The UFC returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for International Fight Week. UFC 276 will serve as the marquee event for the weekend. This card is packed with high-quality matchups, highlighted by two Championships. The main event will see Israel Adesanya attempting his fifth title defense against title challenger Jared Cannonier. The co-main event will be the third matchup between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway for the UFC Featherweight Championship. In this article, I will break down the main event between Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier for the UFC Middleweight Championship. This card is stacked from top to bottom and is well worth a PPV buy.
The Skillset of Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya is tall and long. Izzy is a highly skilled striker who competed as a professional kickboxer before moving over to mixed martial arts and signing with the UFC. He uses his length to his advantage by keeping his opponent at the end of his jab while also delivering powerful kicks at distance. Izzy is extremely patient. He has a rhythm to his striking. He is looking to keep the fight standing to strike at a distance. He will close the distance if his opponent shells up and punches in combination. He is comfortable winning rounds using his jab to score and mix in his kicks. He has the power to finish his opponents when they enter the pocket. His takedown defense is excellent. He is able to use his flexibility and leverage to defend takedowns. He also is able to bounce back up quickly if his opponent is able to secure a takedown at this weight class.
The Skillset of Jared Cannonier
Jared Cannonier has reinvented himself as a fighter. He started his UFC career as a heavyweight, weighing in as high as 241 pounds. He fought briefly at Light Heavyweight and took on some of the top contenders in that division such as Glover Teixeira, Jan Blachowicz, and Dominick Reyes. He is now making the 185-pound limit and fighting for the UFC Middleweight Championship.
Jared Cannonier is a powerful striker. He will target the head, body, and legs of his opponent to keep them guessing. He throws a stiff jab that routinely pushes his opponent back violently. He mixes in heavy leg kicks to the calf to limit his opponent’s mobility. He has a good takedown defense and is able to use his brute strength to get back to his feet if he finds himself in bottom position. Jared is technically sound and patient on the feet.
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The Stats
- Israel Adesanya has a 5-inch height advantage and a 3-inch reach advantage
- Israel Adesanya averages 3.84 strikes landed per minute with a 49% striking accuracy
- Jared Cannonier averages 3.76 strikes landed per minute with a 50% striking accuracy
- Israel Adesanya averages 17 minutes and 35 seconds in the cage
- Jared Cannonier averages 10 minutes and 5 seconds in the cage and has only been outside of the 3rd round on one occasion vs Kelvin Gastelum
Picking a Winner
My pick to win the Main Event:
- Israel Adesanya
My best bet for the Main Event:
- Prop: Israel Adesanya to win in Rounds 4, 5 or Decision at PointsBet (-103)
This fight is a great stylistic matchup for Israel Adesanya. There should be no threat to be taken down from Jared Cannonier. Izzy will be able to settle into a striking fight and he should not lose a technical striking fight to Jared Cannonier. Izzy will be able to use his jab to score and mix in his kicks to keep distance. Cannonier is going to be forced to clinch and possibly shoot for a takedown to switch the momentum of this fight. Israel Adesanya will be patient and win rounds on the judge’s scorecards. The most likely outcome is Israel Adesanya to win this fight by decision.
It's finally International Fight Week!
— UFC News (@UFCNews) June 27, 2022
Preview every fight from this weekend's star-studded event here ⤵️:
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