UFC 239 is upon us and the leading MMA promotion in the world has gone out of its way to produce a truly stacked card.
Any one of the top three fights could headline a UFC pay-per-view and not just do so, but draw well, too.
Jon Jones is one of the company’s top superstars – perhaps the top star not named Conor McGregor – and he will top the bill in Las Vegas.
Let’s take a look at the main card that you can hear live on talkSPORT in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Diego Sanchez Vs Michael Chiesa
The last time we saw Diego Sanchez, he schooled CM Punk’s victor Micky Gall at UFC 235. Sanchez smothered and exhausted Gall to the point where he was virtually defenceless and Sanchez put him away with punches. Chiesa has had a frustrating UFC career in the sense that he has been on a two-fight or more win streak in the company four times and then he always blows his momentum. After coming up to welterweight and defeating the formerly formidable Carlos Condit in December, he has some renewed vigour.
Prediction
Joe Rogan likes to call Sanchez the bext third-round fighter in the UFC, and with good reason. The 37-year-old has seen 20 of his UFC contests decided in the third round and he’s won 13 of them. Chiesa hasn’t scored a knockout victory in nearly 20 fights and Sanchez is stronger in the clinch and on the ground. Sanchez will wear Chiesa down.
Diego Sanchez to win via unanimous decision
Luke Rockhold vs Jan Blachowicz
Luke Rockhold is a former world champion at middleweight, but this is his first dance at 205lbs and Jan Błachowicz is no easy introduction being ranked sixth in the world. Błachowicz has told talkSPORT he will knock Rockhold out in the second round, but the Pole has just one finish in the past nine years. Rockhold has faced and defeated four former world champions during his career and whenever Blachowicz has stepped up against contending fighters – Jimi Manuwa, Alexander Gustaffson and Thiago Santos – he has lost. Two of those men are retired now, though, and the 36-year-old will serve as a gatekeeper of sorts to the top tier of the light-heavyweights unless he can go on a win streak.
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Prediction
Rockhold has more pedigree and does everything very well that Blachowicz does. Assuming that Rockhold takes to his new weight well – which he should do considering he was struggling to make weight at middleweight – then he will make a statement here.
Luke Rockhold to win via KO
Jorge Masvidal Vs Ben Askren
Wow, this fight has really captured the imagination. There may be two title fights on this card but everyone wants to see this. Masvidal, fresh off a stunning KO win over former title challenger Darren Till, in England no less, is now tasked with beating the polarising Ben Askren. The wrestling pedigree of Askren is almost unmatched. He is unbeaten at 19-0, was the welterweight champion in ONE and Bellator and now he is finally getting the chance in the UFC. Masvidal has explosive knockout power while Askren wants to grapple and get you in a submission. Both are the up there with the very best at the way they fight and they are totally contrasting styles. The fact that Ben Askren is the best trash-talker in the game beyond Conor McGregor has only added to his allure and now that Masvidal is angry with him, we’re in for fireworks.
Prediction
Askren is not the most exciting fighter and Masvidal is strong pretty much everywhere, albeit the one place he excels is striking. That’s probably Askren’s weakest spot, but as an Olympic wrestler, how hard will it really be for him to manhandle ‘Gamebred’, a man who has been taken down 26 times in his UFC career? This whole fight hinges on whether Masvidal can stun Askren on his way into the clinch, or turns his lights out completely. It’s likely that Askren wraps Masvidal up and once he has him on his back, it’s game over.
Ben Askren to win via decision
Amanda Nunes Vs Holly Holm – UFC Women’s Bantamweight title
‘The Lioness’ is currently telling anyone that will listen that she is the greatest of all-time and if she beats Holly Holm this Saturday, nobody can dispute it. To be fair to her, that is hard to dispute after she has dispatched Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Meisha Tate and Cris Cyborg en route to winning both the women’s bantamweight and featherweight title. After dethroning Rousey in a stunning upset, Holm then lost four of her next six fights and has failed to live up to the hype a win over Rousey gives you. She has the range and striking skills to trouble Nunes and being a former professional boxer and kickboxer, she has the footwork to furstrate the champion.
Prediction
Nunes has the speed and power, but like when she met Shevchenko, Holm can evade her and jab her way to a decision victory. She has the conditioning to get the job done, too. Holm has never been knocked out in MMA and does Nunes have the discipline to work it to the distance or will she get frustrated seeking for the knockout? Given the roll Nunes is on, you have to believe she has what it takes to be the first lady to put Holm away.
Prediction
Amanda Nunes to win via KO
Jon Jones Vs Thiago Santos – UFC Light Heavyweight title
At this point, it’s hard to make a case against Jon Jones. For any casual fans reading or people getting to know the sport, know this: Jon Jones is probably the most complete fighter in the history of MMA. The GOAT, you might say. He is exceptional in just about every department – not just good – and no one has yet figured out how to really trouble him. At this stage in his career, he’s more focused than ever, on a great training routine and diet plan and is running through top contenders with ease. Last time we saw him with Anthony Smith, it was a breeze for Jones. ‘Bones’ has reach and speed over almost anyone, is an extremely intelligent fighter and he can out-wrestle or out-strike literally anyone.
Santos has gotten this chance because he has four fights in a row, three of which via stoppage. Jimi Manuwa isn’t the impressive win it once was and many would argue Jan Błachowicz isn’t the very top level, but the fact that he’s aggressive and comes forward has seen him win fights and here he is. What can he bring to the table that Jones hasn’t had to deal with before? Not much, truth be told. It was only April 2018 he was knocked out by David Branch, too. He certainly has power and the desire to match, so his hope is that he can catch Jones at some stage and rush into a finish. The only issue there is, Jones has fought bigger and badder punchers than Santos before.
Prediction
Jones is still only 31, undefeated (if we’re not talking about disqualifications) and is still only 31. Since Daniel Cormier moved up to heavyweight, Jones has just been making his way through the rest and until a Johnny Walker or a Alekander Rakic make enough progress to challenge him, he’ll continue to rule. He’ll land some patented front kicks and face-palms to set the tone here, but eventually, he’ll have his way with Santos.
Jon Jones to win via submission
Don’t miss talkSPORT’s live and exclusive radio commentary of UFC 239, as legend a legend of MMA in Jon Jones puts his Light Heavyweight title on the line against Thiago Santos at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Join Adam Catterall, Nick Peet and former UFC bantamweight Brad Pickett for live commentary of the main event at 2am on Sunday morning right here on talkSPORT for all the action.
