UFC 259 Live Coverage – Błachowicz Vs Adesanya
UFC 259 is upon us.
If you missed our coverage earlier, you can check out Ryan Frederick’s guide to the show as well as he, Paul Fontaine, and Promise Thomas’ best bets for UFC 259.
We’ll be back for the first match on the PPV.
Aleksandar Rakić Vs Thiago Santos
Lots of kick trading which made it more of the type of round that favors Rakić. Santos didn’t look really comfortable, but it’s possible he was feeling things out, but in a three round fight, hard to give away that first round. When Santos threw his hands confidently, he backed Rakić up. But otherwise, he was backing up the entire round.
This is not a good fight. Neither guy really wants to take control and both are content with hanging out on the outside and waiting for the other guy to do something. This is not all on Santos either. The rounds are close enough to where someone could’ve thought he got one and Rakić is kind of cruising when he may need to be impressive in round three.
With about two minutes left in the third, Rakić shot in and pushed Santos into the cage. Santos landed elbows to the side of his head. That was really most of the round. They went back and played kick boxing at long distance.
Winner: Aleksandar Rakić by way of unanimous decision
He won the rounds 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27. Santos looked super disappointed. Can’t believe he thought he won that fight.
Drew Dober Vs Islam Makhachev
Makhachev took Dober down with his first attempt. Dober was almost helpless on his back, but did work hard to fight back up and was easily outmaneuvered by Makhachev. Makhachev locked in an arm bar, but Dober gutted it out and eventually got out of being in the worst spot before the round was over.
Makhachev got Dober on his back again and methodically just took his wind away from him and tired him out for the entire round. Dober looks helpless out there and it’s not like Dober is a walk through.
Makhachev got the submission finish. Makhachev had him in a bear hug and powered him to the ground. He went for a kimura and then transitioned to an arm triangle. Drew didn’t want to be in there anymore and I don’t blame him.
Winner: Islam Makhachev by way of 3rd round submission
Aljamain Sterling Vs Petr Yan
Sterling looked really good early on. He was active and was overwhelming Yan a bit with his volume. He landed two strong knees and got a takedown. Then Yan dropped him with a right hand and Sterling never really seemed the same for the rest of the round. Yan did a leg sweep that caught Sterling off-guard.
Sterling got his bearings back in round two. His strategy seems to be to continue to overwhelm Yan with volume and to not give him any space to sit on his punches. Sterling had Yan up against the cage for a couple minutes, with one leg. Yan was hopping around and trying to not get taken down and succeeded.
Sterling is tired. He’s tired and outside of his game plan. He’s getting taken down and tripped down with ease. He’s attempting takedowns, but Yan is stopping all of them. Because of the fatigue, this is leaning toward Yan in a major way.
This was all Yan until near the end of the round when Yan threw and landed an illegal knee while Sterling had a knee down. It caught him flush right in the face. Sterling couldn’t answer. He’s going to win the belt by DQ.
Winner: Aljamain Sterling by 4th round DQ
Megan Anderson Vs Amanda Nunes
This was quick. Nunes knocked Anderson woozy with a right hand and she looked like a baby giraffe on ice skates. Nunes had could’ve finished her in a couple of different ways. She chose to put on a triangle/arm bar combination and Anderson had to tap out.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by 1st round submission
Israel Adesanya Vs Jan Błachowicz
Adesanya got Błachowicz to fight his fight in that first round. Everything was at distance which showed Adesanya’s speed and length advantage. Błachowicz may want to dirty this fight up. Adesanya wins round one.
Błachowicz showed glimpses including getting him in a bear hug and tossing him around a bit. But this is still being fought at Adesanya’s strength which is at distance and at a patient pace.
Błachowicz started out the round well as he stood his ground, but Adesanya landed a nice shot that pushed him back. Maybe the shot of the fight so far. He didn’t react well for sure. Błachowicz tried to push him up against the cage a few times, but Adensanya was slick enough to get out of it every time. I have it 3-0 Adesanya. Though, all of these rounds are fairly close.
This round was mostly Błachowicz as he got a nice takedown and just kept Adesanya at bay the entire round. This is the type of round Błachowicz needed to have. We’ll see how the fifth round goes. A lot of media cards have the fight at 2-2. I have it 3-1 for Adesanya.
Adesanya looked like the fresher fighter in the beginning of the round. Błachowicz looked tired. But then Błachowicz took Adesanya down again and was landing right hands and really came on strong at the end of the fight. I had Adesanya winning 3-2, but many have it the other way.
Winner: Jan Błachowicz
The cards were very clearly toward Jan Błachowicz. The scores were 49-46, 49-45, and 49-45.
