UFC 259 is finally upon us.
One of the most acclaimed cards in recent memory, UFC 259 features a trio of championship fights, as current Middleweight champ Israel Adesanya (20-0) headlines the main event, taking on Light Heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz (27-8).
This will be Adesanya’s first bout in this weight class, as he’ll look to add a second belt to his name.
At -250, there’s very little value on ‘The Last StyleBender’ to win, rather, I’d be looking to prop bet Adesanya any way I can, whether that be by KO/TKO (+130), or by UD (+250), as his fighting style will be too dynamic to defend against for someone as slow Blachowicz.
As for the other two championship bouts, the co-main event figures to be a two-part series, with Amanda Nunes (20-4) defending her featherweight belt against Megan Anderson (11-4), and bantamweight champ, Petr Yan (15-1), looking to defend his versus the feisty Aljamain Sterling (19-3).
And without further ado, here’s my best bet for UFC 259.
Petr Yan (c) vs. Aljamain Sterling, bantamweight title
This line opened with Yan as a slight favorite at -150, but sharp money quickly shifted this price back to a pick ‘em. With both fighters listed at -110 (William Hill), the challenger, Aljamain ‘Funk Master’ Sterling, seems to have the betting momentum in this bantamweight clash.
Yan certainly has the striking edge, boasting world-class knockout power to compliment his Muay Thai fighting style.
His ability to pressure you from both stances makes his approach difficult to defend against, as his countering ability will be crucial in slowing down Sterling’s lanky build.
However, Sterling’s kick game could seriously bewilder Yan, as his length will play a huge factor in this fight. Sterling has a whopping four-inch reach advantage on Yan, and this should help take off some of the pressure he can apply from a striking perspective.
If Sterling can keep the Russian at bay in the early going, he’ll be able to better incorporate his barrage of leg kicks and takedowns later on. The Funk Master’s wrestling game is far more dynamic than anything Yan has seen in the UFC, and this unfamiliarity could thwart his typically aggressive gameplan.
I think if Sterling can make this a rough and tumble fight for 25 minutes, it will frustrate Yan just enough to open up a potential submission.
Prediction: Sterling to win (-110), Sterling by Submission (+340)
