UFC 239 Preview

*All odds are from here.

UFC 239 is the big card for the MMA leader for International fight week. We have the Hall of Fame induction on Friday, and then we have the Pay Per view on Saturday. The male and female G.O.A.T.S are both fighting so this will be one of the biggest cards of the year. Here is my preview of the full main card.

Diego Sanchez +250 vs. Michael Chiesa -360

An amazing fight to start the card in Vegas with Michael Chiesa fighting the legend of Diego Sanchez. Sanchez, who is being inducted to the HOF on Friday for his fight with Clay Guida, has stood the test of time since he beat Kenny Florian 14 years ago in the Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale. He is an animal who is just going to come at you and try and ground and pound you for 15 minutes. Chiesa is a choke artist who thrives on the ground as well. So this fight really comes down to Chiesa’s ability to handle Diego’s pressure.

I think even at 37 Diego will be too much for Chiesa and beat him on a decision.

Jan Blachowicz +138 vs. Luke Rockhold -182

An interesting Light Heavyweight banger here to keep the momentum rolling on this card. Jan is coming off a tough loss to Thiago Santos where he probably would have gotten a title shot if he won. His opponent Luke Rockhold, the former Middleweight Champion, is coming up to 205 to make his debut. This has worked for Anthony Smith and the aforementioned Thiago Santos, so Rockhold thinks he might be more hydrated creating a better version of himself. I am not so sure though, his chin was extremely weak at Middleweight and the guys at 205 hit much harder. I see Jan knocking out Rockhold in the second round here.

Jorge Masvidal +170 vs. Ben Askren -230

An amazing Welterweight fight here in the middle of the card with the continued adventure with Ben Askren, fighting the always entertaining Jorge Masvidal. Askren is coming off his controversial win against Robbie Lawler, and Masvidal is coming off his bludgeoning of Darren Till. We know what Askren is going to try and do, and that is just take Masvidal down and suffocate him with ground and pound. Masvidal is a very well rounded guy I just do not know if he will have the wrestling to compete with Ben.

I think Askren wins a decision here.

Amanda Nunes (C) -335 vs. Holly Holm +250

An amazing Co-Main event as we have the greatest Women’s fighter of all time fighting the women who knocked out the original Women’s G.O.A.T. Amanda Nunes has been on one of the greatest runs in UFC history and it is going to take something truly special to knock her off her perch as the double champ. Holly Holm is coming for the belt but she is aging and as great as she was in her prime, I do not know how much she has left.

I do not know if Holly will want to stand and take Nunes power, so she might try to clinch or take her down. I believe Nunes is just better in every aspect though and will beat Holly wherever the fight goes.

Amanda Nunes by 2nd round TKO.

Jon Jones (C) -625 vs. Thiago Santos +440

The main event features Jon Jones third defense in the last 7 months of his Light Heavyweight title. That activity is so incredible because of how many out of the cage issues he has had. Those stories have been told at nauseam so lets just focus on the fight at hand. The challenger Saturday is Thiago Santos who is a big imposing striker who moved up from Middleweight, just like Jones last challenger Anthony Smith. Santos is going to try and come out fast and push the pace on “Bones” but recently Jon has shown incredible defense and distance control that will make Santos plan difficult. We have never really seen Santos wrestle with someone like Jones so that could be an issue as well.

Jones will try and move and use leg kicks to tire Santos and bring him into deeper waters then he has ever been in. I just see Jones beating Santos in every aspect of this fight and finishing him on the ground in the 4th round.