Closing the curtain on the promotion’s return ‘Down Under’ this weekend, undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya is trending to do so as a resounding favorite against Sean Strickland – as the pair headline UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia.
Adesanya, a two-time and current undisputed middleweight champion under the banner of the UFC, has so-far enjoyed a promotional perfect run whilst fighting in Australia since landing inside the Octagon, striking undisputed gold for the first time back in 2019 against Robert Whittaker in a trip to Melbourne.
As for Strickland, the outspoken Covina native will feature atop a pay-per-view card for the first time in his lengthy Octagon stay, and competes for organizational spoils for the first time to boot.
Riding a two-fight winning run into his title affair with City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya, Strickland racked up an impressive July stoppage win over Abusupiyan Magomedov – defeating the Russian-born contender with a slew of second round strikes.
Israel Adesanya closing as massive favorite to defend title at UFC 293
However, despite his unturn-in form this year, Strickland is priced as a massive +450 betting underdog to defeat Adesanya this weekend over on Betway.
As for the defending Adesanya, Betway are currently taking outright winning action on the Nigerian-Kiiw to emerge with a win at UFC 293, at staggering betting favorite odds as high as -650 at the time of publication.
Snatching middleweight gold back from arch-enemy and common-foe, Alex Pereira back in April of this year in the main event of UFC 287 in Miami, Florida, Adesanya dispatched the Brazilian knockout finisher with his own thunderous win, felling the Sao Paulo striker in the second round with a massive KO triumph.
And attempting to make good on the beginning of his second title reign atop the middleweight pile this weekend in Sydney, Adesanya can also be backed as a considerable -100 betting favorite to defeat Strickland by way of knockout, technical knockout, or by way of disqualification and retain his undisputed middleweight championship.
Expected to be up against the kosh from the onset and throughout his five round sanctioned tangle with Adesanya this weekend, Strickland’s underdog backing in terms of an outright way, follows him to the prop market to boot.
Similarly, if punters want to back Strickland to win the middleweight title via knockout, technical knockout, or by way of disqualification, they can do so currently at odds as high as +900.
As for when the event headliner will conclude, Betway are currently offering odds that within the very first round – at -500 no less, either Adesanya or Strickland will prevail and land a stoppage win at UFC 293.
Interestingly, ahead of his title fight return, Adesanya noted his desire to land a submission win before the end of his career in mixed martial arts, and teased that Strickland may present him that opportunity to boot.
And notably, Betway are taking action on a potential submission win for Adesanya at UFC 293 at the Qudos Bank Arena, with odds albeit quite out there at +1,400 for the dominant striking talent to chalk up his first submission triumph inside the Octagon.