Israel
Adesanya has some bold picks for
UFC 294.
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Adesanya’s City Kickboxing teammate,
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder
Alexander
Volkanovski (26-2), will challenge lightweight champ Islam
Makhachev (24-1) in the main event on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Volkanovski steps up on 10 days’ notice to attempt to avenge a
unanimous decision loss in their first meeting in February. “The
Last Stylebender” believes “The Great” will be more confident going
into the rematch as he is already acquainted with Makhachev’s skill
set, while Volkanovski himself has repeatedly declared that he’ll
be seeking a finish. While Adesanya expects Volkanovski to secure a
finish by the third round, he is also confident that the
featherweight champ’s gas tank will hold up should the contest
enter the championship rounds. The former UFC middleweight champ
said on his YouTube channel:
“I think he’s [Volkanovski] gonna finish him [Makhachev]… Send him
into a different stratosphere… He’s got the fighting spirit man.
You’d be surprised at the power of the human spirit when you put
your mind to something. If it gets to the fourth round and fifth
round, watch Volk not get tired. I’m telling you; you watch Volk
not get tired, but I don’t think it’s going to get that long. I
honestly think third round, maybe even second round, but I think
third round Volk’s going to finish him. Catch him with a shot, drop
him and ground-and-pound to a finish.”
The co-headliner features a middleweight title eliminator between
former welterweight champ Kamaru
Usman (20-3) and undefeated surging contender Khamzat
Chimaev (12-0). Usman stepped up on nine days’ notice for his
debut at 185 pounds, while “Borz” makes a long-awaited move-up
after a severe weight miss at UFC 279 last September, which forced
a reshuffling of most of the main card. Usman opened as a +235
underdog in some sports books, his first underdog status since 2019
and the biggest of his entire career. However, Adesanya expects
“The Nigerian Nightmare” to defy the odds with a third-round
stoppage. While Adesanya acknowledges Chimaev’s durability, he
believes Usman will get the nod even if the fight goes the
distance. Asked if he expects the fight to go the distance,
Adesanya said:
“That was what my gut was telling me, yes. But don’t be surprised
if Kamaru takes Khamzat out in the third round. Because Khamzat, I
think he’s durable. If he survives, I’m going to give it to Kamaru
by unanimous. But don’t be surprised in the third round if Kamaru
takes him out… I’m gonna go Kamaru UD or late finish.”
Adesanya also noted that while most of Chimaev’s previous opponents
cowered under his initial pressure, Usman has long been accustomed
to the championship mindset. According to the Nigerian-born Kiwi,
the only condition under which Usman loses is if his gas tank
doesn’t hold up with nine days of preparation.