Best bets for UFC 259 in Las Vegas
Only four fighters in UFC history have held titles in multiple weight classes at the same time: Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo and Amanda Nunes.
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will try to add his name to that list when he challenges UFC light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz in the main event of UFC 259 on Saturday night at the Apex in Las Vegas.
Rather than taking a side in the fight which Adesanya is a -240 favorite, handicapper Lou Finocchiaro is banking on the bout to go over the total of 2½ rounds (-140).
“Adesanya has to prove that he’s a generational talent, and Blachowicz is perturbed that he thinks he can come and take what’s his,” said Finocchiaro (@GambLou). “This fight is closer than what it’s lined. I like the over because of the adjustment for Adesanya moving up to fight a man that’s going to be 30 pounds heavier than him. It’s going to take him a while to chop Blachowicz down.”
Here are Finocchiaro’s other best bets:
Sterling (Even) over Yan
In another fight on the main card, Finocchiaro targeted Aljamain Sterling over Petr Yan weeks ago at +120. Sterling was down to even money Friday.
Finocchiaro said both men are very well-rounded fighters.
“It should be a very, very competitive five-round fight,” he said. “Sterling has faced a more competent body of competition and for that reason we’re taking him.”
Kenney (-135) over Cruz
In the prelims, Finocchiaro likes Casey Kenney to defeat Dominick Cruz.
“Kenney arrives with all the momentum. He’s won his last three, and he’s been the more active fighter,” he said. “Cruz surely has been in there with the best, and he’s a highly intelligent fighter. However, Cruz will not wrestle Kenney because, at 35 years old, he doesn’t have the cardio. And Cruz will not finish Kenny because power is not his game.
“Cruz has lost his last two fights and has had surgery on both hands and both knees.”
Phillips (+130) over Yadong
Finocchiaro also is backing underdog Kyler Phillips over Song Yadong in the prelims.
“Phillips is the more well-rounded fighter. He has a better wrestling base. He has a higher output of strikes, and he should not really be the underdog in this fight,” he said.
Dober (+320) over Makhachev
On the main card, Finocchiaro also recommends a half-unit play on Drew Dober over Islam Makhachev in a fight he said is mispriced.
“Makhachev is a very hyped fighter that Khabib Nurmagomedov and all the Russians say is the next Khabib,” he said. “But you’ve got to prove it. Dober enters this fight with a higher level of competition faced, more momentum and a higher strike rate.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.