I could be totally wrong but for some reason I think when there are multiple title fights they schedule them with the heavier weight classes last and the womens fights before the mens.

There were a few exceptions I can think of off the top of my head like when Ronda vs Nunes main evented and Poirier vs Holloway main evented over Stylebender vs Gastelum but in that case I seem to remember UFC saying both fights were for interim titles and because Max actually had a belt that fight was the main event.

It's bc the heavier classes are bigger draws.

Biggest draw headlines, as long as it's for a belt.

Thoughts on Israel/Whittaker?

I thought it was lined pretty good at Whittaker -145ish but it has been steamed all the way to -110 both sides.

Feels like Israel either looks like prime Anderson Silva vs him or he loses as Whittaker is a better grappler and has more power, only way I see him losing is he just gets totally outclassed in technical striking.

Whittaker tough guy to rate as he has been hurt so much but he has fought way tougher comp than Israel as well.

Israel and Gastellum were tied going into the 5th round when Israel really put it on him and scored a 10-8 round. Prior to that it was a back and forth fight and Gastellum had Israel in real trouble a couple of times. I just rewatched it last night and it really was a great fight.

My takeaway is that, while certainly a creative, fun fighter, Israel is very hittable. Both times Gastellum had him rocked he dove in for a take down and failed to execute. If Gastellum has better fight IQ and really went after Israel with strikes when he was wobbly the outcome of that fight may have been different.

Whittaker has been in there with Romero... twice. I think he handles Adesanya. Maybe not easily but definitively.

I'm an Israel fan, but Whitaker is a huge favorite here, and the -110 line is lol.
Whitaker is simply too well rounded too good at in-fight adjustments for Is.

yeah i think the Anderson comparisons have people thinking Israel is the next big thing at MW. He is definitely hittable and his grappling just isn't there to do any damage.

Main question is what do we think of Whittaker health?

If he's healthy I think he gets it done. He showed in the Romero fights that he can take some big shots and weather the storm. And he had to worry about the takedown threat in that fight.

I think you are probably right but Adesanya is the same type of fighter as Wonderboy and he lit Whittaker up. Now that was a long time ago and that fight would probably look a lot different now but it makes me wonder if Israel might just be a bad match up for Whittaker.

Can Adesanya just Anderson Silva guys at MW?

Feels like if Whittaker loses, he just looks awful and outclassed in terms of skill. Long layoff as well.

I definitely favour Whittaker in the fight. The only thing that gives me pause is that in his 6 fights in the UFC i have felt that Israel looked to have improved a decent amount each time out. Im not sure if he can improve enough to beat Whittaker and I agree with Shimmy that the odds are pretty crazy for this fight.

Romero is one of the worst strikers i've ever seen in my life, the only thing he has going for him is explosiveness and power. Gastellum actually has the best hands in the MW division and is a very different fighter than Whitaker. Whitaker vs Izzy will be pure kickboxing and Whittaker loses every round imo.

Wow, I'm surprised to read this. I thought everyone loved Romero here. I think he's quite overrated. His output is terrible. He's only landed more than 50 strikes 3 times in his UFC career and in terms of landing from distance he's only had high output in his last 2 fights and even then in the last Whittaker fight he was outstruck 119 to 66 from distance.

From a stylistic perspective this is a clear mismatch. Both like to strike and Adesanya is the better striker with a 7 inch reach advantage. Whittaker hasn't had a takedown in his last 5 fights and has never had more than 1 takedown in a UFC fight. For Whittaker to have the best chance to win he's going to have to implement a game plan we haven't yet seen from him.

I like Adesanya in this fight but things that could play in Whittaker's favor include:

More UFC experience knows what it takes to beat top guys in the Octagon
More battle-testedhas a huge heart and is unlikely to fold
Not much recent film on him perhaps he's incorporated new things into his game we haven't yet seen
Israel is hittableWhittaker probably won't outpoint him but he could KO him
Israel is overconfident Israel is young and cocky. A fight is not won on paper. It is won in the ring. He may learn that the hard way.

I'm just looking forward to my girl Megan getting back in the ring after that last embarrassing fight.

Israel is actually the older, more battle tested & experienced fighter. Israel has 79 kickboxing fights + 17 mma fights. The only advantage Whitaker has is the grappling and if he can't take Israel down then it's null & void. I think the only guys who will give Israel trouble at 185 are great wrestlers or fighters with good hands who can fight in the pocket like Kelvin & Costa because Israel boxing defense is pretty bad as he keeps his hands too low & relies too much on head movement for my taste.

Styles makes fights, i think Israel is just a bad matchup for Whitaker is all.

No, Israel is most certainly not more battle tested. Out of his 17 MMA fights, Israel has only been in a real battle 1 time (vs Gastelum). We don't know exactly how he'll react when he's put in very adverse positions.

Kickboxing is the minor leagues compared to UFC and it doesn't even have a wrestling aspect which is the most grueling mentally tasking component of MMA. And even if you think kickboxing somehow makes him battle tested he clearly failed his last 2 tests there as he lost his last 2 kickboxing matches.

I agree styles make fights which is why I am picking Israel.

I don't really have an opinion on the fight. (I need to rewatch every Whitaker fight bc I don't have a good read on him at all.) Great dialogue on it tho.

My favorite part is how at the beginning some are thinking the line is so far off one way, and then it wraps back around to the other side being the clear fave to multiple people.

I love betting markets.

What about Israel lack of power playing a role in this fight? Yeah Romero can't strike for **** but Whittaker had to respect his ability to just land explosive monster power shots that could end the fight in 2 seconds. He also had to respect the takedown. Neither of those are really in play vs Israel.

With Israel defense not being great, could see Whittaker finding some openings if the threat of being countered doesn't make it as bad of a trade off.

Lack of power? What are you basing this on?

Don't think Israel has shown he has power in his punches at this level. He hit Gastelum clean a ton and couldn't put him out, vs Anderson it was also clear he couldn't really put him out.

He's efficient and precise but Whittaker can probably make mistakes and/or take risks vs him that he couldn't vs some other guys who can end the fight quickly.

Who knocks those guys out?

Facts are Isreal is 17-0 with 13 knockouts and the guys he didn't knockout have a long list of fights with a very short list of people who've KO'ed them. I think the only knock on Stylebender is he might not have the toughness of guys like Whitaker but he showed quite a bit vs Kelvin.

I will say this, if Israel loses tonight then he needs to move down to welterweight. Israel weighed in at 184lbs yesterday in socks and pants, meaning he doesn't even cut water weight to make 185.

nah, he wants to fight Bones in a year lol. if he loses, he should fight Yoel/Borrachinha since he talked mad sh.t

Pretty impressive showing for Hooker there. 155 is such a fun division. Really pumped for this main event.

Adesanya seems very confident with that entrance

that was dope. lords of the dance/ mma