UFC 259 predictions — Israel Adesanya vs. Jan Blachowicz: Fight card, odds,

When it comes to fight cards, they don’t get much bigger — or better — than what we have on tap for UFC 259. With three championship fights and a host of current and former champions and title challengers up and down the card, it’s easy to see why the MMA world is eagerly anticipating the action from inside Las Vegas’ UFC Apex on Saturday night.

In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya heads to the light heavyweight division to challenge 205-pound champion Jan Blachowicz in the Pol’s first title defense. The co-main event features two-division champ Amanda Nunes defending her women’s featherweight title against Megan Anderson. Bantamweight champion Petr Yan will also defend his 135-pound title on the card, taking on top contender Aljamain Sterling.

This card is about as big as it gets, too. Despite the innumerable issues that have plagued UFC matchmaking during the pandemic, this card has managed to stay together with 15 fights on tap with everything from fighters making their UFC debuts to former champions and title challengers looking to make their way back to the top. 

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With so much happening on Saturday night, let’s take a closer look at the full fight card with the latest odds from William Hill Sportsbook before we get to our staff predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.

UFC 259 fight card, odds

• Israel Adesanya -230 vs. Jan Blachowicz (c) +190, light heavyweight championship
• Amanda Nunes (c) -1100 vs. Megan Anderson +700, women’s featherweight championship
• Petr Yan (c) -120 vs. Aljamain Sterling +100, bantamweight championship
• Islam Makhachev -410 vs. Drew Dober +320, lightweights
• Aleksandar Rakic -160 vs. Thiago Santos +135, light heavyweights
• Casey Kenney -135 vs. Dominick Cruz +115, bantamweights
• Song Yadong -150 vs. Kyler Phillips +125, bantamweights
• Askar Askarov -125 vs. Joseph Benavidez +105, flyweights
• Amanda Lemos -220 vs. Livinha Souza +180, women’s strawweights
• Jordan Espinosa -125 vs. Tim Elliott +105, flyweights
• Carlos Ulberg -240 vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu +200, light heavyweights
• Sean Brady -210 vs. Jake Matthews +175, welterweights
• Kai Kara-France -135 vs. Rogerio Bontorin +115, flyweights
• Uros Medic -170 vs. Aalon Cruz +145, lightweights
• Mario Bautista -230 vs. Trevin Jones +190, bantamweights

With such a massive main event on tap, the crew at CBS Sports went ahead with predictions and picks for the main card. Here are your pick makers: Brent Brookhouse (Combat sports writer), Brian Campbell (Combat sports writer, co-host of “Morning Kombat”), Matthew Coca (producer), Jack Crosby (editor), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Wise (senior editor).

UFC 259 picks, predictions

Campbell on why Adesanya will win: This has all the makings to be a one-sided demolition, even with the legitimate threat that the 38-year-old Blachowicz brings in the form of top-shelf power. Expect Adesanya’s speed and accuracy to be a problem for as long as this fight lasts. “The Last Stylebender” is both taller and longer despite being the fighter who is moving up in weight and as long as he avoids the clinch while grappling with his back against the cage, this has all the makings to be a spectacular statement to the light heavyweight division.

Brookhouse on why Adesanya will win: Blachowicz’s path to victory involves somehow either landing a one-shot knockout blow or using his strength advantage to completely nullify Adesanya’s striking. There’s a huge gulf in striking technique between the two men, so Blachowicz has to figure out how he is going to get around that. Put simply: I don’t think he can. Adesanya is a next-level talent on the feet. As long as he doesn’t completely go into his shell and lack aggression like in his fight with Yoel Romero — a career worst performance for Adesanya — Saturday night should see the crowning of a two-division king.

Campbell on why Nunes will win: Anderson is anything but a blown-up bantamweight, which makes this a potentially interesting matchup should the 6-foot tall featherweight contender prove able to establish her jab from distance and set up her powerful right hand. The problem, of course, is that Nunes is the G.O.A.T. for a reason and has methodically eliminated any form of flaws to her game. Nunes’ advantage on the ground should prove to be…