by Dan Mendoza
UFC 271 has arrived with a stacked card and sees Israel Adesanya defend his title against former champion Robert Whittaker in the main event. Both fighters are the best in the division, and this rematch has been a long time in the making. Former championship contender Derrick Lewis squares off against rising star Tai Tuivasa. As this is a battle between two knockout artists, don’t expect it to last the entire three rounds.
UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2
- Date: Saturday, February 12
- Main card: 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET/3:00 a.m. BST
- Main event (approx): 9:00 p.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET/5:00 a.m. BST
Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker Betting Odds
Former rivals meet in the main event, with New Zealand’s middleweight champion Israel Adesanya taking against Australia’s Robert Whittaker. Whittaker’s only loss came at the hands of Adesanya; therefore, there is a lot of hate between the two.
Israel Adesanya Fight Odds
Israel Adesanya is the favorite in this matchup after beating Whittaker once before. Since that fight, the Nigerian has gone 3 and 0 at middleweight but has lost at light heavyweight to former champion Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya has made the necessary improvements and has tightened up his takedown defense, which was evident in his last bout with Marvin Vettori. It also works well with Adesanya’s fighting style, as he’s a skilled striker, with 80 kickboxing fights under his belt. Most of Adesanya’s KO/TKO wins have come by the second round, so Adesanya will likely win by KO/TKO.
Robert Whittaker Fight Odds
For two years, Robert Whittaker was the king of the middleweights and endured two grueling battles against Yoel Romero. Both these fights took a massive toll on Whittaker’s body, and he has mentioned coming into the Adesanya fight that he has shoulder issues. He was outclassed by Adesanya and got too reckless trying to secure an early finish, which resulted in him losing by TKO. Since that fight, the Australian has taken a different approach. He’s stopped looking for an early finish and relied more on his wrestling and takedowns. He’s now 3-0 with wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum. Jan Blachowicz showed the blueprint for beating Adesanya, so expect Whittaker to adopt a heavy wrestling approach on the way to a decision victory.
Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa Betting Odds
Two fan favorites are set to collide, with the American Derrick Lewis taking on the Australian Tai Tuivasa. Both fighters are knockout powerhouses and put on entertaining performances, so expect fireworks.
Derrick Lewis Fight Odds
Derrick Lewis is getting the second chance to fight in front of his hometown, and he hopes to get the win this time. Lewis has long been regarded as the hardest hitter on the UFC roster and has held the record for most KOs. He’s fought the biggest names in the heavyweight division. He’s challenged for the title against Daniel Cormier and the interim title against Ciryl Gane. Since the last last two failed attempts, he has knocked out another rising contender Chris Daukaus. Lewis’s game plan is simple – wait for his opponent to come in range and end the fight with his knockout power. Betting sites peg Lewis as the favorite and expect the fight to end by KO/TKO.
Tai Tuivasa Fight Odds
Tai Tuivasa is coming into this bout on a four-fight winning streak, with all of those wins ending in KO. The Australian has been touted as the future of the heavyweight division but has struggled to live up to the hype. Tuivasa has been open about not taking training seriously, which always resulted in him getting taken down multiple times. He has since changed his approach and massively improved his takedown defense, allowing him to win more often. Tuivasa may have to change his approach for this fight, as he’s known to get into firefights and get caught. The 28-year-old should take Lewis down to wear him out and hold on for a decision win.
Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson Betting Odds
The next fight is at middleweight, with Jared Cannonier taking on Derek Brunson. Both fighters are veterans of the sport, and the winner will likely go on to challenge for the title next.
Jared Cannonier Fight Odds
Jared Cannonier is considered the dark horse of the middleweight division and has asserted himself as a title contender in a short space of time. Cannonier started his UFC career as a heavyweight; he looks incredible shape and has had the best career performances at middleweight. He’s racked up four wins and one loss, beating Anderson Silva, Kelvin Gastelum, David Branch, and Jack Hermansson. His only loss was to Robert Whittaker. Since that defeat, Cannonier has tightened up his wrestling defense, which will be vital against Brunson. His best chance of winning is waiting for Brunson to come in for a take-down and look for a TKO finish.
Derek Brunson Fight Odds
Derek Brunson is currently having the best run of his career and is finally looking to shift his gatekeeper status. He’s been a part of the UFC for 10 years and has fought the cream of the middleweight division, including Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Brunson has gone back to his roots and relied more on his wrestling, which has helped him get to this stage. Brunson will be wise to stick with a heavy wrestling approach for this fight. This will allow him to nullify any of Cannonier’s striking on route to a decision win.
Kyler Phillips vs. Marcelo Rojo Betting Odds
Kyler Phillips and Marcelo Rojo need a win to keep their respective careers alive. Both fighters love to engage in stand-up wars and this bout will likely remain on the feet.
Kyler Phillips Fight Odds
Kyler Phillips is coming into the fight as the heavy favorite due to his UFC experience. Phillips is only 26 years old but has had a solid start to his career. He’s gone 3-1 in the last two years, beating Yadong Song, Cameron Else, and Gabriel Silva. He was in the top 15 until his last loss to Raulian Paiva. The American is known for his striking and always looks to finish. So, expect Phillips to end this fight early by TKO.
Marcelo Rojo Fight Odds
Marcelo Rojo is still relatively unknown to mainstream UFC spectators, but the hardcore fans will know him by his celebratory antics. Before this matchup, the Argentine had taken a short notice fight at featherweight, where he lost his debut against Charles Jourdain. He has since moved down to his more natural weight class (bantamweight). On route to joining the UFC, Rojo had gone 6-1 in the Combate Americas organization, with all of his wins coming by knockout in the first round. Rojo will need to do the same against Phillips to end the fight by KO in the first round.
Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast Betting Odds
The first bout on the main card pits veteran lightweights Bobby Green against Nasrat Haqparast. Both fighters love to wow the crowd with their striking abilities.
Bobby Green Fight Odds
Bobby Green is a veteran of the lightweight division and has fought a multitude of top contenders, including Dustin Poirer, Edson Barboza, and most recently, Al Iaquinta. The American’s career has been quite turbulent, and he struggles to maintain winning streaks. Generally, if any of his fights go to a decision, he’s likely to lose. Green will likely look for a TKO for this bout, as chances are he will lose if it goes to a decision.
Nasrat Haqparast Fight Odds
Nasrat Haqparast’s last fight against a top 15 opponent didn’t end well. He tried to engage in a stand-up battle but was repeatedly taken down by Hooker and failed to advance his position. He’s looking to get back on track with a win over veteran Bobby Green. The German is a strong striker and usually tries to keep his opponents at bay with sharp blows. He should employ this strategy against Green and aim for a decision victory.
Check out the latest betting lines for all upcoming UFC fights.
Dan Mendoza is a Vegas native who learned martial arts from the age of 10 - starting with Judo & Karate - moving to amateur boxing and later becoming a MMA coach and trainer. Dan covers UFC, Bellator, Boxing and other contact sports at Vegas-Odds.com
