UFC 263: Adesanya vs Vettori 2 – Preview

Just like pay-per-view events throughout this year, UFC 263 is set to deliver on all cylinders. A stacked card of rising talent is topped off by a pair of grudge title rematches. The main event will see Israel Adesanya look to defend his middleweight title for the third time against Italian challenger Marvin Vettori. Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno are also set for a rematch of their flyweight title classic, which ended in a draw. If that weren’t enough, #3 ranked welterweight Leon Edwards will welcome Nate Diaz back into the fold in a 5 round feature.

Let’s take a deeper look into this card!

NOTE: all odds are accurate as of the time of writing.

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(c) Israel Adesanya (20-1) vs (#3) Marvin Vettori (17-4-1) 2 – UFC middleweight championship bout

3 years after their competitive throwdown in Arizona, Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori will return to the scene of the crime for a rematch, this time with middleweight gold on the line.

Following an unsuccessful bid at capturing the light-heavyweight belt, Nigeria’s Adesanya is returning to 185lbs. His split decision win over Vettori may have been close in the eyes of many, but he has thoroughly dominated the majority of his opponents since that day. His striking prowess has led him to fan favourite status. Expect a classic ‘Stylebender‘ performance: filled with diverse attacks and flamboyant defense.

Going undefeated in his 5 fights since his loss to the now-champ, Italy’s Vettori is determined to bring the belt home on June 12th. A combination of dominant wrestling and powerful punches have left the likes of Jack Hermansson and Kevin Holland with losses on their records. Seemingly ready for war, expect an ultra-aggressive Vettori to chase the finish early.

ODDS: Israel Adesanya (-250), Marvin Vettori (+200)

(c) Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1) vs (#1) Brandon Moreno (18-5-2) 2 – UFC flyweight championship bout

Looking to finally to settle the score after a razor thin draw, these two flyweights will duke it out again for 125lb supremacy.

Making his star on the base of lethal power and faultless aggressiveness, Deiveson Figueiredo seemed indestructible. His draw against Brandon Moreno may have halted that slightly, but his performances in his wins are a pleasure for all fans. His 85% finish rate should tell you all you need to know. ‘The God of War’ has promised to end things early and violently this time around.

Despite a string of losses earlier in his tenure, Brandon Moreno has made an incredible UFC run since his 2019 return. Explosive takedowns and creative striking techniques pitted the Mexican in a championship bout with Figueiredo in 2020, to which he gave a spirited effort. Now, he will look to end things decisively and bring the belt back to Tijuana.

ODDS: Deiveson Figueiredo (-250), Brandon Moreno (+200)

(#3) Leon Edwards (18-3, 1 NC) vs Nate Diaz (20-12) – 5 round welterweight featured bout

Making history in the first 5-round non-title main card bout, Leon Edwards will look to make his case for a title shot when he takes on veteran superstar Nate Diaz.

Finally on the cusp of a title shot after 7 years in the UFC, it’s been a long wait for Birmingham’s Edwards. Multiple cancelled fights and unfortunate results have left him in a state of limbo. Now, he will get a chance to showcase his elite striking and dominant wrestling against a high-profile name. A win will firmly set ‘Rocky‘ up for a rematch with champion Kamaru Usman.

Though frustration in fight offers has led to inactivity, Nate Diaz is finally ready to return to competition. His size, unbelievable cardio, crafty boxing and creative BJJ have led him to becoming a household name. Motivated to make a splash in the welterweight title picture, expect the classic “no fucks given” attitude from Stockton’s favourite son.

ODDS: Leon Edwards (-500), Nate Diaz (+380)

(#9) Demian Maia (28-10) vs (#12) Belal Muhammad (18-3, 1 NC) – welterweight bout

Surging Belal Muhammad will look to crack the top ten at 170lbs when he takes on prolific submission ace Demian Maia.

At 43 years old, many expected Demian Maia to have left his fighting career behind. However, this Brazilian veteran still has the ability to choke anybody at 170lbs out. His jiu-jitsu prowess has led him to a total of 14 career submissions.

Though a short notice no-contest against Leon Edwards may have stifled his momentum slightly, Belal Muhammad is still on fire at welterweight. A modern mix of boxing and wrestling have led to wins over Randy Brown, Lyman Good and Dhiego Lima. Muhammad steps into the ring with one iintention: to make you ‘Remember The Name‘.

ODDS: Demian Maia (+200), Belal Muhammad (-250)

(#14) Paul Craig (14-4-1) vs (#15) Jamahal Hill (8-0, 1 NC) – light-heavyweight bout

Light-heavyweight hopefuls Paul Craig and Jamahal Hill will square off in the hopes of making a title case for 2021.

Though his UFC run started off mixed, Scottish mainstay Paul Craig has amassed a 3-0-1 record in his last 4. His strong jiu-jitsu game is what he’ll be looking to implement come Saturday night, along with a newly improved striking game. Determined to become world champion within 2 years, expect the very best from ‘Bearjew‘.

A hot prospect and an alum of DWCS, there’s a lot of hype around Jamahal Hill. The 30 year old is undefeated with 4 finishes by KO (excluding a TKO overturned for marijuana). His long frame and finishing ability has led to comparisons to the likes of Jon Jones, but whether or not those are accurate will be proven this weekend for ‘Sweet Dreams‘ Hill.

ODDS: Paul Craig (+240), Jamahal Hill (-303)

(#13) Drew Dober (23-10, 1 NC) vs Brad Riddell (9-1) – lightweight bout

Two 155lb scrappers in Drew Dober and Brad Riddell will duke it out in the featured prelim of this stacked card.

A professional since 2009, Drew Dober is currently sitting on 3 wins in his last 4 fights. This 34 fight veteran has taken on likes of Beneil Dariush, Islam Makhachev and Alexander Hernandez at both 155lbs and 170lbs. Now ranked at #13, the Nebraskan will be looking to pick up his 11th career knockout.

Hailing from the infamous City Kickboxing camp in New Zealand, Brad Riddell has made shockwaves in the lightweight division. Since his debut in 2019, the former pro kickboxer held a record of 59-10 before compiling 9-1 record in MMA. ‘Quake‘ will be looking to pick up his first ranked win.

ODDS: Drew Dober (-139), Brad Riddell (+110)

(#14) Movsar Evloev (14-0) vs (#15) Hakeem Dawodu (12-1-1) – featherweight

Undefeated Russian prospect Movsar Evloev will take on highly-touted KO artist Hakeem Dawodu.

Seemingly on the path to gold, Movsar Evloev has received massive support from his fans during his UFC run. The Russian has picked up 4 wins inside the promotion to extend his undefeated record to 14-0. His strong wrestling game has led him to wins over notable names like Mike Grundy and Lando Vannata.

51-5 across amateur and professional Muay Thai, Hakeem Dawodu came into MMA with buckets of experience. With his only career blemishes being a draw and a loss to Danny Henry, the Canadian has won 5 straight in the UFC. His KO power combined with accuracy and speed has made him a dangerous force at 145lbs.

ODDS: Movsar Evloev (-250), Hakeem Dawodu (+200)

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What do you think the ‘Fight of The Night‘ will be? Who do you have your eye on? Make sure to let us know in the comments!