UFC 259 - Jan vs Izzy - Who You Gots?

[Mark1T]

Big card. IMO, this is the biggest challenge for Izzy so far. Jan is dangerous. I gots Jan, but like always, I am wrong

Main card

Light Heavyweight Jan Błachowicz (c) vs. Israel Adesanya
Women’s Featherweight Amanda Nunes (c) vs. Megan Anderson
Bantamweight Petr Yan (c) vs. Aljamain Sterling
Lightweight Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober
Light Heavyweight Thiago Santos vs. Aleksandar Rakić

Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)

[supramax]

Big card. IMO, this is the biggest challenge for Izzy so far. Jan is dangerous. I gots Jan, but like always, I am wrong

Welcome to the club.

Main card

Light Heavyweight Jan Błachowicz (c) vs. Israel Adesanya
Women’s Featherweight Amanda Nunes (c) vs. Megan Anderson
Bantamweight Petr Yan (c) vs. Aljamain Sterling
Lightweight Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober
Light Heavyweight Thiago Santos vs. Aleksandar Rakić

Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)

I got Adesanya, Nunes, Yan, Dober and Rakic.

[Oceanside]

unless Blacho's size advantage offsets his skill disadvantage, I won't be surprised to see a fairly boring fight with Izzy on his bicycle all night...

I'll say it goes the distance and the judges give it to Izzy ..

Yan and Sterling I think has potential to be pretty interesting though.

[Karl_Hungus]

Big card. IMO, this is the biggest challenge for Izzy so far. Jan is dangerous. I gots Jan, but like always, I am wrong

I got Izzy although I want Jan to win....but the guys I want to win usually lose...lol. I think Izzy is too quick and will pick him apart at range. Although, Jan could have 30-40 pounds on him by the time they step into the cage. It could be interesting.

If Izzy loses though, this pretty much kills a future JJ fight.

The other fights on the card should be good except for Nunes. The only way she loses is if she gets KO'd by a falling light or something.

[Mark1T]

Welcome to the club.

I got Adesanya, Nunes, Yan, Dober and Rakic.

Good pics.

unless Blacho's size advantage offsets his skill disadvantage, I won't be surprised to see a fairly boring fight with Izzy on his bicycle all night...

I'll say it goes the distance and the judges give it to Izzy ..

Yan and Sterling I think has potential to be pretty interesting though.

Interesting take on the Izzy fight. Jan is big, but Costa is and was big, too. Jan though brings more skill than Costa did. Big talent, both fighters.

I got Izzy although I want Jan to win....but the guys I want to win usually lose...lol. I think Izzy is too quick and will pick him apart at range. Although, Jan could have 30-40 pounds on him by the time they step into the cage. It could be interesting.

If Izzy loses though, this pretty much kills a future JJ fight.

The other fights on the card should be good except for Nunes. The only way she loses is if she gets KO'd by a falling light or something.

Your record of choosing winners are better than mine, Karl. I agree Jan might come in 30lbs heavier. But, Mr. Ocean says the size advantage won't offset Izzy's skill advantage and Izzy has proven that.

True, Izzy needs this win to get a super fight with JJ. Nunes needs a good challenge. She is too good.

[steffo99]

Interesting take on the Izzy fight. Jan is big, but Costa is and was big, too. Jan though brings more skill than Costa did. Big talent, both fighters.

Costa and Romero didn't come forward enough, whether they got scared or just couldn't adjust on the fly due to low fight IQ or whatever it was. But thinking this eastern european dude will be a different thing and he will keep coming forward even if he gets touched up and hurt in the process. If Gastelum gave him trouble, Jan should also be able to do something.

[Mark1T]

Costa and Romero didn't come forward enough, whether they got scared or just couldn't adjust on the fly due to low fight IQ or whatever it was. But thinking this eastern european dude will be a different thing and he will keep coming forward even if he gets touched up and hurt in the process. If Gastelum gave him trouble, Jan should also be able to do something.

Makes good sense, Steffo. Thanks for posting

[mtpockets]

I am not overly excited about this one, I think Jan must end it early or he will lose, would love to see Anderson knock Nunes on her ass, probably never happen, but would be great to see. I think the best one will be Yan vs Sterling possible fight of the night


The undercard doesn't interest me much either

[Mark1T]

I am not overly excited about this one, I think Jan must end it early or he will lose, would love to see Anderson knock Nunes on her ass, probably never happen, but would be great to see. I think the best one will be Yan vs Sterling possible fight of the night

The undercard doesn't interest me much either

Well, you are more informed than some of us, like me. I see the main event as a big and talented brute who is more talented and brutal than Costa against high level of skill. This is what intrigues me. I think Jan is also smarter than someone like Costa and will come in with a strategy.

For me, Izzy shutting down Costa with such skill and confidence was amazing. Most fighters go into fighting someone like Costa are scared ****tless, but even though Izzy isn’t that likeable, he can fight with great skill.

[Oceanside]

Cruz did ok...

I was wondering how he'd do.....he did ok !...

I still think Izzy wins this and it's boring

Cant wait for Yan/Sterling .

[ChazWood]

Cruz did ok...

I was wondering how he'd do.....he did ok !...

I still think Izzy wins this and it's boring

Cant wait for Yan/Sterling .

Yan... what a killer. Shame he forgets the rules. Ultimately, a nice upcoming payday for both fights which wouldn't have been the case had it gone the distance.

Time for the ladies to throw down.

EDIT: Yikes.

EDIT2: Back to Middleweight for Izzy. I was sweating that decision for a minute. Never know with these judges.

[Karl_Hungus]

That Yan fight was depressing...Holy sh!t. He was dominating from start to finish until he went full potato. Feel bad for Sterling.

After watching Izzy vs Blachowicz, it is pretty clear that JJ could easily beat Izzy if he used his wrestling. Blachowicz may have done Izzy a favor by killing that fight...

EDIT: And, WTF is with the scoring? Sterling ahead on one of the scorecards?? And 10-8 rounds in the Izzy/Jan fight? Ridiculous...

[steffo99]

Nunes, possibly the scariest fighter on the card. Wonder if there could be a future superfight with Claressa Shields after Shields get some more experience and training?

[Mark1T]

Well that was interesting. Izzy was slower but according to Jan, he hit harder than he expected. But in the end Jan won. It did go the distance but different than what most of us expected.

That added weight definitely affected Izzy and I think it might affect Jon Jones similarly at heavyweight.

[mtpockets]

I liked the Kai Kara-France finish, thought he was done a couple of times

[ChazWood]

Nunes, possibly the scariest fighter on the card. Wonder if there could be a future superfight with Claressa Shields after Shields get some more experience and training?

She's a monster. Shame she has no charisma. Speaking of which; think she could take McGregor???

[Mark1T]

This is an Izzy quote from last night. He was actually real and humble after the defeat:

White said “size is always a factor,” and that he felt it played a role in Blachowicz’s victory. Adesanya respectfully disagreed. He said Blachowicz’s defense was better than he thought, but that his size had little impact on the outcome.

He offered no excuses and noted that although he entered the bout 20-0 as an MMA fighter, he has experienced defeat before.

“I’ve lost before,” Adesanya said. “I’ve lost in kickboxing. I’ve lost in boxing. I lost in life and I’ve lost in love. You don’t win all the time. I’m still here. My team’s still here. They still love me. My family loves me.”

[ChazWood]

This is an Izzy quote from last night. He was actually real and humble after the defeat:

White said “size is always a factor,” and that he felt it played a role in Blachowicz’s victory. Adesanya respectfully disagreed. He said Blachowicz’s defense was better than he thought, but that his size had little impact on the outcome.

He offered no excuses and noted that although he entered the bout 20-0 as an MMA fighter, he has experienced defeat before.

“I’ve lost before,” Adesanya said. “I’ve lost in kickboxing. I’ve lost in boxing. I lost in life and I’ve lost in love. You don’t win all the time. I’m still here. My team’s still here. They still love me. My family loves me.”

Hard to relate to the dude sometimes, but he's a warrior and often exiting to watch, which commands respect.

I think his best is yet to come, Marky.

[Mark1T]

Hard to relate to the dude sometimes, but he's a warrior and often exiting to watch, which commands respect.

I think his best is yet to come, Marky.

I agree, Chazzy.