[ad_1]
Through all the trials and tribulations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UFC returns this weekend with UFC 249 from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday night. On top of the loaded card we’re ready for, the main event promises an action-packed battle as Tony Ferguson meets Justin Gaethje in an interim fight for the lightweight championship.
More UFC 249
Ferguson originally planned to meet with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov when the event was scheduled for April 18 in Brooklyn. But the changing times and travel restrictions caused by the pandemic led to the event being delayed and relocated, leaving Nurmagomedov out and landing his golden opportunity at Gaethje.
Another unexpected title fight stemmed from turmoil in recent weeks, with Henry Cejudo, who was originally slated to defend his bantamweight title against José Aldo in Brazil, now encounters former division king Dominick Cruz in a main event title clash. . The fight is Cruz’s first in more than three years.
Sixteen of the 24 fighters on this card have appeared in main events at various UFC events in the past. That’s tied for fourth on any fight card in UFC history, according to ESPN. A pair of them, Francis Ngannou and Jair Rozenstruik, will face off in the spotlight at PPV with the future of the heavyweight division on the line. The winner is probably the new No. 1 contender to face champion Stipe Miocic next.
Get your expert picks for UFC 249 from our podcast: Combat status with Brian Campbell – where we look at everything on the main board and get an in-depth look at UFC Hall of Fame member “Suga” Rashad Evans below.
Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride. Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the card with the latest William Hill Sportsbook odds.
UFC 249 Fight Card
- Tony Ferguson -190 vs. Justin Gaethje +160 – Interim Light Title
- Henry Cejudo (c) -220 vs. Dominick Cruz +180 – bantamweight title
- Francis Ngannou -280 vs. Jair Rozenstruik +230 – Heavyweights
- Calvin Kattar -240 vs. Jeremy Stephens +200 – Feather Weights
- Greg Hardy -195 vs. Yorgan De Castro +165 – Heavyweights
- Anthony Pettis -150 vs. Donald Cerrone +125 – Welterweight
- Vicente Luque -280 vs Niko Price +230 – Welterweight
- Fabricio Werdum -330 vs. Aleksei Oleinik +260 – Heavyweights
- Carla Esparza -160 vs. Michelle Waterson +140 – Women’s Straw Weights
- Bryce Mitchell -165 vs. Charles Rosa +155 – Feather Weights
- Ryan Spann -420 vs. Sam Alvey +330 – Lightweights
With such a big main event on tap, the CBS Sports team followed through with predictions and choices for the main card. Here are their pick creators: Brent Brookhouse (combat sports writer), Brian Campbell (combat sports writer), Matthew Coca (producer), Jack Crosby (editor), Michael Mormile (producer), and Brandon Wise (editor) .
UFC 249 selections
| Ferguson vs. Gaethje |
Ferguson |
Ferguson | Ferguson | Ferguson | Ferguson | Gaethje |
| Cejudo (c) vs. Cruz | Cejudo | cross | cross | cross | Cejudo | Cejudo |
| Ngannou against Rozenstruik | Ngannou | Ngannou | Ngannou | Ngannou | Ngannou | Ngannou |
| Kattar vs. Stephens | Stephens | Kattar | Kattar | Stephens | Kattar | Kattar |
| Hardy vs. from Castro | From castro | From castro | Resistant | From castro | Resistant | From castro |
Campbell on why Ferguson will win: While there is certainly an unknown element due to the unique circumstances surrounding the construction of the card, Ferguson remains the best fighter with the most ways to win. He also needs the prize of what is at stake the most considering his age (36), winning streak (12) and closing the title containment window in the midst of a surprising streak of bad luck and time. None of that will matter, of course, if Ferguson’s nature of play gets too close to Gaethje’s flame of power, which has produced three consecutive first-round finishes. However, no one seems to enjoy the danger of teasing as much as Ferguson, whose submission skills should give him an edge when the fight hits the ground.
Wise on why Gaethje will do it win: When this fight was announced, it felt like a bad matchup for Gaethje. However, the caveman fighting style seems to find itself with an opportunity to finish “El Cucuy” given Ferguson’s crazy pace and pressure. With his recent stamina and guidance from coach Trevor Wittman, it is difficult to choose against Gaethje given his unrealistic power in the weight class. Other than the fact that Ferguson decided to lose weight three weeks ago just for fun? There is something strange about this confrontation that simply leans in favor of Gaethje. Search “The Highlight” to delight fans in this instant classic of a main event with an ending.
Brookhouse on why Ferguson will win: In a world where both men were given a full training camp, this is almost the launch of a fight. He’s still not far off with Gaethje taking the fight on short notice. The reality is that both men are there to be hit and both are very good at hitting. Ferguson’s style is quite awkward and he was already in full camp for the fight of his life when things changed to an easier style. It’s going to be violent and dangerous from start to finish, but I like that Ferguson overcame Gaethje’s first offensive outbursts before taking the fight and scoring a late save.
Campbell explains why Cejudo will win: Does Cruz deserve the title for a new defeat and a four-year layoff? Barely. Would it be one of the most celebrated victories given its long history of hardship and perseverance? Definitely. That does not mean it will happen. Cruz is 35 years old and constantly beaten. It will have a size advantage over Cejudo and its difficult cadence could cause early problems. But the longer the fight lasts, Cejudo seems to improve. If Cruz proves he can’t hurt him, a late finish for the coolest fighter isn’t out of the question.
Brookhouse on why Cruz will win: It’s crazy to think Cruz is getting this chance, but just like with Gaethje, the coronavirus opened a door. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Cruz is only 35 years old, just two years older than Cejudo. Assuming Cruz has kept fit and hasn’t lost his awkward style, there are plenty of reasons to think that he can win this fight. There are very few people who fight like Cruz, constantly working on movement and angles to create offensive openings. Cejudo was not preparing to face something similar to his style when he thought he would fight José Aldo. Rather than a pro featherweight running out of 135 for a very direct attack attack, Cejudo will take on a tall and awkward fighter who is the best in bantamweight division history. Style will make a difference in this fight as Cruz uses movement and length to crawl in enough rounds to get through the fight on scorecards.
Crosby on why Ngannou will win: It’s crazy to think that the fight of a de facto heavyweight number one contender is flying a little under the radar, but that’s a testament to how loaded this card really is. It really is not an exaggeration to believe, as many do, that this will not go beyond Round 1 because these two men will come out to make an emphatic statement at such high stakes. In the end, it is difficult to ignore the discipline that Ngannou has shown in his rise to the top of the contender ranking. He’ll get the job done quickly as he earns a future title shot, but this won’t be the last we see of Rozenstruik, either.
Who will win Ferguson vs. Gaethje, and how exactly will each fight end? Visit SportsLine now for detailed picks in every UFC 249 fight, all by the expert expert who has nearly $ 19,000.
[ad_2]
