- UFC 271 Prediction: Adesanya by TKO/KO.
- UFC 271 Odds: Israel Adesanya -275 favorite against Robert Whittaker as +220 underdog.
A huge rematch in the middleweight division is set for Feb. 12 with Israel Adesanya defending his 170-pound strap against Robert Whittaker for the second time at UFC 271.
The latest Adesanya vs Whittaker 2 odds are still favoring “Stylebender” to remain the champion. Let’s find out what the latest predictions and best bets currently are for UFC 271.
Adesanya vs Whittaker 2 Predictions
The stars have finally aligned for the two best middleweights on the planet to fight for a second time. Adesanya has managed to maintain his champion status since they first fought.
After his UFC 243 victory, former two-time title contender Yoel Romero was gifted a title shot against Adesanya, which proved to be a stalemate and not memorable for all the wrong reasons. Then Adesanya bounced back with another career-defining performance over Paulo Costa, finishing the “Eraser” by TKO in the second round.
Adesanya then went on to challenge for the light heavyweight strap but came up short against the bigger man Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259. Three months later “Stylebender” was back at middleweight for yet another rematch, this time against Marvin Vettori. It was a clinical performance and Adesanya put the division on notice once again. It’s clear that Adesanya won’t be budging from his thrown anytime soon, unless “Bobby Knuckles” can throw the champ off with an upset at UFC 271.
Whittaker has shown improvements in his last couple of fights since his loss to Adesanya. I think this will be evident in Whittaker’s improved patience since the first bout. Out of the two fighters you could argue that Whittaker has evolved slightly more, we saw him pick up three strategic wins since losing to Adesanya, including wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum.
Looking at the current odds from now and their first fight at UFC 242, Whittaker opened as a -185 favorite, while Adesanya was a +160 underdog. The betting line moved much closer come fight night, with it becoming one of the closest priced lines in UFC championship history.
When it comes to striking accuracy Adesanya is at 50% compared to Whittaker’s 41%. Adesanya also has a more diverse striking style, he’s extremely crafty and can throw unorthodox strikes that could catch Bobby Knuckles once again.
Whittaker could have success here if he comes in with a more diverse game plan. We’ve seen many fighters struggle to take down Adesanya, except for the Jan Blachowicz fight – which could be mean more grappling from Whittaker mixed up with striking. “The Reaper” also tends to have more output in his fights with an average of 4.68 strikes landed per minute, compared to Adesanya’s 3.94.
One area that Whittaker could struggle with is the distance. It’s fine trying to come in and out of range, but playing that game against “Stylebender” is a dangerous move to make. Similar to the first fight, one fighter will have to give one and risk getting countered, with the odds stacked in Adesanya’s favor if the fight goes in that direction.
Best Bets for UFC 271
There are many ways to bet on Adesanya vs Whittaker 2. Betting on the outcomes outside of the traditional moneyline is an added way to earn bigger payouts on your wagers. Below are my three favorite bets for the UFC 271 main event.
Adesanya by KO/TKO: +120
We all know Adesanya’s ability to finish and how the first fight went. At +120, a $100 bet could net you $120 on Adesanya winning by TKO/KO once again.
Whittaker by Decision: +400
“The Reapers” new style has seen him accumulate three comfortable decision wins in a row. You can bet $100 to net $400 on this outcome. Alternatively, Whittaker is listed at +500 to win by TKO/KO.
Over 3.5 Rounds: -134
The over/under for this bout is an interesting one. I for one don’t see it ending as quickly as the first fight but things should get heated as the fight enters the championship rounds especially if it’s close on the judges’ scorecards.
Another huge fight for UFC 271 is Derrick Lewis vs Tai Tuivasa. Lewis is the slight favorite over Tuivasa and a KO is almost guaranteed for this fight. If you are betting from Canada make sure you check out the best Canadian sports betting apps.
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