighters on the roster. He'll step in on any notice and fight anyone the UFC puts in front of him. He's said numerous times that he's a “company man” through and through and he'll be getting the biggest opportunity of his life with this one. Strickland knows he's outmatched in this fight, but it's certainly more about the payday for him than anything else. With that, Strickland doesn't have much to lose and can throw caution to the wind in trying to win this fight. The risks are higher than ever with a precise striker like Adesanya, but he'll have to sell out a few times if he wants to have a chance.
Sean Strickland's greatest strength is that he truly doesn't care about anything when he fights. He's willing to eat punches throughout a whole fight simply because he likes the feeling of it. By the third round, most of his opponents are wondering how he's still pressing forward and landing with such great volume. In order to beat Adesanya, Strickland should look to close the distance and keep the fight in close range. He can't allow Adesanya to find a comfortable kickboxing range, so look for Strickland to press the action and get in the champ's face.
Final Israel Adesanya–Sean Strickland Prediction & Pick
There's going to be a massive discrepancy in size and striking ability when these two step into the cage. Sean Strickland is confident in his ability to brawl, but it's questionable as to how many clean shots he can take from Adesanya before folding over. Still, you can never count Strickland out and expect him to land a few clean shots on the champ as well. Still, our prediction lies with Israel Adesanya as he cruises to a comfortable victory. For fun, let's take his submission prop as he looks to add a new accolade to his resume.
Final Israel Adesanya-Sean Strickland Prediction & Pick: Israel Adesanya (-750); Wins by Submission (+1600)
