Hang on tight fight fans, winter is almost over. It’s a beautiful Thursday here in southwest Ohio so I hope everyone reading this is somewhere they can enjoy some sunlight today as well. Here, we are in the weird season change time of year where it’s still too cold to open your windows, but warm enough to start getting you excited for summer. In the meantime, let’s get excited for UFC 259 this weekend.

For all of us in the sports world we sit in a weird time of season change as well. Football is over. Baseball is just getting their spring training started. The NBA is heading to the All-Star break and a one day All-Star event on Sunday. And the young men and women in college hoops seasons are wrapping up and will be starting their conference tournaments over the next few weeks.

Even if you hadn’t noticed everything lining up to an uneventful Saturday night, Dana White sure was paying attention. He put together an absolutely loaded fight card that is sure to draw massive numbers. UFC 259 this Saturday features three title fights and will be headlined by Israel Adesanya facing off against Jan Blachowicz for the Light Heavyweight Belt, as well as the “Champ Champ ” accolade to add to his resume. 

This card is so stacked that a UFC legend like Dominick Cruz is fighting in the prelim card main event and he is going up against one of the hottest prospects at 135lbs in Casey Kenney. Regardless if you plan on purchasing UFC 259, the prelim card will be on ESPN and starts at 8pm EST. UFC 259 is a card that could bring in a historic amount of new MMA fans. But if three title fights, the Women’s MMA GOAT, and a Style Bender can’t get your heart racing then you’re probably a lost soul already.

#3 Thiago “Marreta” Santos (21-8) vs #4 Aleksandar Rakic (13-2)

Light Heavyweight

BUSR Betting Lines: Santos (+125) Rakic (-155) (O/U 1.5 rounds)

If you’re still breathing after what might be the best prelim card lineup of the year, be ready for a war at 205lbs. Thiago Santos is one of the hardest hitters the light heavyweight division has to offer; as modestly defined by the sledgehammer tattoo on his chest. Santos is a former title challenger and is looking to work his way back up the light heavyweight rankings. He will be tasked with getting past some of the fresher blood in the 205lbs division in Aleksandar Rakic. Rakic has the frame and the athleticism along with the skill set to be a dangerous matchup for anybody at light heavyweight. Coming off a unanimous decision victory over another former title challenger, Anthony Smith, an impressive showing here could set up a date with the winner of the main event tonight. I’ll take Aleksandar Rakic by second round TKO. 

#14 Islam Makhachev (18-1) vs Drew Dober (23-9)

Lightweight

BUSR Betting Lines: Makhachev (-355) Dober (+280) (O/U 2.5 rounds)

In our second fight of the night we will see two fighters clash riding in on hot streaks. Islam Makhachev hasn’t lost a fight since 2015. Drew Dober is on a three fight win streak and scored a finish each time. I’m curious to see if this one will stay standing or if either fighter will attempt to impose his wrestling on another wrestler.  Don’t think because of the lower rankings of these fighters that this is one to miss.

Usually I try to call out the “Beer Run Fight” during these cards but you better stock up beforehand for UFC 259 this Saturday. These two dudes are as tough as they come and this could turn into a three round war. If you’re trying to turn this card into a betting parlay maybe take Drew Dober here to improve your potential payout. I sure am. I’m taking Drew Dober by split decision.

(C) Petr “No Mercy” Yan (15-1) vs #1 Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling (19-3)

Bantamweight Title Fight

BUSR Betting Lines: Yan (-115) Sterling (-115) (O/U 3.5 rounds)

First title fight of the night is like a match up of fire vs ice. Petr Yan likes to work his boxing and use his takedown defense to keep things standing. Whereas Aljamain Sterling is a counter striker who utilizes the clinch and doesn’t mind taking the fight to the ground. Yan has some of the best striking at 135lbs. He put beatdowns on Urijah Faber and Jose Aldo to claim the Bantamweight Championship. However it’s in those victories that Yan’s critics seem to find their holes in his game. Yes, Faber and Aldo are legends of the sport. But how far past their primes were they when they ran into a young killer like Yan?

Sterling has been a contender at 135lbs for a long time now. The UFC has seemed to pair him with almost every other bantamweight leading up to him finally getting his title shot. The bottom line of this fight is if Sterling can get this one to the ground and keep it there. Even our guys at BUSR.ag have this as a toss up fight. I gotta agree with them. This is the hardest fight to pick of the night. I’m going to go with Aljamain Sterling by fourth round submission. 

(C) “The Lioness” Amanda Nunes (20-4) vs #5 Megan Anderson (11-4)

Women’s Featherweight Title Fight

BUSR Betting Lines: Nunes (-1020) Anderson (+710) (O/U 1.5 rounds)

The GOAT of Women’s MMA is back at UFC 259! With that comes the widest betting lines of the night. Amanda Nunes has overcome every obstacle that’s been put in front of her since 2015. She’s a current two division champ and has defeated the likes of Rousey, Cyborg, De Randamie, Tate, Holm, and Shevchenko twice. There isn’t a more impressive resume in Women’s MMA. Her dominance is so obvious that she’s now working her way up the GOAT rankings in all of MMA.

This Saturday, she will share the cage with a rather underrated opponent in Megan Anderson. Anderson definitely doesn’t have a resume close to as impressive as Nunes. What she does have however, is the element of surprise. She has a well rounded skill set and can get a finish on the feet or on the ground. If you’re feeling risky, throw Anderson on your parlay slip because anything can happen in the fight game. I’m not feeling that dangerous though. I’ll take Amanda Nunes by first round knockout.

(C) Jan Blachowicz (27-8) vs (MWC) Israel Adesanya (20-0)

Light Heavyweight Title Fight

BUSR Betting Lines: Blachowicz (+185) Adesanya (-225) (O/U 2.5 rounds)

After this main event at UFC 259 we will either have a new “Champ Champ” or “Polish Power’ will reign supreme. The first title fight of the night was fire vs ice. This one is speed vs power, thunder vs lightning. Adesanya has won 100 fights in his combat career between MMA, kickboxing, and boxing. His nickname “The Style Bender” isn’t just a cute twitter handle. Adesanya really bends his techniques through his various styles of training. His speed and precision have yet to be stopped in the UFC.

Jan Blachowicz wants to put an end to this hype train with a few of this brutal polish sledgehammers he calls hands. Blachowicz is on a four fight win streak and has put three of those men to bed with his hands.

News broke on Tuesday that Adesanya might show up to the weigh-ins as low as 193lbs and I’d assume if that’s the case he would then show up Saturday weighing maybe 195lbs. A solid 10lbs off below the light heavyweight limit of 205lbs. Blachowicz is going to hit the scales at exactly 205lbs and after eating and hydrating before the fight he will walk into the cage weighing around 220lbs. A 25lbs weight difference is unheard of for a UFC title fight outside of heavyweight. Blachowicz is going to have even more of a power advantage then he already would have. If he lands a clean shot, Izzy is going to feel it.

There’s a sports term that Adesanya must have centered his whole camp around; speed kills. We will know early in the fight how much faster Izzy is than Jan. Adesanya better have his dancing shoes on or a pillow and a blanket will be how he spends the rest of the weekend. 

Before learning about the possible weight gap I was about 100% confident Adesanya would get it done. I just can’t deny the science that if Blachowicz lands clean he is going to put Izzy on the floor. I’m going to take Israel Adesanya by third round KO. The first round will be a slow feeling out process but once Izzy can cut into Blachowicz’s gas tank the power will start to fade.

Be sure to check out the content from the rest of the Belly Up Sports team. It’s never too early to start doing research for fantasy football. The Belly Up Fantasy Sports crew has you covered there. Follow me on Twitter and let me know your thought on the fights.