Israel Adesanya envisions loads of grappling exchanges within the UFC 311 headliner.
Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) defends his light-weight title in a rematch in opposition to Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in Saturday’s principal occasion (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome.
Each Makhachev and Tsarukyan are elite grapplers, however Adesanya doesn’t assume their video games will cancel out. Similar to their first combat in April 2019, the place Makhachev outlasted Tsarukyan, Adesanya expects the 2 to lean on their robust wrestling bases.
“That is going to be a wrestling combat,” Adesanya mentioned on his YouTube channel. “That is going to be WrestleMania. I believe they’ll have to check one another’s wrestling as a result of they’re that good. I don’t assume it’s simply going to cancel one another out. … Though we’re going Islam, I nonetheless assume Arman has a canine on this combat.
“I simply really feel like generally, some individuals, with regards to that second, they take it, and Arman, I don’t assume he’s going to shrink back from this. He’s used to the highlight. Islam has positively lived on this second, principal occasion, all that stuff.”
Adesanya finally picked the extra skilled five-round fighter in Makhachev to win.
“On this combat, I’m going to go Islam simply because he’s on a roll proper now,” Adesanya mentioned. “He simply appears to be getting higher and higher and higher. Arman is doing the identical, as nicely. I used to be very impressed along with his final combat and the best way he handles the highlight and every thing.
“I simply don’t assume it’s going to be sufficient to tackle Makhachev. Spherical 5, late submission (win for Makhachev). That protection in opposition to Charles ‘Do Bronx’ (Oliveira) was actually slick, however when he’s drained, that’s what I’m banking on. I simply know Islam can positively get the steam rolling.”
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