UFC 293 Staff Preview and Predictions
UFC 293 from Sydney is set to feature a headline bout that has garnered significant attention. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya of New Zealand is poised to defend his title against the formidable underdog, Sean Strickland. Following this marquee matchup, the fight card may seem somewhat lacking in star power, but there’s potential for excitement throughout the evening. Notably, the co-main event promises an intriguing showdown, pitting Australian knockout specialist Tai Tuivasa against the ever-dangerous Alexander Volkov in the heavyweight division. As always, I will be joined by Anthony, James, and Jerry.
Garrett: 101-59-2
James: 99-61-2
Anthony: 79-50-1
Jerry: 80-56-1
Tyson Pedro vs. Anton Turkalj (Light Heavyweight)
Garrett: Pedro is consistently an entertaining fighter to watch, and it’s likely that Turkalj is more skilled than his 0-2 UFC record would suggest. This particular fight should be quite exciting, especially considering Pedro and Turkalj’s mutual aversion to leaving it to the judges. Expect a fast-paced encounter; I predict Pedro will connect with a powerful strike early on, much to the delight of the Sydney crowd. Regrettably, this victory is unlikely to propel his career forward significantly. I’ll take Pedro via second-round TKO.
James: The UFC 293 main card opens with a light heavyweight bout between Tyson Pedro and Anton Turkalj. Pedro will be the hometown fighter. In the UFC, he has had mixed results which has led to a 5-4 promotional record. This will be Turkalj’s third bout in the UFC. Thus far into his promotional tenure, he has not won a bout.
Pedro is a kickboxer with solid long-range weapons. This begins with his kicks to the body and his jab. In the grappling department, Pedro is fairly underrated and has shown solid skills in that area. The issue for Pedro has been cardio; he’s winless in fights that escape the first round.
Turkalj’s best attribute is his chin. In his last fight, Vitor Petrino was cleanly hitting him with shots that should have resulted in a finish. Turkalj kept fighting, however. Outside of that, he lacks UFC-caliber skills. On the feet, he has awful defense and on the ground, he makes mistakes and gives up solid positions. Essentially, he wins with toughness and cardio.
I think Pedro wins a fight that escapes the first round for the first time in his career. I am expecting Pedro to land powerful shots on the feet. That will lead to Turkalj entering the clinch. In the clinch, I think Pedro has an advantage and will win minutes. That action of Pedro landing strikes and Turkalj entering the clinch will be repeated for the entire fight and Pedro will walk away with a decision win.
Anthony: Tyson Pedro KO/TKO
Jerry: Pedro via KO/TKO
Justin Tafa vs. Austen Lane (Heavyweight)
Garrett: Their initial meeting took place in June, providing a home-field advantage for former NFL player Austen Lane during a Fight Night event in Jacksonville. Unfortunately, that bout concluded prematurely, lasting only thirty seconds due to an eye poke incident. Now, for the rematch, they’ve relocated to the opposite side of the world, adding an extra layer of intrigue. Furthermore, Lane’s training team has injected some fiery trash talk into the mix. I am going to lean on the experience of Tafa as Lane is still incredibly raw as a prospect, I say as he is somehow 35. Tafa via first-round TKO.
James: At UFC 293, heavyweights Justin Tafa and Austen Lane will throw down. This will be a rematch from a bout that took place in June. The first bout was ruled a no-contest because Tafa was poked in the eye just 29 seconds into the fight.
Tafa is a former kickboxer who is 3-3 in the UFC. Although, he entered the last bout with Lane riding two first-round knockouts. It appears like he is continuing to adjust to MMA while steadily improving.
Lane’s no-contest against Tafa is his only UFC bout. Before that, he earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. I was not high on Lane was not high on Lane after his DWCS bout, however. The former NFL player is 35 and relatively raw, which isn’t a good combination.
This fight will probably end with a knockout. Tafa and Lane are each heavyweight strikers who rarely go the distance. I doubt that will change in this fight. Tafa prefers to get his damage done with counter strikers while Lane prefers to use his length. That favors Tafa. If Lane pressures, I think Tafa will land a massive counterstrike. I will take Tafa by first-round knockout.
Anthony: Justin Tafa KO/TKO,
Jerry: Tafa via KO/TKO
No. 10 Manel Kape vs. Felipe dos Santos (Flyweight)
Garrett: Kape is an intriguing fighter, and we’re witnessing the realization of his potential. He’s been crafting more strategic game plans for securing victories, and the results are becoming increasingly evident.
On the other hand, dos Santos has made a swift transition from the Contender Series to the main card, and while he’s an interesting fighter in his own right, it appears to be quite a rapid ascent for someone as gifted as Kape, who seems to still be in the process of discovering their full potential. It’s just a shame this fight isn’t against Kai Kara-France. I’ll take Kape via decision.
James: The UFC 293 main card features a flyweight bout between Manel Kape and Felipe dos Santos. At just 29, Kape had a lot of high-level experience before joining the UFC, he went 6-3 in RIZIN. In the UFC, he got off to a slow start with two consecutive losses, but he has bounced back with three impressive victories.
On the flip side, this will be a massive opportunity for dos Santos. The 22-year-old is making his UFC debut after taking this bout on short notice. The ranked Kape is tough competition, but dos Santos will be rewarded if he gets the job done.
Kape is a highly athletic striker. This can be seen in his swift movement, fancy footwork and quick striker. In conjunction with that, the skills are present too. Kape is a great counter-striker with great timing. This allows him to punish fighters with hooks and knees as fighters enter range. In addition, he has a good one-two and leg kicks from a distance; the only issue with Kape is that he can fight with low output and struggle when forced to push the pace.
dos Santos, a member of Chute Box Diego Lima, fits the gym’s description. The style of the gym is to pressure forward with powerful striking and volume. dos Santos does just that. Additionally, his BJJ off his back is solid.
This is a bad matchup for dos Santos. As he looks to come forward with pressure, Kape will be able to pick him apart with counter shots. I do not think dos Santos has good enough takedowns to consistently get this fight to the ground either. I will take Kape by first-round knockout.
Anthony: Manel Kape KO/TKO
Jerry: Kape via decision
No. 6 Tai Tuivasa vs. No. 7 Alexander Volkov (Heavyweight)
Garrett: I’m really excited about this matchup, and I believe it’s an excellent opportunity for Tuivasa to display his aggressiveness. While that aggressiveness has sometimes worked against him in his recent bouts, it’s worth noting that his previous opponents were considerably more explosive than Volkov.
If Tuivasa can close the distance, he stands a good chance of securing a spectacular knockout victory. My prediction is that he will indeed come out on top in this one. Shoey’s for everyone! Tuivasa via TKO.
James: In the UFC 293 co-main event, ranked heavyweights Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Volkov are set to throw down. Tuivasa, a native of Sydney, will be the hometown fighter in this matchup. The favorite Tuivasa has found himself on a two-fight losing streak after dropping bouts to Sergei Pavlovich and Ciryl Gane. Still, he finds himself middle in the heavyweight rankings because of the five-fight win streak that predated those losses. Meanwhile, Volkov has slowly built an expansive catalog of UFC fights and has a promotional record of 10-4.
Tuivasa is the definition of a knockout artist. Throughout the entirety of his career, 14 of his 15 wins have come by knockout. This is because he has massive power in his hands and uses counter-punching, clinch work and underrated technique to find the mark. It is also important to not forget his powerful leg kicks.
Volkov is a giant in the heavyweight division. At 6’7”, the division lacks fights with similar length. That translates into a style that allows him to sit on the outside and hit opponents with teeps, body kicks, leg kicks, jabs and straights. On the interior, he is not as superior, but he does have power in the pocket.
The UFC 293 co-main event previews to be a striking heavy battle. Tuivasa and Volkov have each struggled in the grappling department during their career. In this matchup, I imagine both fighters are willing to ignore that aspect of mixed martial arts.
In a pure striking battle, each fighter has their strengths. Volkov will need to sit on the outside and hit Tuivasa with long-range weapons. On the flip side, if Tuivasa gets on the inside he can land a knockout strike.
With the styles in play, I prefer Volkov. Tuivasa struggles with long strikers that attack the body. I expect that to cause him problems in this fight. I will take Volkov by third-round knockout.
Anthony: Alexander Volkov DEC
Jerry: Tuivasa via KO/TKO
(c) Isreal Adesanya vs. No. 5 Sean Strickland (UFC Middleweight Championship)
Garrett: When it comes to Sean Strickland’s martial arts repertoire, he’s earned a reputation as a proficient grappler, although he seldom deploys this skill offensively. A missed opportunity to employ his wrestling was evident in his fight against Alex Pereira, which resulted in a heavy setback for him.
Now, he’s presented with a golden chance to showcase his well-rounded skill set, which could be pivotal if he aims to compete effectively. Adesanya boasts exceptional takedown defense, but neglecting to test it at all would be a peculiar strategic choice.
On another note, one can also contemplate Strickland adopting a strategy akin to Julianna Peña’s, relentlessly pressing forward for the full 25 minutes. The hope here would be twofold: First, to wear down Isreal Adesanya’s determination, and second, to avoid falling victim to Adesanya’s trademark counterstrikes. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that this approach hinges on Strickland’s ability to absorb punishment and maintain constant pressure. While it’s not an impossibility, it certainly remains a highly improbable path to victory.
In the end, I believe the UFC 293 main event ends with Izzy getting his hand raised. Adesanya is one of the best counter-strikers we have seen in quite some time, and since most of this fight should be contested on the feet, he will have ample opportunity to pounce. Give me Adesanya via second-round TKO.
James: In the UFC 293 main event UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will look to defend his title against Sean Strickland. This will be Adesanya’s first title defense since regaining the belt with a knockout win over rival Alex Pereira.
At five total title defenses, Adesanya is on the path to making history. Strickland will look to spoil Adesanya’s quest for a legendary legacy, however. The brash trash talker is looking to get the middleweight belt wrapped around his waste. This opportunity comes off the back of consecutive wins over Abus Magomedov and Nassourdine Imavov.
Adesanya is one of the best strikers on the planet. The former kickboxer can pick opponents apart at range wide variety of kicks at all three levels and a quick jab. On the inside, he moves his head well and counters with massive power. Outside of the insanely hard-hitting Pereira, challengers have struggled to compete with Adesanya on the feet.
Strickland is a striker at heart as well. Although, he gets the job done differently. Strickland loves to push the pace with forward pressure and jabs. Once he begins to land his jab, he will unload with long combinations. At a minimum, he stays on the outside and pairs his jab with straights and teeps. Defensively, Strickland is unorthodox but effective. For the most part, Strickland likes to move his head while swatting at punches to send them off course or block them.
In most Adesanya fights, the biggest question revolves around his opponent landing takedowns. I do not see Strickland looking to wrestle offensively in his fight. Despite having solid grappling skills, Strickland does not attempt many takedowns. Furthermore, Adesanya has shown growth in his takedown defense and has been tested against better grapplers.
I expect this fight to stay on the fight which will result in Adesanya picking at Strickland with leg kicks. This will help take the sting off his jab and stifle his offense. Once that happens, Adesanya can land clean shots to the head. I will take Adesanya by fourth-round knockout.
Anthony: Izzy KO/TKO
Jerry: Adesanya via KO/TKO
