UFC’s brightest new star, Israel Adesanya, is set to defend his Middleweight title this weekend at UFC 48. Adesanya will go against the terrifying Cuban, Yoel Romero, on Saturday, 7th March, in the US.
Arguably, the biggest rising star since McGregor, Israel Adesanya, is a big deal in the UFC, and he might continue being a bigger deal if he continues winning. Adesanya knocked out the last champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 and you could almost see registers of cash rolling in the eyeballs of Dana White. The charismatic and quick-witted athlete has a strong social media game, and he’s among the most futuristic strikers in the game. He’s the Anderson Silva of the new age.
At the UFC 248, Israel Adesanya will face Yoel Romero, a furious Cuban fighter that is capable of making the fight challenging to anyone. Romero has been referred by many as a tank in human flesh, capable of demolishing almost any opponent. Before winning a razor-tight decision against Romero, Whittaker broke several bones while kicking and punching him. Another opponent, Luke Rockhold, stated that Romero is a “man of steel.”
Based on his previous tournaments, Romero is a great option when you’ve redeemed the Bet365 bonus code, as he’s capable of violently and savagely knocking out any fighter. Nonetheless, Adesanya vs. Romero is not the only major fight happening at UFC 248. The newly crowned strawweight champion in the UFC women, Weili Zhang, will face the legendary Joana Jedrzejczyk. The bout is set to be among the greatest female strawweight fights in history.
Zhang vs. Joana’s fight will be a thrilling battle of power against speed, with Weilli being a strong hitter in the division. However, Joana is lightning fast and extremely defensively sound. As such, Zhang could be UFC’s next superstar, being the first Chinese champion in all weights. Nonetheless, beating Joana will be a huge challenge.
How to Watch
Starting from this year, UFC matches will be available on ESPN, following a new partnership deal. The new deal is good news for the UFC as it will aid in the expansion of MMA, though that’s bad news for consumer choice, especially those living in the US.
In the US, fans can only access UFC 248 through ESPN+ on PPV, though the cost structure seems a little confusing. However, here are a few options available on ESPN’s site:
• Existing monthly ESPN+ subscribers musty choose to either upgrade to the annual plan and buy the UFC PPV for $85 or buy the access to the fights for $65.
• Existing annual ESPN+ subscribers can purchase the fight’s PPV for $65.
• New ESPN+ subscribers are free to purchase a single UFC PPV event and a recurring annual subscription for $85 only. This annual subscription will renew automatically after a year at ESPN+ yearly subscription price.
In the UK, MMA fans can enjoy UFC 248 exclusively on BT Sport. More options are also available for Australian fans, as the fights will be available on Foxtel’s Main Event. You can also watch the bouts online on the UFC website or through the app.